subject: The Most Important Factor In Gaining Solid Muscle And Burning The Fat Each Week! by:Steve Carter [print this page] The newbie bodybuilder (as I like to call him) is impatient and is seeking that magic key or secret ingredient that will result in him acquiring his dream body or weight lifting goals in the fastest time possible. In our consumer society we are not used to waiting. Whenever we want something - if it doesn't happen in an instant then we start to complain! The newbie bodybuilder desperately wants to achieve tomorrow's goals yesterday! It is of course an unrealistic view to take and yet a very common view amongst new bodybuilders.
I would say I'am in pretty decent shape and I'am asked for 'my secret' by these newbie bodybuilders. So here it is, my secret to being able to pack on muscle, cut the fat and become much stronger in a very short space of time: consistency.
My secret is consistency. If your diet and workout regime are not perfect and yet you are consistent with your effort you will find some progress (much better than not doing anything at all to change your body!) On the other hand that guy with the perfect diet and workout regime and the personal trainer (too!) will find that he achieves nothing if he is not consistent in his endeavour by missing out on meals and exercise every now and again. Life changing results will not happen instantly, it will take time. Consistent effort over the long term will lead to results that can change your life. It is a sad fact that a lot of people who start going to the gym with every good intention and lots of enthusiasm end up giving up after a month or so. Good results come about from sustained effort. Doing something even if you don't feel like it.
"Ok.. the secret to bodybuilding is consistency so how do I become consistent?" shouts the newbie bodybuilder, impatiently.
Alright steady on! Talk about impatience... I find that it takes 21 days to form or break a habit. This has been detaile din many psychological reports. Therefore the most effort is in those 21 days and then adterwards it becomes second nature and actually requires effort to break. If you are dedicated in these first 21 days and do not slip up at all, this should build momentum which you can use to carry yourself forward.
So what steps can be taken to develop a consistent attitude towards training in the first 21 days that will help us and then beyond?
1) Start a blog/ diary! An easy way to motivate yourself to do something is to open yourself up to the scrutiny of others. Write a bodybuilding blog detailing all your diet and exercise regime that you aim to do each day and then do it and report back on your findings. Make records of lifts etc and then post them on the internet. Go on www.bodybuilding.com and then go to the forums and you will find a section for posting your blog or diary. If you are still confused then look at other peoples blogs for ideas. If you then find yourself skipping meals or exercise sessions then other people will be quick to post and criticise you! Criticism can be a good motivational tool because people don't want to make their failures known in public.
2) Write up that timetable from your blog detailing exactly what your meant to be doing each hour of each day and stick it up around the house!
3) Do a reward/ punishment system. If you stick to your timetable reward yourself by playing video games for example or if you don't stick to your timetable then punish yourself in whatever way you see fit!
4) Take a picture of yourself before you begin your exercise regime and also have a picture of a bodybuilder who has the phsique that you aim to achieve and stick these pictures next to each other on the kitchen fridge for example. I have found this to be a very good motivational tool.
These are some of the things I do to make sure I'am consistent when taking on a training and diet regime.
It's time to make a stand, it is now or never! Are you in or are you out? Without consistency you will fail. Consistency is the magic ingredient and will result in FASTER and BETTER results in the LONG TERM. Put the hard work in now, invest your time into the future and when the future arrives you will be SO MUCH MORE HAPPIER because of that invested effort.
