“I’m blown away by the progress I’ve made over the last 6 months. This is easily the most effective program I’ve ever done. The craziest part is how much easier this has been than other programs.”
I’ve heard this statement from dozens and dozens of clients. They’re always amazed at how quickly they make progress AND how much easier they make progress compared to things they’ve tried in the past.
It’s not uncommon for people to come to us who have been trying for years, and sometimes decades, to get lean, strong, and healthy. Some have worked out for years with zero progress to show for it.
Now if you’re goal is just to maintain the progress you have, then great! Keep doing what you’re doing!
But if what you’re doing isn’t getting you results PLEASE don’t fall into the trap of thinking you need to work harder. That is NOT the case.
Hard work doesn’t work.
Or perhaps I should say “hard work doesn’t always work.”
I’m a HUGE believer in working hard. Not working hard, being lazy, etc. is a great way to get nowhere in life. Hard work is a requirement of success.
But I’ve found the things you’re working hard on matter just as much as, if not more than, how hard you work.
Working hard at the wrong things will not get you results. No matter how hard you try. And this is where most of you are with your current fitness plan. You’re working hard. Sometimes SUPER hard. But you’re not getting results.
This tells me you’re working hard at the wrong things. The solution is not to work harder, but to instead find the plan that will actually work!
And when you find the plan that actually works, you should work hard at it. But this time you’ll actually see great results from all your hard work. And if you’re one of these people that works out intensely for more than an hour every day and you still haven’t been getting results, you’ll be amazed at how much easier a good program will be.
At Steel we believe in working smart AND hard.
You need a simple, effective, no B.S. plan that will get you results. And once you have that plan, you need to work it as hard as you reasonably can while ensuring your effort is sustainable AND enjoyable.
When you’re working sustainably and enjoyably on an effective plan you will win, and you will win big!
So what’s the best plan?
First of all, every individual is unique so I don’t feel comfortable making specific recommendations in a blog like this. It’s why we custom tailor all of our clients’ nutrition and training plan to them.
BUT here’s what your plan should probably be made up of:
- Strength Train 2-4 days per week for 45 minutes
- Walk/be active every day
- Follow an effective and enjoyable nutrition plan
- Make plenty of time for sleep and rest
Strength Training
Strength Training needs to be a staple in everyone’s fitness routine. It’s the fastest way to change your body in terms of how you look, feel, perform, and your health.
The cool thing about Strength Training is a little bit goes a long way. You don’t need to spend hours every day in the gym. 2-4 workouts (2-3 is perfect for most people) for 45 minutes at a time is all you’ll ever need!
Walk/Be Active
We can’t just Strength Train 2-3 days per week then spend the rest of the week on our couch eating potato chips. We need to move!
Doing lots of low level activity, like walking, is so good for our physical health, losing fat, our mental health, and so much more. Just think about how much better you feel after going for a quick stroll outside.
You can commit to a certain number of steps per day, taking a daily walk for X number of minutes, or doing some dedicated cardio that you enjoy like running, swimming, cycling, etc. It doesn’t matter how you get your activity in, it only matters that you do it!
Nutrition
There’s a lot that goes into finding the best nutrition approach for you. This is typically a more involved process than even the Strength Training. We talk about this in more detail in some of our other content, but I’ll just say this for now:
You should eat mostly real foods, eat the right amount of food and calories, avoid foods that make you feel bad, and include foods you enjoy!
An even simpler way of saying this is to eat like an adult! It’s not quite that simple, but it’s a good starting point.
Sleep/Rest
Sleep and rest help with recovery. And recovery is what ensures you’re making the most of your workouts, activity, and nutrition.
We were made for activity and hard work (like Strength Training.) But we were also made for rest and recovery. If you don’t do both, you won’t get the results you want.
Make sure to give your body the sleep and rest it needs so you can feel your best today, tomorrow, and the next day!
If I’m being honest, hard work does work. But only when you work hard at the right things!
Unfortunately most people I talk to are working hard at the wrong things.
Fortunately for them, and for you, we have the solution to get you on track to hitting you goals!
Are you ready to work hard at the right things? And waste no time on the wrong things?