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With time, patience, proper training, proper nutrition, and proper attention to lifestyle factors, almost anyone can transform their body and their life. It does take a lot of time and dedication, though – I tell all of my clients interested in losing weight and toning up that it could take at least a full year to achieve a trim, proportioned, fit look. Yes, of course you will see some results within two weeks if you’re training at least twice a week and watching your nutrition.
But to get a whole new body – trimming down while building up the muscles – is a long term, difficult process. It takes time to replace old habits with new ones. You also have to pay a lot of attention to nutrition, losing weight slowly (instead of too quickly), learning how to train (skill), building up the stamina and strength for truly intense training, while not over training. Over training fatigues mind and body, slowing your progress, and over training also leads to injury. Certainly, you do want to train hard, but allow for recovery. Push past your comfort zone, but not to injury.
The fortunate thing, though, is that hard work builds not just strength, but willpower and confidence as well. It takes guts and tenacity to train hard! Most people give up too easily, before they see results. Don’t give up! Climb that mountain!
This article is also included in the Johnston Karate Guide to Functional Strength
