People often ask me “how long will it take to lose “x” amount of weight?” I’m going to give you a full and accurate answer. As usual, you may not like the answer, but I’d rather empower you with the right information than sell you a dream. You deserve that much.
Most of us have a desire to look good, but it can feel almost impossible to get in shape when you spend all day sitting at work. If you spend long hours sitting down most days for a long time, your body will adapt to suit what you ask of it. Your body is an incredible machine that adapts to the activities you repeatedly ask of it. It responds to what you eat, how you think, and how you spend your time. Genetics play a part of course – you can’t really change your height or base shape, but you’d be surprised at all the possible forms you could take on.
During training, we cause stress and microscopic damage on a cellular level in our bodies, fatiguing us and actually decreasing our performance for a short period. This stress and damage acts as a catalyst for change, forcing us to adapt. As we recover, we improve, which means we’re able to perform at a higher level next time we work out.
That means gains are made during recovery, not training.
Every time you work out, you inflict microscopic damage on your muscles, which is then repaired naturally by your body with a tiny new layer of muscle tissue. As these layers are formed, you build visible muscle. You don’t need to have muscle soreness every time you work out in order to see progress. In fact, it’s not advisable to push yourself to the point where you’re sore after every workout. In general, if you’re sore for 2-4 days, you’re in the safe zone. If you’re experiencing DOMS for more than 4 days, you may have gone too hard.