I’ve been going to my neighborhood LA fitness since 2008 and as I was looking around last night, I counted a handful of people that I know or have seen working out over the years but albeit their consistency and effort their bodies don’t show progress. I can only imagine their frustration because I was once them. I was the girl that worked out hard two or three times A DAY then treated herself to great eats after the workout from the mere fact that “I worked out.”

You are probably working out because you stuffed your gut REPEATEDLY with foods that are not healthy. Working out is only half the equation needed to reverse the unwanted effect. The other MOST IMPORTANT half is what you eat! I know I’ve said this repeatedly but I can never stress it enough. Both working out and eating clean must be done together and REPEATEDLY over time before results are realized. Getting frustrated after 30 days of working out is ridiculous because I bet it did not take 30 days create the mess you’re in and if it did you would still need double the time to make amends. The average duration of every fitness program is a 90 day minimum commitment! Key Word COMMITMENT meaning you’re following the workout PLUS the food plan provided.

You can lose weight by making better food decisions even with ZERO exercise, but you CANNOT do the opposite!!

– Working out WITHOUT a change in eating habits will not help you get fit (whatever your definition of getting fit is) but will help you maintain your current weight. The term “getting fit” is similar to the term “success” we each have our own definition of these. My definition of being fit is carrying less body fat, great conditioning and toning by having the right amount of muscle. To others being fit might be reaching a certain weight, although I greatly discourage using the scale to determine fitness. Instead check how your clothes fit because your weight can stay the same but your clothes fit better which means you are losing body fat.

– Working out AND starving yourself might make you lose a couple of pounds, but we all know that it’s not sustainable because you cannot starve yourself for the rest of your life. The moment you start eating, the weight will be back with a bang!

– Healthy and Clean eating without working out or with reduced workout will yield results

– Healthy and clean eating Plus workout will help reach your goal faster and keep it off as long as you are CONSISTANT with BOTH

My definition of healthy and clean eating is cutting back on processed foods, overly salty/sugary items, using better food preparation methods like baking, steaming and not frying, consuming lean protein/meat and more vegetables.

Being a fitness athlete has made me a bit more analytical when it comes to people’s bodies. I find myself watching others at the gym and having an opinion about their workout based on what their problem areas seem to be. The fitness industry is booming and everybody wants to get fit just as everybody wants to get rich/be successful. Question is how many people REALLY have what it takes to do either? NOT EVERYBODY…because for both, it takes a lot of hard work, sacrifice and total commitment.

I get so tickled when I’m coaching people on workouts and eating clean and they choose and pick what they want to do vs. what I ask them to do especially with the food. I had someone once tell me that they COULD NOT cut certain unhealthy items from their diets because it just wasn’t possible!! That’s a perfect example of someone wanting something (to get fit/lose weight) for nothing (no sacrifice)…..This might be the same reason why the people at my gym still look the same way they did 2years ago….they enjoy being at the gym but they choose to maintain the same eating habits.

The truth is that the notion of working out has been greatly misconstrued. Working out is simply an energy catalyst. It gives your body a push to burn more calories burned and build muscle, for those engaged in weight training, however the MOST IMPORTANT thing is what you do when you’re NOT in he gym. The grade of fuel you pump in your body determines the way you look!!PERIOD!!

What’s keeping you from going ALL IN? Working out is only ½ the change…eating is the other ½. It’s all or nothing!