Want to have a body you are proud of? Are you willing to work for it? Follow these 10 fitness truths that I’m about to share and you will get amazing results.
In this article, I’m sharing fitness truths you need to know if you want to get in better shape, lose weight, have more energy, be healthier and look damn good.
There are no quick fixes when it comes to fitness. There is no pill you can pop every morning that washes away the fat and builds muscle. And, women need to build muscle.
Fitness Truths #1...
You have to work for it. No whining, no complaining, no excuses…
Are you willing to work? If not, it’s your choice and your body.
BUT, if you are willing to put forth a bit of effort, the sky’s the limit.
- You don’t have to be perfect.
- No working out for hours a day.
- You don’t have to jump in with both feet.
You can work at this gradually at your own pace. It all depends on how fast you want results, how badly you want results and what results you actually want.
All you have to do is make the decision to start.
NOTE: If you find excuses are hindering your ability to get started or stay committed to your fitness routine, YOU ARE NORMAL! Make sure you check out my article on how to get rid of excuses.
#2... Patience
The results you want are likely to take longer than you want.
Depending on your current fitness level, it’s possible to start seeing results within a week or two. But, you aren’t likely to see the significant changes you are looking for that quickly.
Are you in it for the long-haul or just looking for that quick fix?
Forget about quick fixes. They rarely happen and when they do they never last.
#3... Be realistic
You must set realistic goals. Again, forget the quick fix.
You didn’t gain 50 pounds last week and you are not going to lose it this week.
Setting unrealistic goals is a surefire way to end your dream of being more fit. You’ll just end up disappointed, convinced that “it” doesn’t work and quickly give up.
Instead by setting short-term realistic goals, you will see success early on, gain confidence as you celebrate the small wins, feel more optimistic and excited to continue on your journey.
A small win every week is much more motivating than one big win that you had to wait a year to obtain (if you even last the full year).
Fitness truths #4...
You must lift increasingly heavier weights.
Doing 25, 50 or 100+ reps with light or no weights will not build muscle.
I know… I’ve seen the YouTube videos that promise sexy arms if you just do a bunch of arm circles.
Trust me on this. You are not going to have sexy, no flab arms doing arm circles. Ever!
Check out Top 16 exercises to eliminate flabby arms. You won’t find any arm circles in the list.
NOTE: Arm circles are a great way to warm up the arms BEFORE your workout.
You need to progressively overload the muscle to make it grow. Your muscles will respond by getting stronger, your bone density will increase, your metabolism will increase. Light to no weight is just not going to overload the muscle enough to make it grow.
NOTE: When you are just starting out, you are likely using a lighter weight. That’s fine. It should still FEEL heavy. Your body doesn’t know if you are lifting a 5-pound dumbbell or a 25-pound dumbbell. It only knows if it is being pushed/overloaded. As you get stronger, increase your weights. If you can do more than 15 reps, it’s time to increase your weight.
#5... You won't get bulky.
You will not get bulky from lifting weights.
Women do not have enough testosterone to get bulky. You would need to lift incredibly heavy, have incredibly low body fat, have extreme workouts and the right genetics.
This is just not something you need to worry about.
Fitness truths #6...
Train with someone who will push you.
Our minds will tell us to stop long before our bodies need to stop. Our mental toughness (or lack of) can significantly slow our progress.
Having someone saying “Come on. You can do one more” can be a game-changer.
If you haven’t already joined us, I invite you to join our free Facebook group. Ask questions, get support and encouragement, join our weekly 15-minute workout and so much more!
#7... Sorry, spot reducing fat... not possible
You cannot spot reduce fat.
You can strengthen a specific muscle, but there is no exercise to get rid of fat in a certain area of the body. Genetics will determine where the body fat is lost first.
We all have certain areas where we lose fat more easily and other areas where it seems to be stuck for life.
As you build more muscle, you’re burning more calories, and you will lose the fat in these hard to lose areas too. It just takes more time.
Fitness truths #8...
Cardio without strength training can, and often does, lead to being “skinny fat”.
It is incredibly common for women to lose weight either through diet alone or in combination with lots of cardio. Cardio is great for burning calories; however, to avoid the “skinny fat” look, you need to build muscle.
#9...No starving
You do not need to starve yourself to have a great body.
It is true that if you want to lose weight, you do need to be in a calorie deficit. However, you don’t want to go overboard.
You need enough fuel (ie. food) to have the energy for your workouts and everything else you want to do. It’s all about balance and following a healthy meal plan.
For more info on healthy meal plans, check out Basic Meal Planning with Foods You Actually Want to Eat.
Fitness truths #10...
You can’t “tone” your muscles.
You can increase muscle or decrease muscle. The look of “toned” muscles is the result of building muscle.
Start building muscle today.
Grab one or both of these free workout plans to get started building muscle today!
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