When you look for the instant gratification of weight loss over time how it affects your metabolic physiology.  

This is an interesting and well written example of a common scenario in the dieting and weight loss industry and why I became a Metabolic Health, Wellness and Hormone Enhancement Coach who specialises in working with breaking the dieting yo yo diet cycle.      

A tale of 2 timelines – by Mike Milner  

One of the greatest paradoxical concepts in fitness and nutrient is the timeline effect.   

The faster we go ……the longer it takes  

It doesn’t help that the world around us has catered to our desire for instant gratification.   

Most technological advancements have been in the name of convenience or speed.  

Think Amazon….. delivery is in 3 – 5 days  

We carry that very same mindset into our pursuit of our physical goals.  

Logically we know it takes time.  

Emotionally we want it now.  

In the battle of logic vs emotion … emotion will win 9 times out of 10.  

Here is an example applied to weight loss goals:  

Mary wants to lose 10kgs  

She feels uncomfortable and her clothes are getting tighter. 

She can’t look at herself in the mirror.  

And she’s too self-conscious to wear a bikini in public.  

She thinks to herself, If I could just be 10kgs lighter, I’d be happier… more confident.  

She wants to rock it in her bikini without feeling insecure.  

Those feelings are strong. 

She can physically feel those feelings when she envisions her future self-looking fit on the beach.  

And who wants to wait to feel that way?  

Mary wants it like yesterday …….  

She starts looking for some fast ways to drop 10kgs  

Boom…… She finds a program online where she tracks her calories, and the promise is that she’ll lose 10kgs.  

Program length 6 weeks.  Program method 1200 calories.  

Outcome – Mary loses 10kgs.  

Sustainability outcome – Mary gains back 12kgs over the course of the next 12 weeks.  

Mary feels demoralized. 

She didn’t even get a chance to rock her bikini because after losing 10 kgs she didn’t feel like she was quite where she wanted to be.  

And after gaining 12 kgs she now feels like she’s 15 kgs away from her goal.  

Mary and her husband have a trip coming up in a couple of months, so she jumps into another diet.  

Program length 8 weeks  

Program method HCG diet (800 calories)  

Outcome – Mary loses 20 kgs  

Sustainability outcome – Mary went off the rails on vacation felt completely out of control around food. Came back 8 kgs heavier and then gained another 15kgs over the course of 10 weeks. 

This was incredibly frustrating to Mary  

She has remained super consistent with her training…..   

She rarely ever misses a workout and feels like she puts in a lot of effort without much to show for it.  

The thoughts of why bother start to creep in and Mary spends the next 6 months having a pity party. 

She keeps training but completely ignores her nutrition.  

She’s firmly entrenched in the “nothing” phase of the all or nothing cycle.  

Until there’s another vacation on the horizon.  

Mary starts to panic.  

There’s no way she’s going on this trip looking the way she looks.  

She thinks back to what got her the quickest result last time.  

And here we go again….  

Program length – 8 weeks  

Program method – HCG diet 800 calories  

Program outcome – Mary loses 12kgs.  

Sustainability outcome – once again. Mary went off the rails on vacation. She came back 5 kgs heavier and then gained 10 kgs over the next 8 weeks  

For those keeping score at home  

Total time invested approx. 1.5 years  

Net outcome – gain 3 kgs.  

I wish I could tell you that was the moment that Mary realized the quick fix approach was delaying her progress.  

It wasn’t she stayed in this very cycle for years  

Afraid to eat more 

Always wanting immediate results.  

Always gravitating towards restrictive programs.  

Always gaining the weight back  

Eventually Mary reached her tipping point.  

Now let’s look at her 2nd timeline……   

Mary contacted a metabolic health coach  

Disclosed how afraid she was of playing the long game of weight loss but knows it is exactly what she needs.  

Although she realised “If I don’t change I’ll keep getting what I always got.”  

She started coaching  

Program length 6 months  

Program method metabolic health and lifestyle design  

Outcome – Mary lost 15 kgs  

Sustainability outcome – graduated and continued on her own has continued to lose weight and never felt better.  

So when you consider the time it takes to cycle through the yoyo diet and all or nothing mentality  

Consider what it is costing you overall when you try to shortcut the process.  

Think about the time you’ve already spent seeking instant gratification  

And commit to doing things the right way.  

If you are ready to finally end all or nothing cycle and reach your goals and sustain them  

Shoot me an email, dm or contact me in clinic.     

Transform Mind = Transform Body  

Kerri