Before entering the gym, the first question that comes to everyone’s mind is How long does it take to get in shape? There is a myth around the world that doing only cardio is best for getting into shape. But it is false you have to do cardio plus strength training to get in shape.
However, time for getting into shape depends on how out of shape you are and how committed you are to weight loss. You have to consider some guidelines shown in this article to know how to get in shape. Go through this article carefully to get the answer to how long it takes to get in shape.
Overview
When you enter the gym, the first thing the training will promise is to make all your dreams come true in six weeks. But don’t depend on these promises because there is no time for how long it takes to get in shape. Some individual goals like strength, endurance, weight loss, or fat loss determine the time to get in shape.
However, most studies show that the ideal rate of losing weight is 1-2 pounds per week. If you want to lose some weight, then you have to focus on burning fat and building lean muscles. However, burning fat and building muscles at the same time will help you to lose weight at a faster pace.
On the other hand, it is possible to lose one pound every day. But this rate of losing weight can be dangerous and require a radical change. If you are also deciding to lose weight at this rate, then you have to take the help of a professional to do this safely.
However, you can exercise more and eat less to lose weight at a faster rate. But keep in mind that you have to keep these two elements in balance because an unbalanced diet can lead to many health problems.
Steps to lose your weight
The first motivation in your life does not mean that you will start losing some weight. This first motivation will only change your mindset. Further, these changes will turn into habits that result in losing weight and becoming healthier.
If you get that first motivation is not enough, then you have to know how to make these changes and lose weight. Below we are going to show you some steps that will help you to understand these changes.
Fat loss
Changing the daily habits of eating will help you to lose some weight. You have to reduce your calorie intake below your maintenance level to lose excess body fat. In simple words, it means that you have to eat less and exercise more.
But keep in mind that you have to do this under the guidelines of a professional.
Muscle gain
As we know, building muscles burns more calories than fat. If you are losing fat, then you have to build muscles at the same time to burn calories at a faster rate. However, it is vital to do some resistance training plus strength training to lose weight and gain muscles.
Mindset
Before entering the gym, you have to make a mindset to lose your body weight. Stand in front of a mirror and visualize yourself as slimmer to get motivation. It is one of the best tactics used by many professional athletes to get in shape.
Sleep
Taking proper sleep is as vital as exercising and eating healthy to get in shape. A study shows that your muscles recover while sleeping. Moreover, when you sleep, your hormone level gets balanced. Having enough sleep will help you to reduce your appetite and feel fuller during the day.
Setting your goals
How long does it take to get in shape depends on what your goals are? Some targets like getting stronger, losing bodyweight, losing fat, building muscles determine the time of getting into shape. However, it will give you a timescale for losing 1% of your body weight each week.
If you are weighing 200 pounds, then you can expect to lose two pounds per week. But keep in mind that the process of losing weight will slow down as your weight will start to go down. However, you have to adopt the right mindset at this point.
Moreover, stand in front of a mirror and ask yourself that you can lose weight. However, it doesn’t matter how fast or slow you want to lose. Having the right motivation is vital. So setting your goals will help you to get the right inspiration.
Creating motivation will help you to overcome all the hurdles and ensure you adopt a healthier lifestyle for the long term. Moreover, you can make some changes to your lifestyle if you want to lose weight. Further, these changes will turn into habits with time to get in shape.
Factors affecting your fitness
Below we are going to show some factors that can speed up or slow down your fitness results.
- How fit you are before getting started is a factor that can affect your fitness results. If you have some fitness before a start, then it will take less time to get back on track.
- The type of exercise you are performing also affects your fitness. A person walking for ninety minutes per day will get different results than a person doing a HIIT training program.
- If you are a beginner, then you may progress faster because you will start lower down the fitness ladder and require less exercise to challenge your body.
- However, what you put into an exercise also determines what results you will get. A person who is comfortable exercising at an exertion scale of level 6 will get different results than a person who is comfortable exercising at a level 9.
- At what intensity level you are doing your workout also determines your fitness results. A woman who is working at a higher intensity level will get an 8% improvement in her cardiovascular fitness after six months. On the other hand, if a woman is working out at a low-intensity level, then she will get a 4% increase in her fitness results.
