When it comes to diet, trying to lose body fat that is, we need to be patient. I have set the goal to compete again. My last show was over a year ago. I patiently reverse dieted during that time to try and remedy years and years of cutting calories too low, and working out too much. While my reverse went very well, my contest prep has been going slow. I am seeing some noticeable improvements, but things are not moving as fast as they should (on paper anyway). I’m sharing this because I want to point out, and hopefully help people understand, what can happen during years and years of dieting. I have been on a diet of some kind, for the most part, at least 15 years, probably longer, actually. I think my body at this point recognizes being in a caloric deficit and holds on to what it can. I have effectively taught my body how to not lose weight, by trying to do it over and over again.  During my reverse diet, I was maintaining my weight on a significantly higher amount of calories than I used to ever eat. *A reverse diet is the process of slowly adding calories from carbs and fats back into your diet. It is a slow process, but helps to build you metabolism without putting on too much body fat.  I have been dieting for some time now and eating much less, while I am a little leaner, it is going slow. In order to prevent myself from falling down this same path, I will be patient. I will not pressure myself into eating well below what is healthy, and I won’t kill myself with cardio. This will only make it worse in the long run. While I may not make the show I originally planned to do, I will get there.  It may just take longer than I anticipated.

Many of us struggle in this way. It’s easy to do what we think we need to do to hit a weight loss goal. It’s not easy to be patient.