Most of us know that you can’t simply eat whatever you want without paying for it. The saying “you are what you eat” is true when it comes to weight loss. If you want to lose weight, you’re going to have to pay the piper.
There are a number of simple, but effective, ways to build muscle fast. There is no one best way to go about it. You can lift weights, find a good trainer, eat right and even work out in the morning. If you’re serious about building muscle you’ll want to find a way that works for you. All methods have their benefits, but there are certain ones that are more effective than others.
There’s been a lot of talk lately about the cost of getting lean. We’ve heard how much it costs to eat fresh foods, how we need to stay away from sports drinks and protein shakes, and how we can only do it on our own if we want to. That’s all well and good, but if you’re just starting to train and you don’t have a lot of money to start, you might not want to listen. You see, the cost of getting lean goes beyond paying for the food you eat and the supplements you use. It also includes the strain of exercise and time you can’t put into your job.. Read more about the cost of getting lean reddit and let us know what you think.
Abs with a six-pack. Butts are tight. Health that is lean, bright, and perfect. That is the image that the fitness industry promotes. But have you ever considered how much that “look” costs? What are the things you need to do more of? What exactly do you have to give up?
Make no mistake about it: there are genuine trade-offs when it comes to losing weight and improving your health. Let us discuss what they are. So you may think about how to get the physique and health you want while still enjoying the life you want.
A story about two customers
A few weeks ago, one of our successful customers — let’s call him Bill — approached us with a query.
He could sprint up stairs and carry large bags of garden soil without feeling out of breath now that he’d dropped thirty pounds (falling from about 22 percent body fat to 15 percent).
Weekend bike trips with pals were something he could really appreciate. He was able to put on clothing that he used to be able to fit into but had given up on as hopeless.
But what happens next?
Bill said, “Don’t get me wrong.” “I like how I appear and how I feel.”
It’s simply that he wanted six-pack abs as well.
He pondered, “Oh, I don’t have to appear like a cover model.” “It’s simply that I’m on the verge of appearing… amazing.”
Bill reasoned that with a little more effort and time, his abs would start popping and his body would be complete.
Anika, another customer, was concerned about the reverse.
She just wanted to drop a few pounds, improve her health, and get in better shape.
She was concerned, however, that in order to do so, she would have to give up everything, become a “health fanatic,” and make drastic adjustments.
Changes that most likely included 6 a.m. bootcamps, kale smoothies, lemon juice cleanses, and 1000 situps every day… for the rest of my life.
“No way,” Anika said. “That’s a lot of work.”
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There are two frequent misunderstandings.
Two typical misunderstandings are shown in our two customer stories:
Myth #1: You, too, can have ripped abs, huge biceps, and tight glutes, exactly like a magazine cover model, by making a few modest, simple, and ideally unnoticeable adjustments to your food and workout regimen.
Myth #2: “Getting healthy” or “reducing weight” requires extreme sacrifice, restriction, and hardship.
Of obviously, none of these statements is correct.
Reality #1: The method for losing “the first 10 pounds” is not the same as the process for losing “the final 10 pounds.” As you become thinner, it generally requires a lot more effort.
Reality #2: You may be shocked if you want to be a “fitness model” or “elite athlete” slim. For effect, images are photo-shopped. Bodybuilders don’t look like that unless they’re competing. And getting that look comes at a hefty price, one that the majority of people are unwilling to pay.
Reality #3: If you’re alright with not being on the next magazine cover and want to be “slim and healthy,” even modest changes may build up to significant results over time. These advancements have the potential to alter, if not save, lives.
Make this a habit (and less of that)
With that in mind, we’re going to reveal something that a lot of fitness and health professionals don’t want you to see.
It’s a graph that shows what it takes to reduce weight, enhance your health, and go from one fitness area to the next.
Some fitness enthusiasts believe you are too fearful. Or you’re too frail. Or that if they’re honest with you, you won’t purchase their goods and services.
We don’t think so.
We believe that weighing the benefits and drawbacks is important so that you may make educated choices about your body, health, and life.
Let’s start with the advantages and disadvantages of each fitness level.
Let’s chat about what you may want to do more of now (and less of).
It’s your body, your health, and your decision.
Many of our coaching clients eventually come to the conclusion that being badly out of shape is costing them too much energy, health, quality of life, and lifespan. As a result, individuals make the decision to alter their habits and choices. With our assistance.
Other coaching clients make the decision to have six-pack abs. Then they find that this choice, too, has a cost. Some people are prepared to pay that price. However, the majority aren’t.
Even if you believe you want that six-pack, it’s possible that you desire something else a little bit more. We can’t say we blame you.
The following are the two fundamental principles:
1. If you want to alter your physique even further, you’ll have to change your habits as well.
2. The slimmer you want to be, the more you’ll have to alter your habits.
It’s entirely up to you what you alter and how much you change it. The most essential thing is that you understand what it takes to achieve your goals (or think you want).
What exactly is a healthy amount of body fat?
Let’s start with some statistics to put things in perspective.
