WHAT RESULTS CAN I EXPECT?

BUT FIRST... WHAT IS GOOD NUTRITION?

If you asked 100 people what “good nutrition” or “healthy eating” means, you'd probably receive 100 different responses.

Some believe good nutrition involves eating fewer sugary desserts. Others think it means consuming more fruits and vegetables. Some feel it involves eating less meat or cutting down on carbs. While these ideas are straightforward and easy to recall, they are all incomplete.

At Moxie, we assess the “goodness” of a nutrition plan differently. We pose a simple question – one you should consider right now:

“What do I hope to accomplish with my nutrition plan?”

In fact, you should not only ask this question now but also revisit it every few months to ensure you’re staying aligned with your goals.

Most people change their nutrition to see improvements in one or more of these areas: weight, health, or fitness.

At Moxie, we believe all good nutrition programs must accomplish four things simultaneously:

1. Improve your body composition

2. Improve your health

3. Improve your performance (inside and outside the gym!)

4. Must be sustainable year-round

WHAT RESULTS CAN I EXPECT?

Great news! The Moxie 5 Rings Method can really make a difference in these four areas because they're all connected. When you start working on your fitness, you often see improvements in your weight and health markers too. For example, carrying extra weight isn't just risky for your health—it also makes exercises like pull-ups (or any bodyweight movement, really) tougher.

That said, everyone has their own goals, so it's important to set the right expectations.

You can lose 50 pounds and nail multiple strict pull-ups, but it won't happen in just a month.

1. IMPROVE YOUR BODY COMPOSITION

A lot of people want to lose fat, build muscle, show off their abs, and just look better overall. But there are tons of powerful drugs, risky surgeries, so-called "healthy" supplements, and extreme crash diets that might make you look better for a bit but can mess with your health, well-being, and athletic performance.

The difference between weight and body composition is explained more in Ring #2: Protein (+ Easy Macros). While they're not the same thing, no one ever says they want to lose muscle and keep fat. So, most people are really focused on losing fat, even if they say "weight loss." There will be differences in how much muscle they want to gain while losing fat, though.

Lots of people see awesome weight loss with The Moxie 5 Rings Method because tasty fruits and veggies take the place of higher-calorie stuff like cookies, chips, and other processed snacks. People are often surprised at how full they feel while eating fewer calories. That's the "magic" of the The Moxie 5 Rings Method and why it can be such a game-changer with today's food options. Most processed foods are the opposite of fruits and veggies: too many calories and not very filling.

While losing weight is doable, many people have unrealistic expectations because the diet industry sells quick fixes that don't really deliver.

For now, just know that slow progress isn't a bad thing. It gives you time to build the habits you need to keep the results. The changes that help you hit your goal weight are the same ones you'll need to maintain it.

2. IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH

For a lot of people, losing weight is the main goal when it comes to eating right, but staying healthy is a pretty close second. Eating well is a great way to lower your chances of getting sick and to live a long, happy life.

Your food choices are super important for your health, which is why Ring #1 of The Moxie 5 Rings Method is all about boosting your "fuel." Just like a car needs the right gas to run smoothly, your body needs good food and water to work at its best.

The kind of fuel you put in your body affects how you look, your energy levels, motivation, and mood. By picking the right foods and building healthy eating habits, you give your body the best shot at feeling great. This also helps you live a life full of energy and vitality.

What you eat affects everything your body does, since food gives you the energy you need and the nutrients that make up your cells, tissues, and things like bones and skin. There’s no part of your body, from your eyesight to your bone strength, that isn’t touched by what you eat.

Balancing the amount and quality of whole, unprocessed foods is great not just for losing weight but also for staying healthy. The problem with processed foods is they’re loaded with too many carbs and fats and don’t have enough important nutrients and fiber. That’s why studies keep showing that eating more whole foods is linked to better health.

Whether you’re dealing with health issues or feeling great, your eating plan should keep you in tip-top shape for the long haul. From lowering bad cholesterol to boosting insulin sensitivity, reducing diabetes risk to upping good cholesterol, cutting body fat to building lean muscle, the Five Rings Method is all about making you look good and keeping you healthy as you age.

There are tons of programs out there for health enthusiasts, including those that cut calories too much, ditch all meat (even the lean stuff), or go overboard with vitamins and minerals. Sadly, some of these can slow down your metabolism and reduce lean muscle, which are key for aging well, while others might lead to nutrient deficiencies. Plus, some might zap your energy and performance.

3. IMPROVE YOUR PERFORMANCE (INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE GYM)

People often find that they perform better during workouts and recover faster with the The Moxie 5 Rings Method . This boost likely comes from getting more vitamins, minerals, and maybe even some fiber and phytochemicals in their diet.

While most folks focus on carbs and fats to hit their fitness goals—makes sense since these are the main sources of energy for things like walking, running, and lifting weights—it's easy to overlook how important vitamins and minerals are. Think of macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, and fats) like the fuel for your car, and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) as the tank that holds it all together. They're crucial, just in a less direct way.

A common "quick win" with The Moxie 5 Rings Method  is feeling more energetic, probably because of the increased intake of vitamins and minerals. This extra energy is also tied to better recovery and performance at the gym.

Whether you're a gym regular looking for more energy, stamina, and workout intensity, or an elite athlete, the The Moxie 5 Rings Method  can help boost your performance.

There are lots of ways to try to improve performance, like using strong performance-enhancing drugs, crash dieting, or using diuretics for weight control in competitions, or carb-loading before big events. But these aren't the best for long-term success and might mess with your health and body composition.

