Have you fallen into the “weight loss trap?”
A common experience for people who have the number one goal as “weight loss” will view the success/failures of their efforts in a one dimensional way. Let us expand our views on Fitness, so that we can all experience the effect of fat loss.
Perspectives of Fitness — tools for the journey
Think about some ways you imagine fitness to improve lives in general. Mentally list off some ways that people experience the benefit of fitness.
We all benefit from fitness. I’ll get to the idea of fat loss as an effect later.
1. We all benefit from fitness no matter the body type
It’s true that everybody has a different body shape. Gains in fitness can be significant for all. Fitness is is simply worth pursuing.
Take a look at the picture above. The arms and shoulders are highly developed and probably only just a small part of our body image programming.
How many thousands of ways have we seen unreachable body types in media since youth? Images can be pervasive in ways I’m sure you’ve seen those before/after YouTube videos of models.
2. Fat loss related to stress management
The goal of fitness is to improve the working mechanisms in the body so that when we are at rest or in action– we tend to deal with stress better.
Stress is a key element which people experience — whether thin, slim, or carry rotund tendencies… being able to deal with stress is truly an overlooked element of fitness.
You can look at stress as a stimulant in certain ways. After strong stimulus there must be recovery. How quickly do you recover?
3. Whats the deal with cardio
It’s a matter of red liquid that circulates in the arteries and veins of humans, carrying oxygen and carbon dioxide from the tissues of the body. Cardio is all about flow, rhythm, and persistence.
4. Use your cardio, to grow your brain
Fitness benefits from methods of physical expression. Use challenging movement patterns to enhance the neural circuitry of the brain.
5. To advance in fitness, you may have to narrow focus (go faster)
If you are doing HIIT on the treadmill its a good idea to get faster or make a progression on your incline. Getting faster is a sure fire way to burn fat.
“It’s not about how fast you run, it’s about how you run fast”
6. Deliver the nutrients
Consume a vegetable strong, omega+3 focused diet for goals of nutrient density.
Not everybody needs to lose weight, while every gain in fitness is valuable. Focus on putting the right things in.
Your fitness matters most for your own benefit
Gains in fitness are more valuable than weight loss as a metric for physical progress. Many fitness adaptations are not measured yet should be seen for the benefit it is.
On another spectrum, people with body fat percentage higher than 20% may benefit from weight loss overall.
Find your reason.