According to statistics, most men can maintain a healthy body fat percentage of 11-22 percent. It ranges from 22 to 33 percent for women.
In the United States, the typical male is 28 percent overweight, while the average woman is 40 percent overweight.
In other words, the typical adult in the United States (and most of the Western world) is overweight. Body fat levels that are unhealthy.
Getting the procedure going
The good news is that moving from an unhealthy amount of body fat to the upper end of “normal” is not difficult.
You can accomplish it with only a few minor, easy-to-implement adjustments.
Consider the following example:
- Each day, consume less soda or alcohol
- avoid eating too many sweets or fast foods (instead, just eating them in reasonable amounts)
- Adding a daily stroll or a yoga class to your routine
If you make a few modest adjustments like these and perform them regularly for six months to a year, your body fat percentage will decrease and fall into a much healthier range, assuming no other variables are involved (such as a persistent health issue).
Cool!
Of course, not every adjustment will seem simple, minor, or straightforward. Especially when you’re just getting started.
You’ll have to put in a little more work and energy every day to see those improvements through. Having a trainer or coach to back you up – and keep you responsible – will almost certainly make you feel more confident and on track.
Nonetheless, if the adjustments are modest enough and you put them into practice on a regular basis, you’ll soon discover that they’re simply part of your daily routine.
In fact, you may remark in the future, “I simply don’t feel like myself without my daily stroll!”
From “obese” to “no-longer-obese” to “lean”
Assume you’ve made a few modifications similar to this.
Instead of apple juice, you might bring an apple to work. Alternatively, you might serve a salad with supper or limit yourself to one or two drinks with friends.
And you’re in a terrific mood! Your knees are no longer aching, and your trousers are now easy to fasten.
Now you’re halfway between “a little more padding, but not too terrible” and “a little extra padding, but not too bad.” You’re more mobile, healthier, and full of self-congratulations.
What’s the next logical step?
If you’re a guy who wants to go from 18 percent to 14 percent body fat, or a woman who wants to go from 28 percent to 24 percent body fat, you’ll need to make some more drastic adjustments.
You’ll have to put in more time, effort, and money. You’ll need to make additional preparations.
You’ll also have to make some compromises.
Going from “lean” to “leaner”
It’s simply a matter of doing more…and less whether you’re a guy and want to go from 14 percent to 10 percent body fat, or if you’re a woman and want to go from 24 percent to 20 percent body fat.
You’ll very certainly need to do more, such as:
- Increasing the amount of exercise and movement in your everyday life, as well as the intensity of that activity
- consuming more fruits and vegetables, as well as lean protein
- increasing your intake of whole foods
- making extra dinner preparations
- taking rest and recuperation seriously
- recognizing bodily hunger and fullness signals
You’ll probably have to perform less things, such as:
- consuming less alcoholic and high-calorie drinks
- consuming less highly processed meals
- When you’re not physically hungry, you shouldn’t eat.
And you’ll have to make these minor adjustments on a regular basis throughout time.
Many people will conclude that these adjustments are worthwhile. They want to look and feel better, sleep better, stop taking medicines, and so on. As a result, they’re willing to make concessions.
Others will conclude that they aren’t ready to make any more changes just yet. That’s great as well.
The most essential thing is that you understand that you must change in order to change.
What does it take to become “super-lean”?
The compromises get much more severe as you go from athletically slim to bodybuilding lean.
Here’s something you may not know:
Elite bodybuilders and models preparing for competitions and photo shoots are essentially starving themselves.
Only by sticking to a very rigorous and exact diet and exercise program (and maybe adding some medications to the mix) would they be able to reduce their body fat to dangerously low levels.
With this method, men may achieve body fat levels of under 6% and females can achieve body fat levels of under 16%.
However, this is not a procedure for the faint of heart.
It contradicts biological signals. It is necessary to exercise when you are tired. It necessitates disregarding their appetite despite strong hunger signals. It requires a high level of concentration and commitment.
And it frequently takes the athletes’ attention away from other aspects of their lives that they may enjoy and value.
Consider all of the practical aspects of extremely rigorous diets and exercise.
- You must prepare your own meals and weigh each meal to the last gram.
- That meal is usually simple: lean protein, steamed veggies, plain potatoes or rice, and so on.
- You must bring the meal with you in order to dine at a certain time.
- Restaurants are closed to you.
- You must do a particular exercise on a specific day, precisely as instructed.
- There will be no sick days or laziness.
- You’ll most likely workout twice or three times each day.
- You must sleep and recuperate in a specific manner.
- There will be no parties or staying up late.
- Because you’re constantly hungry and weary, you can’t think clearly.
- Making meals, dieting, exercise, and recuperation procedures are all a part of your daily routine.
- Did we mention you’re getting hungry?
So forget about having a sex life, a social life, becoming a parent, going to school, and most likely working a normal job.
Is it really worth it to be that skinny?
Having a six-pack does not imply that you are healthy. In fact, being excessively thin may be detrimental to one’s health.
