Story time …
The other day I was interviewed and asked about my dieting history.
I took a fun trip down memory lane.
The very first diet I went on was a meal plan that I found in the back of a cardio machine manual.
Probably 1200-1400 calories per day and the instructions were very clear …
“Drink freezing cold water throughout the day to boost your metabolism.”
And I did.
Lost a ton of weight and gained a ton of weight back.
I won’t bore you with the dozens of other programs that all ended the same way.
They basically all went like this … restrict > lose weight > feel like shit > reach my breaking point > gain the weight back > feel like a failure > fall deeper into a disordered relationship with food, my body, and exercise.
What was my turning point?
How did I finally make the changes to get to where I am now?
It’s actually not an easy question to answer because it was a combination of several things.
First, I hated what dieting did to me.
It ruined relationships, ruined my self esteem, ruined my social life and ruined my quality of life.
It occupied so much mental energy.
Second, I took inventory of everything that I had tried and realized it was just a different version of the same shit each time …
Restriction and deprivation in some way, shape, or form.
So basically, I had a very clear outline of what not to do.
I knew I couldn’t achieve the results I wanted on my own.
Lastly, I finally got the courage to ask for help.
Not help like … let me sign up for another cookie cutter bullshit program.
Help, as in … let me find a real coach that I can trust.
For me, it happened to be Coach Thibs.
We had a two hour skype conversation that fundamentally changed my outlook.
When he heard my “colorful” history with diets and training, he said something that will forever stay ingrained in my mind (and I still hear it in that French Canadian accent) …
He said … Everything that you have struggled with isn’t your fault.
It’s your personality.
It’s in your nature to jump from program to program.
You are a type 2A.
I’m a type 2A as well and we crave variety.
We get bored very easily.
We love to master something and go all in but once it becomes redundant, we lose interest.
My turning point was when I realized my personality mattered.
Holy shit … it was like he was speaking into my soul.
I felt the weight of the world lifted off my shoulders.
I no longer felt like a failure.
I finally felt like someone understood me.
From that point on, I learned everything I could about personality types, nutrition, metabolism, coaching, and communication.
I knew that I had to pay it forward to as many people as possible.
One of the things that our clients often say after working with us for a short period of time …
“It feels like a giant weight was lifted off my shoulders.”
YES.
That is EXACTLY how I felt.
The power of understanding your personality cannot be overstated.
However, it doesn’t simply do the work for you.
It provides valuable insight and direction.
It helps us understand what tools will work best for you.
But the work must be done.
One of the most challenging concepts that I struggled with for so long was the idea that I had to heal my metabolism after years of dieting.
I had to take the time to eat more, to recover more, to restore homeostasis.
As someone who likes results … that was not easy to wrap my mind around.
It was also the best thing I’ve ever done for myself.
And it’s exactly why the 2nd core principle of our program is metabolic priming.
I had a couple of calls yesterday where I asked the question …
“If I were to tell you that we have to spend the next 3-4 months priming your metabolism so your body can effectively lose body fat … and it’ll take another 3-4 months to actually lose the fat … would that be worth it??”
Fortunately, both individuals said yes, absolutely.
One of them was eating 900 calories per day and the other was following a restrictive meal plan.
And the reality is … if they want results … it’s the only way.
But, many people can’t delay gratification like that so they jump to the next restrictive diet and pray that it’ll be different.
Spoiler alert … it’s never different and you end up wasting more time and doing even more damage.
I had to learn that the hard way because I’m especially stubborn.
Lifestyle integration can lead to lasting results.
The last piece of the puzzle for me was getting my life back.
I enjoy being social.
I like to drink on occasion.
I love good food.
And, that’s why the final piece of our program is the lifestyle integration phase.
Your results won’t last unless you can integrate everything into your lifestyle.
That means your social life, personal life, family life, work life, etc.
Being miserable all the time is a surefire way to know the results won’t last.
Are you ready for YOUR turning point?
So, if you were ever wondering how we came up with such an effective process for our clients that produces results better than any other program out there …
I simply created what I wish I had 10 years ago.
My biggest challenge was simply asking for help.
And, that’s why I continue to open the door for you.
Because I know it’s not easy.
But, here’s me holding the door open once again.
If you need helping achieving your physical goals and guaranteeing that they will actually last, while improving your mindset and relationship with food …
