Eleven pounds lighter. Four percent less body fat. Two inches leaner around the waist, three inches less around the thighs. In 12 weeks. My prize for achieving those stats a few years back? A year's free membership at the gym, a $250 cash prize -- and a (priceless) lifetime supply of fitness confidence and know-how.
In those 12 weeks, I worked harder than I ever had. I ate cleaner and healthier than I ever had. My trainer, Corey Simpson, kept pushing. And I kept giving it my all, realizing as the weeks went by that the body responds better than we think it will to a challenge.
I remembered those three months recently, when one of my students asked the question that I hear often in gyms and even in non-gym settings: "How long would it take me to look like that?!?"
The question usually comes when you see a trainer whose profession is being fit, or when someone is flipping through magazines filled with people who are touched up and/or paid to look perfect at all times.
So clearly, those folks you're using as a barometer have an advantage. But you can achieve amazing results with hard work and determination, and you can see results within weeks if you are sticking to the right healthy regimen.
Heck, I was just a reporter and regular gym-goer trying to get a year of free gym time when I transformed myself from So-So Ass to Badass. And it was all me. No steroids, no magic pills. Just copious amounts of oatmeal, flaxseed, protein shakes, chicken, and fish. And enough cardio sessions and heavy squats to make a football team look lazy.
Reaching my goal felt incredible, but the best part came in the months and years since. I really didn't know what I was doing before that "New You Challenge." Certainly, I underestimated the Badass within.
Now I keep learning and I keep getting stronger. My weight is back up to a steady 103, but I've got more muscle and my clothes fit far better than they ever did when I was the same weight but not as lean. I look back at that "New You" winner's poster and actually think my "now" looks better than the "after," thanks to fuller muscles and a few more pounds.
It's a reminder that even with a few birthdays in between, the hard work pays off.
So whatever your goal, know that it is achievable if you truly pursue it in a healthy, balanced way.
Coming up: The Power of a Partner