If you are a beginner in high-intensity training, then you have to work hard. However, you will don’t get any results if you don’t work hard enough. Keep in mind that fitness is not a race nor a destination and find your balance.
Eating habits to get into shape
Your eating habits are a must while getting into shape. According to a theory, you can lose weight while eating junk food. But eating junk food is not healthy for your body. However, as we asked before that you have to eat less than your maintenance amount to lose weight.
Most people start doing unhealthy dieting that can result in a deficiency of vital nutrients in their body. Eating less means cutting out the processed foods from your plate because these foods are high in sugar, salt and chemicals that are not beneficial for our body.
However, your perfect plate should be half full of vegetables, ¼ of proteins and ¼ of carbohydrates. Therefore, keeping your meals in proportion will ensure that you have the right level of nutrition. Try to eat three meals, and two snacks a day and if you consume more, then you will start gaining some weight.
If you have no time or don’t feel like cooking at the end of a stressful day, then preparing your meals in advance is a healthy option. Intermittent fasting is another tactic that will help you to lose weight. However, intermittent fasting means that you are 500 calories two days a week.
Keep in mind that these two days should not be consecutive, and you have to wait for the evening to eat. This type of fasting will let your body enter into a state known as ketosis and encourages the burning of body fat instead of carbohydrates.
However, if you feel dizzy on the first day of your fasting, then we will advise you to eat something straight away.
Workout routine to shape your body
As we know, you can lose 1-2 pounds of fat per week, and building muscles is helpful to improve your fat-burning abilities. Most of the research shows that you can gain ½ pound of muscles per week.
However, it is a smaller success, but making small steps will help us to get better results. If you are gaining ½ pound of muscles and losing one pound of fat per week, then you can’t see much difference daily. It will take a few weeks to see changes, so it becomes vital to take a picture of yourself every week.
You can measure your waist because it is the area where you can’t build any muscle but lose fat. If you are not getting any results on your waist size, then you have to watch your diet again. Here we are going to show you lower and upper body conditioning routines.
Upper body
It is vital to work on your upper and lower body parts to keep your body balanced. You can perform some upper body exercises like the overhead press, bicep curls, lateral raise, pull-ups, push-ups and bench press. Keep in mind that you have to do three sets of 10-12 reps of each exercise.
However, using dumbbells and kettlebells will make these exercises more efficient. These exercises will improve your bone strength and tone your body as fats start disappearing. Moreover, adding some cardio work such as skipping, swimming, jogging and running in these exercises will improve your fitness level and fat burning process.
Lower body
You can perform some lower body exercises such as squats, calf raises, lunges, deadlifts and box jumps. However, these exercises will target your quads, calves, glutes, hamstrings and lower back. Make sure that you are doing three sets of 10-12 reps.
Try to increase your reps gradually to get better results. Keep in mind that you have to work on your legs every other day because your muscles need time to repair and grow bigger and stronger.
How to minimize fitness losses during breaks
You can minimize your fitness losses during a break by performing some exercises at some level. However, a single session per week of moderate to hard intensity exercise is helpful to maintain your current level of strength, performance and health.
If you stopped exercising for some reason, then you can perform some bodyweight exercises throughout the day like push-ups and pull-ups. However, a person having an injury can also do specific exercises.
If you have a shoulder injury, then you can work on your lower body, so that you can’t get deconditioned. Moreover, you have to work with a doctor or physical therapist to develop a program that keeps you active while healing your body.
If you are inactive for several weeks, then you can work with your current level of fitness and health for a safe start. So adopt one step at one time and allow your body to adapt slowly.
Final thoughts
The bottom line is that you can lose 1-2 pounds per week with the help of a healthy lifestyle. But keep in mind that how long does it takes to get in shape depends on how much weight you want to lose. However, you can eat less and exercise more to lose weight, but you have to balance both things to stay healthy.
Adopting the right lifestyle and focusing on nutrition will help you to get in shape, and you will stay that way for the rest of your life. Keep in mind that you have to consult a doctor before making any health decision.
