For the past 6-7 months, I’ve been working out with a client, who has a tremendous progress. He is constantly beating his PRs and he is about to get rid of the unwanted fat. Last week I praised him for his consistency and I decided to ask how was he dealing with his nutrition changes. If it is getting easier to eat clean or if he is still finding it challenging. Then he smiled and said “ I work out, so I can eat more!” It is unnecessary to say that deep inside I felt disappointed. On a daily basis I am trying with my personal example and the example of others, to teach people, how the change in your workouts and lifestyle, isn’t about being able to eat more.
We do not work out with higher intensity, so we can eat more!
We do not lift heavier weights, so we can eat more!
Workouts are a tool to keep our body capable and healthy. A tool which helps us sustain the functions of our body, to be capable of moving and performing different physical activities, that our daily life requires us to do, as well as keeping us save from different injuries, caused by muscle imbalances.
While your mentality is that you work out in order to eat, you won’t have results and even if you have some, they will be short term!
In order to change your mentality, you should first change the way you understand food!
Food is fuel for the body!
It is not an antidepressant! It is not something to do for fun! It is not a way to prove your love to somebody!
Food is fuel for the body! And that is its only purpose! And from there comes another function of the food, to serve as a natural medicine for our body!
As you already know I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my past, when it comes to working out and nutrition and from my personal experience I’ve learned a lot! I remember the time, when I used to spent 3-4 hours working out, so I could go home and make up for the calories I expanded, by eating cakes, pancakes, muffins and so forth!
No need to say it, but I had no progress with my appearance and my health was just out of the question! I remember how tired, depressed and desperate I felt. And all this without any obvious reasons!
You need to realize how important food is for the quality of your life! Good food is one of the main conditions, so you could feel good in your own skin, to be strong and energetic, and enjoy good physical and psychological health! And as you know health is the main premise for happiness, because when a person is healthy, everything else is easy to be accomplished with some patience and hard work!
Whatever is the quality of your food, such will your health be. The more junk food you eat, the worse you will feel, you are gonna be more tired, irritated, and from there, every aspect of your life is gonna go in the wrong direction!
I’ve never felt better, than I feel today when I know what and why I eat it. Never felt better than today when I use food as my fuel, so I can be healthy and strong. There is something empowering in taking care of yourself, your body and your health!
So forget about the “I work out in order to eat” mentality! You can’t out exercise a bad diet, because sooner or later, your bad nutrition is gonna take over you, your body and life! Don’t wait for this to happen, in order for you to realize how important the quality of your food is!
Do you have the “I work out to eat” mentality or do you have a different approach to your nutrition?
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