This is part two of my series on why your diet always fail. Check out part one here.
Every time I watch a film like Thor or The Avengers I get a sudden urge to build myself a body like Chris Hemsworth’s or Chris Evans’ (it’s all about being named Chris when it comes to buff Hollywood types). However, the urge usually dissipates by the time I leave the cinema.
Why? Because I know that I simply don’t have the necessary willpower to create a body like that. I also know that the idea of going from my current physique to that kind of physique in one step is utterly absurd.
Consider the kind of pressure these guys are under to make themselves look so incredible. We can talk about Hugh Jackman in Wolverine or Gerard Butler in 300. Getting that stacked was their job, folks. They were getting paid inordinate amounts of money (in part) to create a physical presence that would suitably reflect the character they were playing. Not only that, they already had a base level of fitness way beyond the average guy’s before they even got started. They had a big head start.
I’m not saying that you shouldn’t aspire to have a great physique, but shooting for a Jessica Alba-esque bikini body when you’re about 40lbs off-target is like trying to run before you can crawl. Give yourself a good enough reason to achieve gradual weight loss – i.e. set a goal that you are reasonably capable of achieving. Set milestones that are within reach, and celebrate every single one when you reach them. Every time you reach a new milestone, take stock and consider where to go from there.
While it can be tempting to tell yourself that shooting for the stars from the outset will get you to where you want to be more quickly, the likelihood is that you’ll find yourself right back where you started in a year from now. When it comes to dieting, slow and steady almost always wins the race in the long run.