The new year is a time when people set new goals and resolutions, which they don't always manage to keep. Of course, there are those who stick to their resolutions and change their habits accordingly, but these are the exceptions. I'll tell you what New Year's resolutions look like from a personal trainer's perspective.
Common New Year's resolutions include: m.in. : the desire to change our figure, improve our health, engage in regular activity, e.g., at the gym, or go on a diet. And this begs the question: why, after, say, a month, do we lose our energy and lose the will to pursue these goals?
There are many reasons. Most of us are impatient and want results immediately, ideally after the first workout. Seeing that their "sacrifices" aren't yielding the desired results, such people simply give up on further efforts. These "sacrifices" are what destroy them. I know from experience that this type of person wants to change everything overnight. On their first day at the gym, they want to do everything at once, ideally in two hours. They suddenly switch from so-called "junk" food—fast food, sweets, and processed store-bought foods—to salads, cooked meats with only herbs, and raw vegetables. Such changes have no chance of lasting! It takes 2-3 weeks for the body to adapt to physical exertion, and during this time, training should be appropriate, not too light, but also not too strenuous. If the dietary change isn't gentle and gradual, only a handful of people will be able to mentally withstand such a change – let's be honest, frozen fries with pork chops or jam sandwiches aren't easily replaced with boiled chicken breast and rice without sauce... And on top of that, we're supposed to eat like that for the rest of our lives and exercise constantly? Oh, it's not that easy. :)
That's how it works, right? So how do we persevere with change?
Above all, dietary changes must be gradual. I suggest starting by eating one "healthy" meal and leaving the rest unchanged. Later, you can introduce another "healthy" meal, again leaving the others unchanged. Continue this for a month until you reach a 9:1 ratio (provided your body is in very good condition, which can be verified with blood tests), meaning you eat 90% "healthy" and allow yourself 10% indulgence.
But why do I put "healthy" in quotation marks? For many, a healthy meal means unseasoned meat, plain groats or rice, and steamed vegetables. And who says you can't fry meat, make a sauce for groats or rice, or eat fries with potatoes or sweet potatoes? There are also plenty of ideas for sweet treats while on a "diet"! Egg white pancakes, omelets and crepes made with coconut or rice flour, homemade bars, and many more.
Perhaps the biggest problem lies in the fact that people, when they use the words "diet" and "training," think they'll eat nothing but oatmeal, salad, and cooked meat for the rest of their lives, and that they'll have to train every day until they walk out of the gym on their knees. I'd recommend changing this approach and even changing the terminology – using the words "menu" or simply "normal, rational nutrition," and instead of "100% training," thinking of "training focused on our goals." The key to success will be, above all, having the right attitude and the support of people who do it every day, rather than following ready-made diets and rigid training plans downloaded from the internet.
Author: Emil Tyszko
Personal Trainer and Dietitian
