What does it take to lose 130 pounds?
Thrive client, Sal, loses 130 lbs!
What an amazing lifestyle change and journey for Thrive Training Facility in Ann Arbor’s very own, Sal Mansour! Congratulations on this huge achievement and becoming mentally and physically stronger by achieving your dream physique, while becoming the healthiest and best version of yourself. This was not an easy task, and in this post we’re going to talk about some factors that helped make this dream a reality.
What does it take to lose 130 pounds?
According to Sal, one of his favorite quotes that motivated him throughout his journey is:
“Losers quit when they fail. Winners fail until they succeed." Robert T. Kiyosaki”
Losing 130 pounds is a significant and challenging goal that requires dedication, lifestyle changes, and a long-term commitment. Here are some non-negotiables and important steps that allow this goal to become a reality the proper way.
Weight loss journeys can be a long process, and believe it or not, there are healthy ways and unhealthy ways to lose weight. In order to do it right the first time, there are a few key professionals to consider in order to make your journey more effective, seamless, and healthy.
Seeing your doctor before starting any weight loss program and performing complete bloodwork panels can identify any healthy risks, medical conditions, show vitamin/mineral deficiencies, and show hormonal imbalances. With proper data, we can now approach our exercise and nutrition program to create the healthiest approach possible. Knowing these key factors will not only motivate you to become healthier, but it’ll ensure you approach your exercise program and eating habits with the right approach to create optimal vitamin/mineral absorption for the most effective weight loss, in addition to balancing out hormone levels for optimal energy function and weight loss.
The next piece of the puzzle is finding an elite personal trainer or strength and conditioning coach. Don’t just join any gym, find someone who’s experienced and has dealt with many different types of clientele including weight loss, mobility, corrective exercise, nutritional counseling, and all levels of strength and conditioning. Starting with a professional from day 1 is extremely crucial for many reasons like expert guidance, goal setting, measurements, and a proper evaluation to get on the right program for you, and to avoid many injuries that can occur in the gym. Setting appropriate goals allow you to stay healthy while losing weight, help keep you motivated while constantly seeking results, and helps you stay on track with small weekly goals that eventually lead to the ultimate goal that may seem far away at times.
Some of the benefits of working with a professional trainer are customized workout plans tailored to you and your needs, with variety so you’re not repeating the same workouts over and over again. If your workouts stay the same, eventually your body will adapt, plateau, and stay the same as well. Many individuals quit their workout programs from stagnancy, plateaus, and lack of results. Building confidence in safety, variety, and constant progressions helps keep your mind at ease knowing that your hard work is never going to waste, and you’ll remain encouraged by constantly seeing and feeling the amazing benefits of exercise. In addition to the physical benefits, the psychological benefits of working with a professional not only help you stay motivated and accountable, but they improve your mental health from constant positive reinforcements you’re creating in the gym and within your life. Exercising with a purpose can be challenging. A coach can help you realize the more hard things you do (safely of course), the stronger your mindset becomes and the more confident you become in yourself. Building that bulletproof mindset allows you to create success not only in your health journey, but in all facets of your life. Lastly, working with a professional trainer is costly, but it’s one of the best investments you can make for yourself. Learning proper exercise habits can help prevent a plethora of medical conditions, prevent you from taking unnecessary and unwanted medications, and you’ll learn proper exercise habits and programs that you can follow for the remainder of your life to stay healthy, and stronger physically and mentally.
Some strength and conditioning coaches have a lot of experience with nutritional counseling that you can utilize like at Thrive, but if they don’t, there’s no need to panic. The next professional to search for to help you with your journey is a holistic registered dietician that follows a flexible dieting lifestyle, who helps you eat organic and unprocessed foods, and help you utilize proper macronutrient ratios to your advantage. Without a proper nutrition regimen, a lot of your exercise can be outdone with poor eating habits. There is nothing more frustrating than exercising hard, and not seeing any progress or results because of dietary mistakes that can be easily avoided with knowledge and discipline.
It’s important to understand the benefits and parallels of a great exercise program and healthy eating habits. Not only should you learn what types of foods to eat, it’s equally important to learn how to eat, and to build a healthy and positive relationship with food. Establishing the right mindset early is important. Food is for fuel, not for comfort. Other benefits to working with a nutrition professional are mental health benefits, working around food sensitivities/allergies, personalized plans, educational support, improved athletic performance, and most importantly, they will help keep you away from harmful and toxic weight loss drugs like Ozempic.
The rest of the battle falls on you. Discipline is a must, and being able to challenge yourself physically is a guarantee. If it was easy, everyone would do it. Some days you may feel like quitting because of a variety of factors or hardships in your life, but you must stay strong, remember why you started, and get back to a positive mindset quickly. Here are some tips and behavioral changes than can help you further with achieving success:
- Maintain a consistent eating and exercise schedule.
- Ensure you get adequate sleep, as poor sleep can affect weight loss.
- Incorporate stress-reducing activities such as stretching, meditation, yoga, and/or breathing exercises daily and weekly.
- Track progress. Keep a journal or use an app to track your food intake, exercise, and weight loss progress.
- Have a strong support system. Surround yourself with supportive friends, family, or join a weight loss group for accountability and encouragement. Spending time with like minded people will help you succeed in all areas of your life.
Remember, significant weight loss can take time, and it’s important to be patient and kind to yourself throughout the process. There is nothing that you CAN’T accomplish. The sky is the limit and you can accomplish anything you set your mind to! I hope you view this blog as inspiration to start your health journey, or take your current health and fitness journey to the next level. Together we are THRIVE STRONG!
-Amir Rad
Thrive Training Facility - Ann Arbor - Owner
ThriveTrained.com