4. IT MUST BE SUSTAINABLE YEAR-ROUND

At Moxie, we're not fans of those intense “XX-Day Fitness/Nutrition Challenges” or super strict elimination diets. The big problem with these challenges is that they often push you to make huge lifestyle changes for just a short time.

Sure, you might see some results IF you can stick to them, but the real question is: What happens after those XX days? Without a plan for building long-term habits, there's a good chance you'll slip back into old routines.

Basically, if you're aiming for a strong body, it's going to take more than just 30, 60, or 90 days. These challenges can be way too intense for people juggling work, family, and life in general, making them choose between their health goals and spending time with loved ones. That's not fun or sustainable.

So, if you only focus on weight loss, health, or performance by themselves, you might run into trouble.

Remember this: Good nutrition is all about results. Ideas are great, but results matter most. Be a little skeptical of any new nutrition tips you hear (even from me!) until you've tried them yourself and seen that they actually help your body, health, and performance.

Theories that sound quick and easy usually don’t deliver the results you want – which makes them pretty unsexy. Real results are sexy. And Moxie Coaching delivers results.

MEASURING PROGRESS

Your body weight is only one measurement of your overall health and not always the end all be all. You should also be focusing on your body composition by identifying exactly where that weight is coming from. A body composition test will not only tell you your body fat percentage but can also help you fine-tune your nutrition needs for fat loss and muscle gain and point out any health risks you might be facing. Body composition is the best way to tell if you are losing body fat or gaining muscle.

What is body composition?

Body composition is the practice of breaking down the human body into its individual components including body fat mass, muscle mass, bone, tissue, and water. Body composition is essentially dissecting exactly what you’re made up of. Undergoing body composition analysis can help you understand your body weight on a deeper level by telling you your body fat percentage, bone density, and lean muscle mass.

When someone says they want to improve their body composition or “recomp” (recomposition), it typically means they want to lose body fat and maintain or increase their lean body mass.

Why is body composition important?

Body composition is the best way to tell if you are gaining or losing body fat and / or muscle.

Oftentimes people on a weight loss plan will find that they aren’t losing weight early into their journey, which leads to frustration and giving up. This is common if you rely on the scale as the best way to measure weight loss. However, the scale is only one data point and doesn’t give you the full picture.

Just because you aren’t losing pounds doesn’t mean you aren’t losing fat. Often you are experiencing changes in water weight, or potentially gaining muscle and losing fat at the same time. This is where body composition testing comes in clutch. The scale can tell you how much you weigh, but body composition tells you where that weight is coming from (aka fat, muscles or bone).

Many people look to the body weight scale to judge their progress. However, as explained above, the scale can be deceiving. With the appropriate nutrition and training, in some circumstances it is possible that your bodyweight may remain the same or even go up, yet you may lose fat and gain muscle. I recommend using various data points for assessing progress:

Body circumference measurements

Chest, waist, hips, thighs, and any other points you wish to track can be taken every 2-4 weeks. Progress can be as seemingly small as 0.25 inches over 2 weeks or more, but that still indicates progress. Aim to take measurements at the same time of day, ideally in the morning, with as consistent of a measurement as possible. (It may be useful to get some help from a friend or family member.)

How your clothes fit

If your clothes are getting looser (or tighter), that can be an indicator.

Progress photos

Even if the body weight scale doesn’t change, photos don’t lie. It can be helpful to take photos, but no more than every 4 weeks as it can take longer to see progress. Take photos in a similar outfit in a well-lit room from the front, side, and back.

Sleep quality

As you make nutrition changes, notice if you are sleeping better and / or longer.

Performance in your workouts

Notice if you are increasing weight used in workouts, if performance is improving, and / or you notice less soreness following workouts / improved recovery.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Changing our bodies and our health can take some time. And when we are really pressuring ourselves to see these changes quickly, we can get impatient.

So, it's easy to convince yourself that you are making not progress at all. And it's even easier if you don't have a good way of measuring the results of your efforts. You will have no idea whether a program is working for you unless you measure the important variables and keep track of what's happening.

Here are some of the other measurements / assessments I recommend you keep:

• Blood variables (cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure, etc.)

• Regularly take note of what is happening in your body functions, energy levels, mood, outlook, etc

• Regularly take note of how you are feeling (any significant thoughts, emotions, concerns, how you are feeling physically)

• Regularly take note of any changes in symptoms or conditions

• Regularly take note of any changes in sleep quality / duration

Although we can measure as little or as much as you like, I encourage you to consider the idea of tracking key measurement variables. Doing so will help you in three distinct ways.

• First, it will help you see where progress is happening, if it's happening.

• Second it will help you decide whether or not you should keep going as planned or whether changes are in order.

• And finally, it will help you stay in the driver’s seat with respect to your body.

Staying in the driver's seat is the most important. After all, if you get a measurement back and it's moved in the right direction, you will likely be very happy and feel in control of things. Good news.

And if you get a measurement back and it's moved in the wrong direction, that's good news too.

That sounds counterintuitive but look at it this way: If you get a measurement back and it's gone in the wrong direction, you've just received valuable feedback about what hasn't worked. Now you can weave that approach out before it becomes a habit and try something else. Even a “bad measurement” produces something good. That's the scientific method in action.

At Moxie Studio Online, you'll find LOTS of nutrition-related products, online programs, articles, tools and resources.