Why Stringent Fitness Programs May or May Not Work for You
Whenever you start trying to pick the best weight loss or fitness program, you’re going to see that they fall on the spectrum from very laid back to extremely stringent. Only you know what will work best for you, and believe it or not, it doesn’t have a lot to do with sheer willpower.
Those who do best working with stringent plans are the people who feel more overwhelmed without specific guidance. They need to know what to eat, and at what time.
They also like knowing exactly what exercise to do, and how many reps and sets to do as well. They’re not big on figuring things out for themselves because they don’t have time or interest in doing that.
Stringent plans might include plans like a sugar detox, or even popular programs like Jenny Craig. It could be a workout program like P90X, for example. But not everyone enjoys being told what to do, when.
If that best describes you, then you may need a more relaxed program that still encourages you to eat right and exercise, but in a way that’s more natural and enjoyable for you.
For example, if you don’t like being told you can never eat sugar again, then you might want to try a program like Weight Watchers or Mindful Eating. Both of those allow you to have whatever foods you enjoy, but in a more mindful manner where it’s not being consumed in huge portions.
With exercise, instead of being ordered to do a specific program, you have the freedom to wake up one day and choose from a list of activities that you actually enjoy doing. Maybe you want to walk, so instead of one hours on a treadmill pre-programmed level, you head to the beautiful zoo or a park in a city nearby and get your exercise in there.
The best way to see long-term success for some people is to stick to something that’s already done for them. No guesswork is involved, and they have confidence in it because a professional created the program.
But for others, it’s the freedom to pick and choose that helps them achieve their goals. They’re never deprived and never bored, which lifts their spirits during their weight loss journey and makes their efforts a little easier. There is no right or wrong way to choose, and in fact, you might even switch it up and do both from time to time!
