I have fully settled into Brazil now after being here for a couple of weeks. My time here is a simple amalgamation of all the things I love to do and nothing of the things I am not so enthralled by. One of the interesting things about coming back here to Recife after 16 months is looking at how people’s body shapes do not change. In 16 months you have enough time to achieve all the goals you could want for most people in regards to their body shape and leave plenty of time to spare. It is also enough time to get completely out of shape.
On returning here the vast majority of people have neither got the body they always dreamed nor have they let everything fall apart. They are exactly where they were previously. The people in good shape are still in good shape, those in average shape are still that and those overweight are still overweight at very similar levels to previous.
This real world demonstration shows the world of weight loss at its core. People do not really change, they repeat the same pattern within some very narrow boundries. I have discussed this previously in the 10% rule about body fat vs how we feel about ourselves.
Changing Levels of Body Fat
Most people cycle between a very narrow band of body fat, probably just 2-5% for the majority of the time. This normally represents going from crisis to half content and back again.
IF you prefer to cycle between feeling amazing to just really good you need to have a significant change in your thinking around getting in shape.
Forget any diet plan or exercise routines it takes a significant change from the point where you are now to take you forwards to the next level above These changes may include one or more of the following –
– Changing your relationship to hunger
– Changing your relationship towards a specific food
– Improving your relationship towards exercise
– Developing a new plan of action for stressed/busy periods different to your normal plan.
– Increasing your nutrition knowledge
-Increasing your exercise knowledge
– Revaluating your values and how body shape sits amongst them
– Looking into happiness and personal success
– Looking a stress, how to handle it and how to never perceive it in the first place
There are also other things that could need changing.
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You do not need to change all of these things but rather you must change one or more of them to take your level of behaviours to a higher level. If you currently function at 45 / 100 on the health and fitness perfect behaviours score then any change that takes you to say a 60/100 could be enough to take you to that next level above. Once you are consistently operating at this higher level then patience is the key as you must sit at that level of behaviours for long enough to take you to the goal. This may be anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of years based on the body and the goal.
The key though, is something must change up top to see change in the body. Your current pattern of fitness drives and diet attempts serve you to create the body you have already. But to create the body you want….which sits at a higher level you will need new thought!
October 7th (4/6 day measured)
I have started the week with a few days of body fat stripping to take me back down under 8% so I am looking ripped on the beach. Training wise I am going hard at gaining muscle though backed slightly off as with a fat stripping nutrition plan in place gains would be limited anyhow.
Diet – Protein – 168g, Carbs – 329g, fat – 48g, calories – 2418, P: 28 % C : 54% F: 18%
Exercise – 8 Weights session/ 0 Fitness
Weight – 71.1kg Body fat – 39.2mm*
Supplements – None
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*This is my own 10 point self measurement system, it does not correlate to body fat scores. At a guess 40mm – 8%, 50mm – 9.5%, 60mm – 11%, 70mm – 12.5%. I do not take it everyday if looking to gain muscle or maintain as it puts me off wanting to eat more. If on fat loss phase I take it daily. Like any body fat measurement system, as you get to low body fat levels the number become less accurate or reliable.
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