Holistic Techniques to Weight Loss, Muscle Gain

If you’re so hung up on progress you can measure and see, then you’re probably missing out on the hidden benefits of your workout program. It’s true the best evidence of progress involves a weighing scale and a caliper, but you have to think of weight loss from a different perspective, one which involves a holistic mind-and-body program.

Sure, the routines buff you up; you’ll also feel the results immediately after the sessions when you’re pumped and sweating from the workouts. You shouldn’t expect to feel the same way the morning after, though. Weight loss requires more effort than diet and workouts can provide; oftentimes, it’s also in the way we think or consider situations that affect our build and physique.

Stay Zen during Workouts

Have you ever felt depressed one day and sick the morning after? Psychosomatic symptoms are facts of life, and some people have a harder time dealing with these than others. Your daily routines may involve an hour or two of gym sessions after work, but your progress also depends on the stress you’ve gone through prior to pumping iron. If your boss grilled you due to a missed deadline, then you’ll carry the burden to the gym and the stress will take its toll on your efforts.

You could vent out your frustrations at the treadmill or bench press, but this hardly diminishes the dissatisfaction of having a hostile work environment. It’s really minding over matter, and you’ll only maximize your gains if you come to the gym with an assertive, Zen mindset.

Diets should Involve Proper Meals

Your diet is also a reflection of your attitude. Are you so consumed with supplements and protein bars that you consider these staple, standalone meals? There’s something wrong with a meal plan which only involves a cocktail of pills, a protein shake, and an energy bar.

You have to admit synthesized supplements only take you so far on any given day. You still need the nutrients found in real food, prepared in a proper kitchen instead of a shaker bottle. Pre-packed foods may be formulated to only include the nutrients and carb amounts you need, but nothing beats a proper meal in terms of delectability. Try substituting steak for a protein bar every time you crave for a slab and you’ll understand.

Stress and Cortisol

Stress takes its toll on your physique, and long-term results involve a compromised immune system which leads to sicknesses and injuries. Your body releases cortisol during stressful situations, and this hormone inhibits insulin receptiveness, breaks down muscle, and steps up fat buildup. Stress stunts growth and development, and the demands of modern society haven’t diminished the ways in which stressful situations affect psyche, attitudes, and emotions.

You have to deal with stress on a daily basis, but you should ensure you have the right mindset if you want to overcome its consequences. It’s fortunate that you can compensate for the loss with bodybuilding supplements, taken before, during, and after your workout routines. Diet can only do so much when your goals are cramped into a limited timeline. Make sure your approach to weight loss, muscle gain, and better health are holistic if you want to ensure lasting results.