The path to the goal is magical, but nothing happens by magic

I still remember when I started exercising with determination, I arrived at the gym without knowing absolutely anything, I only knew where the place was located.

Arriving there is frustrating, you see lots of people in perfect physical shape (from your own perception of perfect physical shape), you feel like everyone is looking at you, you think the receptionist is secretly making fun of you, and paradoxically you think you shouldn't be there, that it's a place for people who are already physically fit, or who have been fit all their lives.

However, the reality is that no one is born fit, even though some people may seem to have always been in good shape. Even for those individuals, there was a starting point, a time when they began their fitness journey.

That short period of the first few months or maybe 1 year, can be a bit hard and frustrating if the environment is not favorable, if we don't trust ourselves, if we don't have self-love (as it was in my case, for example) but everything will be fine, you just have to trust in what you call God, the universe or whatever you believe in (I think you should always believe in something supreme).

Things don't always go the way we want them from the start. Deep down we think that a couple of weeks or months will be enough to see a change that makes us feel good. Unfortunately, we have a rather unrealistic perception of that change, especially in today's social media age, where images of fit bodies create unrealistic expectations of quick results.

So, first you need to realize that this is not the majority, the truth is that the majority is just like you and they are hidden by this overwhelming landscape of fitness networks and sites.

Second, it's important to understand that most people on social media or in gyms, regardless of their physique, have limited knowledge of nutrition and training. This may be surprising, but the subject is complex, and even some professionals in the field make mistakes. For example, a nutritionist who eliminates carbohydrates or a trainer who recommends excessive cardio is not following best practices.

Third, you must have a minimum understanding of the human body's physiological timing for each process, such as muscle growth and fat loss.

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To lose body fat, your body must use its energy reserves (body fat) to meet part of its daily energy needs, a process known as a calorie deficit. While this concept is simple, the practical application is more complex, and the results often occur more slowly than expected.

To lose just 500g of body fat, we need our body to have an energy deficit of 3,500 calories. Keep in mind that most people have a daily expenditure of between 1,500 and 3,000 calories, with the highest expenditure being for athletic people with a low fat percentage and generally active people, so this leaves beginners and sedentary people with ranges between approximately 1,200 and 2,300 calories.

On the other hand, you can't simply rely on mathematical calculations. While the math may seem straightforward, achieving a 3,500-calorie reduction is quite complex. This is due to various factors, including the body's need for energy to sustain vital processes. Your body will actively resist energy deprivation, as it prioritizes the preservation of its precious reserve tissue.

The topic of fat loss has a lot to cover and a lot to explain, but this little explanation is likely to open your eyes a little, and make you a little more realistic about your expectations.

Building muscle mass is more complex than simply reversing the process of fat loss, despite what many believe. Consider this: if eating more calories were the key to gaining muscle, then there wouldn't be overweight people—everyone would be a bodybuilder. In reality, excess calories often lead to fat gain, not muscle growth.

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In short, muscle growth happens when your muscles are subjected to enough stress and tension to trigger a repair and rebuilding process. This makes them stronger, more resilient, and larger. It's a gradual process that requires consistent effort, progressive overload, and proper technique. Your body will naturally limit muscle growth to an extent, as excessive muscle mass isn't always evolutionarily advantageous.

And yes, you'll need a certain amount of nutrients to handle these loads and build muscle mass. But generally, most people have enough, even if they're in a slight caloric deficit. Eventually, you might need to increase your energy intake to keep the process going. However, I can assure you that this isn't something you'll need to do quickly, and when the time comes, it won't be a significant increase.

You can't just decide overnight to want to lift a lot of weight and many times, remember that it is a progressive process in which your body becomes stronger and more capable, so in principle you will only be able to do it to the extent that your current conditions allow it.

Physiologically, humans can only increase muscle mass at a relatively slow pace. Beginners, if they do everything perfectly (which rarely happens), they might gain 0.8 to 1 kilogram every 4-5 weeks during the first year. After that, even with optimal conditions, our body's ability to build muscle significantly slows down, as it's not evolutionarily efficient to maintain excessive muscle mass.

There are also many points and nuances to increasing muscle mass, which I will not go into in this text either, but for the vast majority of people, these lines will provide some clarity.

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Finally, considering all of this, I don't want you to get discouraged. Instead, I want you to be realistic and view your body composition journey as a sport, not just a way to look good. While looking good will be a result, it shouldn't be your primary goal. As you'll see, it's a long-term process, and focusing solely on appearance may lead to giving up early, as statistics show.

I want it to be magical for you. I hope you enjoy every day, learn from your mistakes, strive for improvement, and always give your best. Remember, not everything is within your control, and a lot of it is simply a matter of time. Of course, don't use this as an excuse to procrastinate or do things poorly, as that will only delay your progress or even hinder it completely. Ultimately, you're the only one who will suffer the consequences

I'd like to bet on your intellect, and think you've understood the point.

No matter how aggressive you intend to be, there's a physiological limit you can't surpass. Even if you push yourself, your body will eventually win. Unless you're incredibly intelligent and approach the situation strategically, maximizing effort without overexerting yourself, your body will eventually signal, "Enough is enough.

So make everything sustainable, nice, slow but steady, slow but sure, slow but lasting, slow but for your whole life.

I say goodbye leaving you with an analysis.

If the body changed quickly, don't you think that more than 90% of the population would have an incredibly athletic physique? Well... it's quite the opposite.

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