How long does it ACTUALLY take to get shredded?

So Coach Hal, how long does it take to get shredded? get in shape? lose weight? get jacked?

The answer to all these questions is the same:

It doesn't matter, because the time is going to pass anyway.

It's an amazing response, and so true.

Do you plan to be around 6 months from now?

I sure do.

So why not commit to doing the things that will transform your body, and do it consistently for 6 months?

What are these transformational things?

Ya know, the things I always talk about, like:

- Eat your target body weight in grams of protein every day - Lift weights 4x a week - Get 10,000 steps per day - Get 7 hours of sleep per night

If you do those 4 things consistently for 6 months, I guarantee your body will transform.

The key word is consistently - every day, every week, for the entire 6 months.

Not just a couple weeks out of the month when your schedule is "normal". Not just Monday-Thursday before the weekend activities get going.

This also sounds like I'm saying 6 months is the actual answer to the question. It's not, but I do think that's a good barometer for a timeline to make lasting change.

With that said, my clients have accomplished some pretty epic health transformations in less time than that:

- There's Zach, who dropped 35 pounds in 5 months - There's Ben, who has dropped 25 pounds in 4 months and ain't done yet - There's John S, who dropped 30 pounds in 80 days

But I am nearly at the point where I'm going to stop including the timeline in those stats above.

Because the timeline really doesn't matter as long as you eventually get there.

3 months vs. 6 months vs. 9 months? Who cares.

And if getting there at a slower pace helps make it sustainable and ensures you keep off the weight long term, then that's the better approach 10/10 times.

Everything we're doing here is ultimately about building new habits.

And while you can be well on your way to creating a new habit in a 3 month period, it's really not enough time yet to solidify anything.

If we switch gears and talk about building muscle, the timeline becomes way longer.

If you are newer to lifting you can make serious gains in a short amount of time.

But if you are more advanced, you need to think in YEARS in terms of making progress - 2 at minimum.

Who cares, the time is going to pass anyway. May as well be jacked at the other side of it.

You likely already know most of the things you are supposed to be doing.

You just need to do them more consistently, over an extended period of time.

Stay well this week, Hal the Health Coach