AlchemyFit.com

There is one thing that we all learned in high school biology that can be applied to fitness. I know there is more than one thing if you want to be technical, but I am referring to the scientific method. To help jog your memory, it was a 5-6 step process to solve a problem that looked something like this: 1. Ask a question 2. Do background research 3. Construct a hypothesis 4. Test your hypothesis by doing an experiment 5. Analyze results and draw a conclusion

This is a great starting point for someone who is a beginner in fitness. Beginner’s have a hard time when they start working out because there is so much information out there that contradicts itself. One trainer will say heavy weights low rep, the next will say low weights high rep, high-protein vs low fat, etc. To make it even more difficult, those same opposing viewpoints/ methodologies can both be right. Getting into shape largely depends on the individual person and their goal. There is no one size fits all. We have a few universal laws but there are many ways to apply them. For example, to lose weight you have to burn more calories than you take in. I can name 9 different ways off the top of my head to attain that goal. However, what has worked for me or another client may not work for you. You have to find the right tool to get the job done. Being well versed in many styles of training and nutrition is a plus.

To apply the scientific method to your own unique situation you will need three things. Pen, paper, and commitment. Use the pen and paper to plan your workouts/ nutrition and track the results. You will need the commitment to see the “experiment” through. Begin by asking what your goals are. What is it that you want to achieve and how can you do it? After that do some research on your goal. Let us assume that your goal is to lose weight. Read up on the best ways to lose weight from a credible source such as AlchemyFit.com or other good but not as great online resources, lol. Based upon your findings construct a hypothesis. It could go like this: ” If I took one of the hours I spent watching t.v. daily and exercised 4 times per week and cut back on processed foods I can lose weight”. For most people out there, these two simple changes would be enough to make a huge difference in results.

Next, you would test your hypothesis by experimenting. Your experiment consists of your exercise and nutrition program for an amount of time. I think that 8-12 weeks should do. Four weeks is not enough to see substantial change and twelve weeks is ample time to see results. Take your measurements, body fat percentage, and weight down before you start the program. At the end of the 8-12 weeks analyze your results and draw a conclusion. If you lost 20 pounds and dropped 7 percent body fat, you can conclude that whatever you were doing works for you. If you lost 6 pounds or even worse gained with no changes in your body fat percentage, you can conclude the program wasn’t very effective. Should you be mad, upset, or demotivated? No!!! Look at it like this, you didn’t fail you just found a way that didn’t work for you. Over the years I have tried many different programs with mixed results. All of them were part of my learning process. I absorbed what was useful and disregarded what was useless. Somethings that I found useful for me did not work for other people and things that were useless to me worked wonders for other people. So stop trying to find the perfect program and pick one and do it. Track the results, make some adjustments, and continue on.

If this post has helped you in anyway, please feel free to make a donation to our “Lose Weight, Save A Child” fitness challenge. We are raising money to help those who need it the most. Thank you.