You may develop amenorrhea, poor libido, compulsive eating, Swiss cheese-like bones, social isolation, and a slew of other issues.
To keep themselves going, several top bodybuilders depend on stimulants, diuretics, and other medications.
Many people even turn to cosmetic surgery for help. Which has its own set of health hazards… and does nothing to improve health on its own.
To summarize, being very slim has very little to do with being extremely healthy.
Being too concerned with losing weight may, in fact, contribute to poor health.
Meanwhile, when it comes to six-packs, you may be surprised to discover that not all abs are made equal, even among the extremely fit.
That’s correct. Even if all the extra fat is removed, some individuals will never have abs fit for a magazine cover.
Why? Because we’re all constructed differently, apart from the airbrushing we said before.
Some people have abdominals that are staggered. Some people have angled abs. No matter how slim they become, some individuals may only have four abdominals that are visible.
Still don’t trust us? For a firsthand look, go to any amateur physique competition.
What are the chances? It’s possible that the experience will be instructive. It may even help with body acceptance and compassion for oneself.
Because, as you’re sure to observe, nobody is “perfect” in real life. Even professional bodybuilders and fitness competitions aren’t immune.
Getting to the point, getting to the truth
Change necessitates clarity.
If you believe you may wish to alter your body fat percentage, start by determining where you are now.
- Determine your objectives and priorities. Now is a wonderful moment to figure out what your priorities are if you don’t know what they are.
- Make a decision on what you’re willing to do right now to help those objectives and priorities. Why?
- Decide how often, regularly, and intensely/precisely you’re willing to perform each of these tasks.
- Make a list of things you’re not willing to accomplish right now. What’s to stop you?
- Be ruthlessly honest, practical, and sympathetic with yourself in the stages above.
You now have a strategy in place.
You also know where you are on the cost-benefit spectrum.
We gave approximate estimations for what it would take to reach various degrees of leanness or muscularity — or even basic health benefits like going off medicines — in the infographic you saw earlier in this post.
This is just a suggestion. It’s a start, however. Something to spark your imagination.
You may need additional individualized advice or coaching. Age, gender, genetics, medical problems, and medications may all influence how slim you can become and remain.
If you want to keep track of your body fat, make sure you have a reliable method, such as a skinfold caliper measurement by a qualified expert. It’s OK if you don’t care and rely on other indications, such as your belt notches.
What should I do next?
1. Consider the big picture
Whatever change you want, keep in mind that it will take time.
You won’t wake up overweight if you eat one large, calorie-dense meal. You won’t get six-pack abs by fasting for 24 hours.
A basic plan that is followed regularly is preferable than a complicated plan that is followed only sometimes.
2. Take a look at what’s involved.
To go from an unhealthy to a healthy amount of body fat
You just need to make a few adjustments and stick to them approximately half of the time.
To move from a regular weight to a healthy weight
You’ll need a couple more tweaks and greater consistency.
You may now need to consume protein and vegetables at every meal and sleep for at least 7 hours 80 percent of the time.
To go from a lean to a very lean state
You’ll need to devote more time and effort. Plus, you’ll have to stick to your strategy even more religiously – almost obsessively.
This entails developing a few new habits, such as keeping track of fat and carbohydrate consumption and exercising at least 5 hours per week 95% of the time.
To reach your target degree of leanness, for example, if you consume four meals per day, you’ll need to guarantee that 114 of your 120 precisely calibrated meals are properly performed in any given month.
That right there is a big commitment.
3. Make a list of what you desire.
Review the checklist for “becoming clear, getting genuine.”
What is important to YOU?
What are you willing to do… and what are you not willing to do? Why?
There is no such thing as a correct response. What matters most is that you understand what it takes to get a certain result.
And now it’s up to YOU to make the decision. It all depends on your objectives and goals whether you want to be healthy, athletically slim, or extremely skinny.
Now you have the power to make the choices that will help you achieve the physique and health you want while still enjoying the life you choose.
[Bonus: This article is summarized in a nice infographic.] Click here to see an illustration of the cost of becoming slim. Is it truly worth it to make the sacrifice? If you know someone who might benefit from viewing it, please forward it to them.]If you’re a coach or wish to be one…
It’s both an art and a science to guide clients, patients, friends, or family members through healthy food and lifestyle adjustments in a manner that’s tailored to their individual body, tastes, and circumstances.
Consider the Level 1 Certification if you want to learn more about both.
When you’re trying to get lean, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that getting lean is an all or nothing proposition. In fact, there are a number of different weight loss goals, from big picture stuff, like slimming down for a bodybuilding competition, to minutiae, like losing a few pounds while on vacation. The truth is, getting lean takes specific strategies and tactics, and it doesn’t happen overnight.. Read more about precision nutrition philosophy and let us know what you think.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it worth getting lean?
It is worth getting lean if you are trying to lose weight, but it is not worth it if you are trying to gain weight.
Is being too lean unhealthy?
Being too lean is unhealthy.
Why is it so hard to get lean?
It is hard to get lean because it requires a lot of time and effort.
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