I've shared the fat loss hierarchy before, and I like the idea.
A hierarchy doesn't say that something isn't effective or valuable, there's just more important things above, or things that are more optimal for you.
In the fat loss hierarchy, it talked about broad categories like nutrition, training, etc.
But, what about now that you're about to start or have started your fitness journey?
You know that nutrition is most important, but within your training what is the hierarchy?
Here's how I break it down
Safety: It's at the top. This has to be number one. Way too many people don't join a gym because they think they're going to get hurt. Everything you do has to be safe and appropriate for you. How do you know if it is? You hire a great coach or team that knows what that looks like and does this stuff for a living. Like us :)
Fun: I put this over exercise selection, programming, sets/reps, etc. Outside of safety, this is the most important factor. Most people hate to exercise. Why? Because most people do things that are boring because that's all they know of. They walk on a conveyor belt, I mean treadmill, for 30 minutes. They spin in a circle for 20 minutes on a bike. They sit on a machine and press it up and down a couple times. Although all of those things are better than doing nothing, and I'd rather see that all day long over nothing, it can be extremely boring. There are 1001 ways to get results in fitness, ultimately the one that you have the most fun with will be the one you're the most consistent with, the one you're most committed to, and the one you'll get the best results with.
Consistency: I put this just under fun, because again if you're enjoying the process you're hopefully consistent with it. I would much rather see you do squats, push-ups, planks, and jumping jacks 3-5x per week, EVERY WEEK, then have the most customized, bad-ass program in the world that you do 3-4x per month. Consistency and frequency will always trump everything.
Inefficient Exercise: People tell us all the time that they've been doing X for 6 months now and they haven't seen results. Let's start with this:
Picture a car going 70mph on the highway. It's going fast, but there's no traffic, and it can drive over an hour before it burns through 1/4 tank of gas. Why? Because your car is efficient at driving on the highway.
Picture a car in Boston traffic. Start. Stop. Start. Stop. Your car is super inefficient at that, so in a shorter period of time, you're going to burn a lot more fuel.
Your body works the same way.
It needs to be doing things that it's inefficient at.
There's a reason that sitting on your couch all day doesn't make you lose weight (wouldn't that be awesome).
Why?
Because our bodies are efficient at sitting on couches.
But if I told you to warm-up, do some squats, then go over and do some push-ups, then go push this big hunk of metal down the turf we call a sled, then go shake a 50' rope for 30 seconds you'd burn a boatload of calories!
Why?
Your body is SUPER inefficient at that stuff.
Plus you get side effects like getting stronger, feeling more confident because you're now strong than your husband, and a sense of empowerment.
But the point is, you need to pick things that your body is inefficient at.
Then, and only then, will you see results.
Oh, and guess what?
Four weeks from now you're going to be efficient at the thing you were doing so you're going to have to change it up.
That's why people who start running 3 miles every day see results in the beginning but then plateau. They have become efficient at it.
So there you have it, my hierarchy to fitness.
Make it fun.
Be consistent at it.
Do stuff that you're inefficient at.
If you execute and take action on those three things I can guarantee success.
1% Better.
Dedicated to Your Success,
Doug Spurling
PS: We know this stuff can be super overwhelming and you just want to be told what to do, make sure it's safe and appropriate for you, and have someone there to motivate you and hold you accountable. Well, that's our specialty. All our clients work with a coach every single time so we can keep things safe, make sure it's appropriate for you, make sure you're having fun, and every single time all you have to do is walk through the door and we'll take care of the rest. We'll be there at every workout motivating you, inspiring you, and ultimately, changing your life. Click here to take the first step.