A couple of weeks ago I released a blog titled “When Will I See Results?”. Essentially this blog covered a common question that I receive from new clients all the time, which is when and how long they could expect to see noticeable changes within their physique once they start training with weights consistently. The main problem with this question in which I addressed though, is that there is no specific timeline in which someone should expect to see results with their physique. There are multiple factors to take into consideration, such as each individual’s current fitness level, genetics, how often they are training, how hard they are training, and what their diet looks like. And these are just some of the MANY different factors that will ultimately determine  how fast or how slow results can be expected to be achieved.

But Why Am I Not Seeing Results?

“Why Am I Not Seeing Results?” is another question in which most if not all new clients that have been referred to work with us ask me a large percentage of the time. These are the people that have been either training religiously on their own or with another Trainer for a few years now. They follow a diet in which they believe to be healthy and nutritious and make sure to incorporate cardiovascular activity into their weekly training split anywhere from 3-6x/week.

So on paper, these people are doing everything right. However the fact remains that they have either not achieved results or have stopped seeing results with their physique in some time.

Are they doing something wrong?

Are they over exaggerating hard they train?

Are they lying about how disciplined they are with their diet?

Are they altering their “facts” about their own training, dieting and supplementation?

Playing Detective

Whenever a new client signs up to work with me and tells me that they are doing everything right in both the gym and the kitchen, yet are frustrated because they are not seeing results, I ask them to send me a copy of both their current Diet Plan and Training Program that they are following. If the new client can’t provide either of these to me because they just kinda of “wing it” with both their diet and their training, then this is the first red flag.

Why “Winging It” Doesn’t Work

If someone is not keeping track of roughly how many carbohydrates, protein and fats that they are consuming in a day, then how the hell do they know whether or not they need more or less of each (or all) in order to build muscle and lose body fat? The same can be said for training. If you’re going into the gym and just “winging” your workouts, then you’re not serious about your results. I like every single one of my clients to know exactly what they are training with me for each workout, so that they can prepare both mentally and physically for each upcoming session. Even our Group Class Participants are sent a copy of each month’s training schedule ahead of time so that they can plan their workout schedule in advance. I don’t do “BootCamps” because quite frankly, I think they are Bullshit.

How Hard Are You Training?

I come from the old school train of thought that states you get out what you put in to everything you do. When it comes to training, I strongly believe that the more intensely you train, the better results you will achieve. Therefore when I see people in the gym cruising through Instagram and taking selfies in between sets, then I know right away as to why they are not seeing results with their physique – THEY ARE NOT TRAINING HARD ENOUGH!!!!

Unfortunately these are also the same people that bitch and complain about their lack of results. And these are also usually the same people who make excuses for their lack of results by blaming their non usage of steroids and “having a life” for the reasons that they don’t have an aesthetically pleasing physique. Well, after twenty years of helping people who do have a life and don’t use anabolic steroids transform their own physiques and improve their health, I can honestly tell you, that these excuses are just that – excuses.  And rather than blame drugs, time restraints or other people for their lack of results, these people really just need to shut up, unplug from social media for an hour, and TRAIN!

Dumb Dieting

Nutrition can be a complex thing. Especially these days with so much information and misinformation being so easily accessed online. People are so desperate to get results that they are willing to take advice from others who have experienced “Amazing Results” of their own, by following crash diets and food fads that have little to no scientific data backing these astonishing claims.

I’m not a Dietician nor am I a Nutritionist. However I do know alot about Dietary Nutrition and Supplementation. I’ve read nutritional journals about the different sources of macronutrients and the impact that the quality of micronutrients that we consume can have on our bodies (both long term and short term). I understand base metabolic rates, and have a good comprehension on how the human body operates, both in a caloric surplus as well as in a caloric deficit. I know why fad diets don’t work, but more importantly I also know why they can be dangerous and detrimental to follow.

Unfortunately most people don’t have an interest in the science behind the foods that we consume like I do. Fortunately there are people like me though that do understand the science behind these foods and want to help educate others so that they don’t fall victim to these dieting trends that rarely if ever work in the long run.

If you’re following a diet to lose weight and/or build muscle that you know is not sustainable, then the reality is that you are just wasting your time and putting yourself at risk for developing certain health issues down the road in the future.

In other words, if you are following a certain diet, just do your research, and make sure it’s not a dumb one.

Ask, Listen, and Apply

If you’re not, or have stopped seeing results with your physique, then my recommendation is to ask questions, listen to your body, and apply what you learn to both your workouts and your nutritional plan. Be completely honest and transparent with yourself.

Are you training as hard and as often as you should be in the gym?

Are you cheating on your diet more often than not?

And are you keeping track of your progress and recording what you are doing in both the gym and the kitchen on a weekly basis?

Only you can answer these questions. But, if you’re not seeing results, and if you do answer each question listed above openly and honestly, then I imagine you’ll find out quite quickly as to why you are not achieving those very same results that you desire so badly with your physique.

Yours in Good Health,

Nick Cosgrove
Forever Fit Performance