Why can’t I lose any weight?
Research (and much anecdotal evidence) has demonstrated both recently and in the past that not all people respond to exercise equally. For example, hypothetically, we take a sample of 100 people, same age, sex, current fitness levels, same diet, same sleep etc and put them all through an identical training program including both aerobic and resistance exercise over the course of 6 months
The resulting changes in their abilities would vary. And not just a little, some of those people tested would gain almost no increase in strength, fitness, or weight loss. Whilst other would become muscular, fitter and decrease body fat. Some might gravitate towards aerobic fitness, some may become primarily stronger – and any combination in between. This without any actual differences in the experience except what they genetically inherited.
We are not all created physically equal. There are those who – no matter how hard you try – will be fitter than you, faster than you, stronger. And this isn’t limited to physical traits. There are those that have naturally higher IQ!
“Gee Whiz, this blog is really getting me down” I can hear you think. This explains why I haven’t been getting the results that I’m after.
This information is not really new. It’s been common knowledge for some time. We are all gifted in some unique way, and we are also non-gifted in some unique way. The importance of recognising your own strengths and weakness, and working on yourself – despite the fact you may not succeed – is exactly why you must do it. The benefit is in the effort. The only other option is to quit. And that’s not an option that goes anywhere worth going.
If we focus on exercise, there is not one person who I have come across in my years as an Exercise Physiologist who did not improve with consistent and continued effort. There are many who did not lose weight. Exercise is one of those things that carries across into every aspect of your life. It builds discipline, it improves sleep, it improves mental health, it improves cognition. Regular exercise will improve your life in ways you won’t ever really comprehend. Perhaps in ways that no one currently can comprehend.
The point of this article was not to say that you may be a non-responder to certain types of exercise, research has found that everyone responds to some exercise in some way. The only non-responders are those who don’t make the effort to figure out what works for them. In the near future and even now, there are DNA and predictive anthropometric programs that can help you figure out what type of exercise you’ll respond best to. These will become more prominent. And are going to be vital in the future of healthcare…
BUT the point of the article is that you shouldn’t define your success on one measure like weight loss. Or worry that you aren’t moving forward as quickly as you had hoped. The benefits of exercise carry well beyond physical appearance and weight loss. They even carry beyond fitness, and mental health. The only possible outcome of trying something new is growth. You’ll be more than you were yesterday.
We are very confident we can help you, therefore we are happy to give you an obligation free phone call with one of our Exercise Physiologists.
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