I've always had a passion for fitness. It's an incredible stress reliever in this constantly changing world, and it's a bonus that it also helps in maintaining a slimmer waistline, for those looking to get into that wonderful "Hot Girl" or "Hot Boy" Summer festivities.

There was a time when my love for fitness almost led me down the path of franchising a gym. I even earned my NASM (National Association of Sports Medicine) Personal Training certification. However, I soon realized the intense effort required for personal trainers to build their clientele just wasn't the right fit for me. But I digress. Let's get back to the reason you're here. You're looking for the best way to lose weight, and guess what? I've got the secret sauce you've been searching for.

Redefining 'Fast' in Weight Loss

Many people think that as soon as they start a healthy diet, the pounds will start dropping immediately. However, weight loss doesn't always follow a straight line. It varies greatly from person to person due to factors like metabolism, hormones, and lifestyle. Some may see quick changes, while for others, it takes time. The key here is consistency and patience. It's more about making healthier choices daily, rather than expecting immediate miracles. Another thing to keep in mind, is that belly fat is stubborn as hell, its stubborn to the point that it'll make you want to give up. Just remember, take it a day at a time and trust me, progress will happen.

You may be picturing or have pictured your weight loss process in your head like, "Well, if i can do 2 or 3 a days everyday for a few months and go intense on my cardio then I'll surely have that 6 pack by Summer!" Here's the thing though, while exercise is beneficial for overall health, it plays a smaller role in weight loss than you might think. Most of the weight loss comes from dietary changes. And second of all, working out too much can actually work against you. Unless you're just that much of a bad ass, you're going to burn out, start to hate working out, and then you're going to start to feel sorry for yourself. And once that happens, guess what? You're going to probably over eat and then you're going to be right back at square one.

And the way that social media works, its just ruining everything. I think a few months ago, I was watching a guy on IG and he ate nothing but Watermelon for months. Definitely don't do that, fad diets might seem like a quick solution to get you to that summer bod, but they are exactly that, a fad. Once you get tired of it, then what? You're probably going to end right back up at square one. Anybody that's been doing fitness for years will tell you that a balanced diet combined with regular exercise is still the most effective and sustainable way to lose weight. Fitness is a lifestyle, if you don't make it apart of your lifestyle, you're going to constantly find yourself right back on square one, every single year.

When it comes to successful weight loss, the real game-changer is consistency, not intensity. It's about making moderate, sustainable changes rather than jumping into extreme measures that are hard to maintain.

Slow Motion is Better Than No Motion

Starting small is perfectly okay. If drinking more water is your goal, and you can only manage one cup a day to begin with, that's a victory! And you need to be proud of it! Think about things you drunk the day before, bet you probably didn't drink any water. The next day, try to match that cup or even surpass it. It's these small victories, compounded over time, that lead to significant changes. Before you know it, a gallon of water will be a walk in the park.

Consistently engaging in moderate activities is more effective and sustainable than occasional extreme workouts. For instance, incorporating a daily walk, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or doing short home workouts can add up to significant health benefits over time. This approach is more manageable and less daunting, especially for those new to fitness or returning after a break. Believe it or not, you'll actually lose more weight walking and getting your daily steps to about 10,000 or more than you will doing all these extravagant hard workouts. They are great to do in moderation, don't get me wrong but the recovery time can be hard and remember, we want a lifestyle change. If you've ever done any of Shaun T's workouts, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.

Also don't take this as me saying you need to take 10,000 steps a day. Take the same advise that I gave with the water. How much did you walk yesterday? Did you sit all day? Got a desk job? Instead of sitting all day, plan a few times out the day where you maybe walk around the office once. Maybe even walk to your car an extra time throughout the day. And then the next day…beat it. Still better than you did yesterday.

Final Thoughts

Remember that this is YOUR journey. Not your best friend's, not your spouses, not your coworkers, it's YOUR journey ONLY and you only get one body and one life so might as well savor every moment. It's easy to fall into the trap of comparing your progress with others. Just because your friend can drink a gallon of water a day doesn’t mean that’s the benchmark you have to meet immediately. Celebrate your progress, no matter how small it may seem. And if you have those friends that don't celebrate your small victories with you or seem that they always have something negative to say then that's something else you need to shed too.