[Do efforts determine results... or vice versa?]

The root of most problems lies in the fundamentals, and that’s what this article is about. Millions of Americans attempt to transform their bodies every year. Most fail. This is a very blunt statement, but unfortunately, it’s also an understatement. But why? Is fitness such a lofty undertaking that it inevitably eludes most who make the attempt? Absolutely not. The explanation of why some succeed and others don’t is actually rather simple.

After nearly a decade spent in the fitness industry, I’ve observed that there are essentially two categories of people trying to make a transformation, which often means shedding bodyfat. Those who fail usually cause their own demise. As sad as that may sound, it gets worse. They don’t even know it, so certainly can’t do much about it. Let’s find out why, to make sure it doesn’t happen to you or to anyone you care about.

Those who fall short of their transformation goals start with a decision to finally make an effort to get into shape. They join a health club, and perhaps make a few changes in their eating habits. They have made the leap and now it’s time to see the results. Tick-tock-tick-tock. Uh oh! Why is nothing happening? Why is there no transformation occurring in the mirror?

In fact, it’s more than likely that their body is transforming; it just isn’t conforming to the images they’ve seen in absurd infomercials, or testimonials from weight loss centers or internet pop-up ads of dehydration programs disguised as weight loss. Many people expect decades of neglect, sedentary lifestyle, and unhealthy eating to reverse themselves in mere months. If a person can consistently drop at least one percent of bodyfat per month without losing muscle, that’s great progress and the transformation has begun. Let me reemphasize “without losing muscle.” Your first measure of success is lowering bodyfat percentage, and your body weight is the second. At the aforementioned rate, a person well into the clinically obese category would transform themselves into the healthy category within a year! In addition, about every three or four percent bodyfat loss for a female is going to result in a drop in pants size. If it took half a lifetime to create and maintain an obese body, a year is a short time to change it, not to mention ensuring that you’re going to be around for the other half of the lifetime.

Let’s assume this same person gives their newfound lifestyle some time, perhaps a full year, and their progress is still lackluster, or nonexistent (unfortunately, this happens quite often). What could be the problem? Simple. The person we’ve been talking about didn’t really decide to get fit. They did what millions of people do every year. They decided to make some changes and rolled the dice, hoping for snake eyes. This is a good analogy actually, because they are truly gambling, but unfortunately with bad health, cancer, and death. Would anyone expect a successful outcome from a lackadaisical effort in any other area of life? Probably not. So why would anyone expect it from their fitness endeavor?

Transforming a neglected body with substantially high bodyfat into something healthy in today’s modern labor-diminished and malnourished society is indeed an extraordinary accomplishment, yet millions expect it to happen from ordinary and minimal efforts. Without some sort of steady results, even minimal, the most respected person is likely to throw in the towel. One of my favorite quotes to clients is, “Extraordinary outcomes don’t come from ordinary efforts.” In short, those who fail never truly decided to transform their bodies in the first place; they only decided to give it a “try.” The known variable was the effort they would make, and the unknown variable was the result they would (hopefully) get.

What do those who succeed do differently? They made a true “decision,” which means “firmness of character or action, determination, and unwavering firmness.” In other words (read carefully), they made the outcome (their transformation) the known variable (22% bodyfat, or a size 4), and the unknown variable is the effort they must put forth to get there. This person will not accept their results, the known variable, to not come to fruition. Instead, they will adjust the unknown variable, their efforts, to whatever level is necessary. This is a simple guide to success at any endeavor, yet millions of people exempt their health and fitness from the same rule.

If this all seems fundamental, you’re right. The first step in solving a problem is identifying it, so my goal is to help those who have drifted receive a new insight in order to prevent another failed attempt, or possibly help a friend or perhaps even motivate some to venture beyond their own expectations. Transforming bodies often requires advanced knowledge of physiological science. Mechanics fix cars, carpenters build houses and personal trainers transform bodies. If you haven’t sought the aid of a professional, perhaps that’s one of the unknown variables.

[Darin Loccarini is a certified personal trainer at Lifestyle Family Fitness in Northeast St. Petersburg. He has nearly a decade of fitness industry experience and is certified through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and APEX Fitness Systems. (727) 798-5566.]