How long does it take to see results from the gym? This is the million-dollar question!
Deciding to make a health and fitness change should be an incredibly exciting, motivating and happy time. It means that you have consciously decided to make a change. This is something that you should be very proud of.
It is however, not uncommon to get a bit impatient when we do not see immediate success. We live in a world of instant satisfaction. Food can be delivered in minutes and everything is available at the click of a button. We are programmed to believe this should be the case across all areas of life.
This is not true with health and fitness, as much as we would love it to be.
Deciding to set a goal and make a change is usually occurring when we are our most motivated. When high excitement and motivation is driving any thought process, it is usually followed with the expectation of instant results.
If these instant results do not happen straight away, a drop in motivation levels can occur. Sometimes it can even lead to giving up all together.
Let’s be honest though, noticeable changes don’t happen overnight.
Nor should they.
It takes time and if you want to keep the result forever, you should even plan for it to take a bit longer.
How long does it actually take to see some form of results at the gym though?
Today, we aim to break down the journey to health and fitness success and help you understand the timeline around results.
The First Month of training
This is usually the most challenging month. It also sets the foundation for everything ahead. If you have a fantastic first month then you give yourself an incredible chance of seeing sustainable results down the road.
During the first few weeks you will be establishing new habits and routines which can be confronting. The biggest tip that we can give you is to find a food and exercise program that fits in line with the lifestyle that you want to have.
There is no point setting yourself up for failure by trying to commit to something deep down you do not think that you can stick to long term.
Commit to a strong program and in the first month you will notice:
- An increase in muscle mass.
- Decrease in body fat.
- Improvements in strength.
- Increased energy levels.
- Improved sleep.
Visually you most likely will not notice any difference, but physically you will.
You will also go a long way to determining how successful the rest of the journey will be based on the routine that you have created.
After Three Months of training
12 weeks is the magical amount of time to really notice some fantastic results. Both physically, visually and mentally. 3 months of strong commitment to a new program and you would have established the routine and lifestyle that can lead to success forever.
It should be expected after 12 weeks of consistent exercise that you have:
- Dropped body fat significantly.
- Increased your muscle mass.
- Improved confidence levels.
- Better fitting clothes.
You should also definitely be noticing a change when you look in the mirror. Nicer still, other people will be noticing and with that comes the inevitable encouraging comments coming your way!
Nutritionally, you will have a much better understanding of what you need to eat to succeed. Most importantly the balance required in order to still enjoy life a bit will have been realised.
After 12 weeks it is also advised to mix up your training so you do not get bored or hit a plateau.
This is key to ensure that you remain engaged with your new lifestyle. You do not want to see any drops in productivity or motivation.
6 months later…
After 6 months of strong commitment to a new lifestyle you should feel like a new person. There is no way after 6 months of training that you will not see results from the gym.
Big goals will been achieved. You will be planning some exciting things moving forward.
Depending on what your initial goal was, it may be getting a bit challenging to lose the last few kilos. This is why it is always recommended to continue to change your training program.
Energy levels, fitness levels and strength levels should all be better than they have been previously. Your weight would have dropped and your skin will be as clear as ever.
If you have really embraced your new healthy life, then you could also be looking for the next challenge to keep you inspired.
From 6 months onwards…
The key to success after the 6 month mark is to always find new things to motivate and excite you. This will enable you to continue with an active lifestyle without feeling like you are getting bored.
If you are looking for optimal long-term, then you must recognise that it will always be about more than just food and exercise.
The question of how long does it take to get results from the gym, can only truly get answered if you take the following two factors in to account as well.
Sleep
Are you getting the sleep required to recover on a daily basis?
Make sure that you are getting adequate sleep every night. AT LEAST 7 hours is what the body needs to make sure that it is recovering and given the chance to reset.
If you are not getting enough sleep then you are not giving yourself the best chance for long-term health success.
It is that simple.
Stress
A body in stress is not a body that will see great results in the gym.
If you are living a high-stress life, then of course exercise can and will be a big factor in reducing it. You should however, always be looking to reduce it in other areas as best possible.
Physically and mentally, stress can be a huge impactor on any health and fitness result.
It is perfectly reasonable and understandable to expect to see results very quickly when you make the decision to improve your health and fitness. It is probably a decision that has taken a bit of time to get to and as a result when you have finally made it you are ready to go.
If you truly want the result to be one that lasts a lifetime, then you need to be prepared to put in the hard work. The great news is that at regular intervals, you will notice levels of success that will inspire you to continue to work until that result has been achieved.
If you are unsure of how long it takes to get results at the gym, then the above should help a lot.
The real answer will always lie with:
- How committed are you to success?
- How hard are you willing to work?
Want To Learn More?
Since COVID-19 entered our lives, we have aimed to deliver some great weekly information as to how you can remain healthy, productive and in good spirits. This blog post is the latest addition to a growing library of information. Click to read more on our dedicated COVID support blogs.
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