2867: [Part 2] Screw Fat Loss by Nia Shanks on Building Strength

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[00:00:59] Screw Fat Loss, Part 2, von Nia Schenckx, von niashenckx.com. Und ich bin Dr. Neal, Ihre sehr eigene Personal Narrative. Hey there, welcome to a Thursday edition of Optimal Health Daily. This is one of five podcasts where we read to you from blogs for free so that you don't have to read them yourself. Except on Fridays. That's where I usually answer your questions. Now today's post is a continuation from yesterday so if you're new here, definitely check out yesterday's episode first.

[00:01:27] But if you're all caught up, let's get right to part two of Nia's post as we optimize your life. Screw Fat Loss, Part 2, by Nia Schenckx, of niashenckx.com. How to break away from the fat loss mindset. It's not uncommon for people to assume that choosing to stop thinking about fat loss every time they stab a fork full of food or load up a barbell means they'll compromise the results they wish to achieve.

[00:01:56] They assume they can't build a better, stronger, healthier body if thoughts of fat loss don't loom in their mind. If you've been obsessing over fat loss for so long that you can't recall when you weren't always thinking about losing fat, or you've simply never considered reasons for eating well and working out for any reason other than fat loss, then it's time to break away from that mindset. So what should you do instead? I'm glad you asked. 1. What must be done? Focus on the answer to this.

[00:02:26] Hone your attention on what you must do to achieve results. Schedule 3 strength training workouts per week in your calendar and a 30 minute walk or other body moving activity the other days of the week. These are actions. Define them clearly and practice them consistently. Checking off actions taken is superior to obsessing over an outcome because you know exactly what must be done to achieve results. Obsession and intent don't produce results, but action does.

[00:02:55] Furthermore, actions create habits. And sometimes our actions create bad habits, like those developed from a life ruled by the fat loss mindset. That is why we're replacing the habits we don't want with empowering positive habits we do want. Those that serve us. 2. Revolve workouts and eating habits around a positive, measurable purpose. Working out because you hate the fat on your thighs isn't a positive purpose.

[00:03:22] 3. Lambasting yourself because of less than ideal food choices isn't productive. Learning how to correctly squat and deadlift and press a barbell is a purpose. Building your strength to see how strong you can truly be is productive and measurable. Improving your performance from last week's workouts is a positive purpose, as is eating foods that satisfy and nourish you. Screw fat loss. Get strong. Be more, not less. Ditching the fat loss mindset in action.

[00:03:53] Quote, I went from constantly thinking about food and how much or little I could eat. From stressing about what my body fat percentage was and what size pants I could fit into, I started to care about how much weight I could load onto my barbell. I started to care about the fact that I can now do push-ups. And prior to that, I couldn't do one to save my life. I started feeling proud, strong, and energized. And guess what happened when I changed my mindset to being more and not less?

[00:04:21] I fit into smaller pants. My muffin top faded. My arms became gorgeously toned. End quote. Erin Kaye's Amazon review of Nia Shank's book, Lift Like a Girl, Be More, Not Less. Don't be misled. This isn't about fat loss, even though Erin lost fat when she said, screw fat loss. It's about what happened when she chose to focus on actions, changing her mindset to focusing on more,

[00:04:48] and revolving her workouts around a measurable purpose, adding weight to the barbell. Building muscle and shedding fat was simply a side effect. A change in performance and body composition quite often accompanies a preceding change in mindset. I think it's because the process becomes more enjoyable, and when you enjoy something, you're likely to keep doing it. 3. Set yourself up for success. Attempting to follow a diet or workout program that's too strenuous, time-consuming, or rigid

[00:05:17] is why people often fail to reach their goals. It's why people who go all in on a diet and demanding workout schedule quickly abandon it. It dominated their life. They either do all, I'm not going to miss a workout or cheat on my diet, or do nothing. I cheated on my diet, so I might as well eat whatever I want the rest of the day, and weekend. Set yourself up for success. Can you realistically commit to no more than three trips to the gym each week because you're a busy person? Then don't vow to go four or more.

[00:05:47] Follow a three-day-per-week program if that's best for you right now. In addition, work on making sustainable changes to your eating habits. The way you eat and move your body must fit into your life and accommodate your schedule and have built-in flexibility. Don't underestimate this truth. Choose the most important actions, practice them consistently for several months, have a positive and measurable purpose with your workouts, and set yourself up for success.

[00:06:14] Why, you may be wondering, is this more effective than a typical fat loss-obsessed approach most people are accustomed to? Because you can actually feel great about yourself for a start instead of physically and mentally punishing yourself for having fat on your body or for missing a workout or for eating a donut. Because you can have a social life and enjoy your favorite foods with a dose of flexibility and responsibility. Because working out with a positive purpose builds you up instead of tearing you down.

[00:06:43] Because a crazy diet or quick fix program isn't necessary when you take the time to turn guidelines into sustainable habits. Because what you think affects what you do and what you will become. Screw fat loss. Choose to get strong or choose to become more awesome. You just listened to part two of the post titled Screw Fat Loss by Nia Shanks of niashanks.com. And I'll be right back with my commentary.

[00:07:33] Don't dreamt. Altus buchen. All in there, all in there, all in there, all in there, all in there, all in there. Altus. All in there, all in there, all in there, all in there. Now in the travel office or on altus.de. Dr. Neil here for my commentary. You've heard me say on this show before, focus on the process, not the product or the result. I think Nia would agree with me. Because that's really what she's getting at, right? Don't focus so much on the fat loss component.

[00:07:59] Instead, focus on all of the things you're doing that are going to positively affect every cell in your body. That's going to improve your quality of life. Things that are going to improve your self-esteem, your confidence. Because what happens when you do get to that result? Let's say you follow a crash diet and a punishing workout routine to get to the point where you can fit into those pants. Then what happens? Are you going to sustain those behaviors? Are you going to keep doing that punishing routine and following that really restrictive diet?

[00:08:29] Probably not. That's what we're learning from lots and lots of good research. Is that folks will often revert back to their old habits. So why not create something where you focus on the process, you think about every little step and how it's doing so much good for you, and then the results will magically follow. But the trick is, is to taking that first step. So I love that Nia broke it down and said, set yourself up for success by setting some very specific, small, measurable goals.

[00:08:59] That's it. You don't need to start by doing anything crazy. Just move one step in the right direction. That's it. Then use that momentum to carry you. And if you focus on the process, you ask yourself, am I still taking steps forward? The result will magically follow. Now that wraps up today's episode. Thank you for everything you do. Thank you for listening, being a subscriber. I hope you have a great rest of your Thursday. I will be back here tomorrow for a Q&A episode

[00:09:28] where I talk about exercise and where your optimal life awaits.