RESPECT

So this post is for all you girls out there who still see the 'UGLY' in the mirror. For those of you who see a picturesque beauty in your reflection, maybe this post has represented some point in your past...

Us girls can be our own worst enemy when it comes to body image. The constant mind chatter and tunnel vision that bombards us from time to time is enough to send you off the rails. One minute you're feeling positive, beautiful, seeing definition that you've never seen before and next minute KABOOM your very world is falling to pieces. All you see is bloat, flab, cellulite, bumps and lumps that are like SO in the wrong places. Sound familiar?

Well its time to open your eyes and see the big picture.

Fat loss is a tedious task at the best of times. But the media, supplement companies and tv shows like the biggest loser make it look so easy to lose a SHIT LOAD of weight and fast. So what happens? We expect to do so too. Its these high expectation that we put on ourselves that can make the journey unbareable. You question yourself. "I've been dieting and training for months, so why is it coming off so slowly!?" Maybe i'm not meant to be lean?
What you have to remember is that your body doesnt look like its reflection overnight. That is the result of days, weeks, months and even years of emotional eating that you have to resolve. And change takes time...sometimes a fuckin long time!!!!  As hard as it sounds, we need to learn to love the body that we see now and start treating it with respect. You would never tell someone else that their body looks disgusting (....though someone i know beginning with H would do so. You know who im talking about!), so why would you say mean things to yourself? Starving yourself and over-training is not considered RESPECT, that is PUNISHMENT. So ask yourself, why would my body want to change if i was punishing it???

Now we all know that calorie in < calories out = weight loss right?  In the past i was always one to combine massive deficits in calories with massive hours in the gym. Of course that works initially and you lose quite a bit of weight fast (probably muscle too!), but what people dont realise is that with a massive calorie deficit- especially below your BMR, you trigger metabolic slow-down. Your body starts to think you are starving so it tries to hold onto fat as a surival technique. So what do you do? You see your results slowing down, so you cut more calories and increase your exercise! NOT GOOD! You are dis-respecting your body by punishing the fat off. In turn your body will become even more acidic, your adrenals begin to burn out, you become exhausted, you become miserable.... and the emotional eating wheel starts all over again!

So it all comes down to balance. Less is more. Tom Venuto recommends only a 20-25% deficit from maintainance calories for weight loss and John Berardi believes that 5 hours a week is the magic number for exercise. So yes we are talking about 0.5kg and 0.5% BF loss a week, not big numbers but realistic numbers. Slow and steady wins the race and slow and steady allows you to develop habits that will last you a life-time.

Another thing i have discovered which is just a fantastic tool is the Progress Chart. I had been in such scale denial for years that my progress charts would only ever last a few weeks. There would be moments of binge eating, so i would stop tracking results telling myself i would start over again later....i could justify anything, cos i wanted my progress charts to look perfect! But the journey is not meant to be perfect, thats why recording the good and the bad can allow us to note any triggering factors of WHY we went off the rails. Mistakes happen so we can learn from them.

So when the times get tough and you see the "UGLY" in the mirror, you can go back to that chart and remind yourself of just how far you have come. Its a reminder of the hard work and dedication you are putting into your body. Us girls all have fat days, like it or not- our water fluctuates and we go from sharp to smooth, but seeing those numbers decreasing on paper will bring you back to your senses. That everytime you shovel healthy food into your mouth and everytime you throw around a dumbell at the gym that YOU are a WINNER.

Results come from a consistant effort, so stay focused, write down your goals, visualise your success, love yourself, RESPECT your body and before you know it your dreams WILL become your REALITY.