WHEN Should I See Progress?

I get this a lot, clients and friends who are on a new exercise regime approach me with a worried grin and say the exact same phrase, one filled with doubt and laced with the anxious tone of one who has lost their direction...

"I don't feel like I'm making any progress"

This is a natural feeling for those who are around four weeks into a new programme, after all a month feels a long time, you are settling into your exercise, crushing every workout and the initial 'back to the gym' shock has worn off.

You start to feel like you should be SEEING progress as well as feeling it.

This isn't how your body works however...

It is possible to see and feel some strength and conditioning gains within your first few weeks, but noticeable differences in your physique (when coupled with a kick ass nutrition system) takes longer.

The old adage is true; it takes at least four weeks for you to see and feel a difference, eight weeks for your friends and family to see a difference and twelve weeks for the rest of the world to see a difference.

BUT this requires the right type of training, an experienced and skilled coach to keep you motivated and progressing, and a nutritional system specific for you and your goals PLUS the last final secret ingredient...

A mix of desire, passion, character and belief.

This is going to be hard, harder than you think.

There will be dark moments. Cold, rainy mornings where you could quite easily miss the gym and stay wrapped up in bed.

But those that ignore the weather, the free donuts in the break room; those are the people who progress, who reach their goals and carry on reaching greater heights.

Make sure you stay consistent, and regularly measure progress (BUT stay off the scales!) and I assure you, change will happen!

Speak soon, 
Jay

P.S. Next week I will talk about a different area of judging progress, more specifically strength and max rep testing... Speak soon!