We are Patient
We understand that results won’t last unless we are thinking long term. You can achieve a great body in 12 weeks, but good luck sustaining it for longer than 2 weeks! Patience is the key to long term success. Stop messing around and doing a crash course diet 2 to 3 months before the holiday season. If you would have started planning at the beginning of the year, and gone about it gradually, you would have achieved a much better body, and the best part… you wouldn’t have lost it during the holidays. So be patient. This industry thrives off impatience.
We are Knowledgeable
What do you learn following an 8 or 12 week challenge besides on how to become a miserable person? Most probably not much. I know because I have done them. Anyone can follow a meal plan and training program. But what happens when it’s over, what do you do? Oh wait, of course, you have a hall pass to eat whatever you want. You have been so dedicated. I’ll just sit here and watch you de rail, I’m here to put the pieces back together. We stay lean because we take the time to educate ourselves and learn what works best for us and why. You have to understand yourself first. How do you like to train, what do you like to eat, and figure out what works and know exactly why. Knowledge is power. And knowledge is what will allow you to control over your body!
We have Balance
This is a huge reason most people fluctuate. I am not referring to balance with your social life etc. that’s next. I am referring to the balance between training and nutrition, and training selection. Training 6 days a week for 2 hours and cutting your calories severely is not optimal. Remember, often times, less is more. You have to find the balance that works for YOU. If you cant go a day without training that is fine! But make sure you are backing it up with the correct nutrition. Sometimes eating more is better to get lean than going into a big deficit. Your training frequency and style will determine your food consumption. Now don’t let this shock you. But cardio will not get you lean, especially if that is your preferred choice of activity. It is great for cardiovascular health, but if your aim is to get lean and stay lean, nothing is better than good old free weight resistance training coupled with a minimal amount of cardio. Lean people have a great balance of training frequency, training type and nutritional structure. How do you expect to maintain your transformation body if you go from training 6 days a week, eating clean all day, to drinking, most probably not training and having 4 hours of sleep? You tell me what is going to happen. Where is the balance?
We are Flexible
This is the major reason why we can stay lean and get leaner year after year. We are not all or nothing. How can you maintain early morning cardio, low carbs, fish and vegetables or whatever crazy things you are up to for the next 5 years? Dumb question. Because we both know that you can’t. There are very few people, even top fitness athletes that stay lean 365. Most look good on show day and that’s a wrap until the next. Why? Because they can’t maintain the training and diet for more than 12 to 16 weeks. Neither would I. be flexible and sensible in your approach. It will serve you best in the long run. I’ve had people who could not hold off the weight gain during holiday season. 5 to 10kgs easily. Those same people, now either maintain their physique or come back having lost a kilo or 2! Flexible, sensible and knowledgeable. You have to allow for flexibility. However, being to flexible won’t help your cause either. Knowledge comes in here again. Understanding how to be flexible in your approach is extremely important to staying lean, and again everyone is different.
We are Consistent
This is vital. We stay lean because we are consistent, realistic, and level headed. You have to be open to life. Unless your entire social group are on a 12 week shred plan or whatever you want to call it, you will either become “that” guy/girl or you will be pretty lonely, but if you cool with that then I won’t question it! Do you seriously think it is realistic to never eat out, have a drink or have a chocolate or ice cream for next 2 to 5 years? If you are not able to wrap your head around the fact that you won’t get fat from eating out, having a drink or having a treat every now and then, well then I’m afraid to tell you, but you have an eating disorder. How can you be consistent training everyday only eating greens, protein, supplements and the occasional grain or starch? There are so many amazing healthy foods out there and even the “bad” ones have their place if you weren’t so extreme in your approach. You can only stay 100% consistent if you exercise all of the above. YOU have to be realistic. YOU have to be knowledgeable. YOU have to have balance. And YOU have to be flexible. This will lead to consistency and long term sustainability!
Don’t wait until your metabolism is wrecked and it is too late. Start doing things the right way from tomorrow. Stop trying to take short cuts to multiple finish lines because we only have one finish line!
Jake Axelrod 