We all want results and we want them now… or yesterday. Our culture is built on instant-everything, so we are often frustrated when we don’t experience quick extreme weight loss results when beginning Paleo or an training regimen.

Good.

The quickest way to real lasting results with health and vitality seems backwards to many people because the secret is in taking time to work the system.

Sure, you can get instant-results through P90X or Insanity, but those usually do not last. And if you ever miss a workout, watch out! Here comes the fat!

You can also drop many pounds instantly by the latest “cleanse” or diet pill, but you eventually hit a plateau, fall off of the bandwagon, and watch out! Here comes the pudge with friends!

The Truth About Results

The quickest way to results is through taking the time to build a solid foundation.

A foundation is made of solid stuff (like concrete) that holds everything together. The foundation possesses the capacity to handle whatever is built on top. Before starting construction of new buildings, crews often dig deep and test the soil to make sure there are no pockets or holes that would cause the building to collapse. Sometimes this is quick, but sometimes construction until they are absolutely sure of a solid foundation.

We are no different. The quickest way to real results is through taking the time to lay a solid foundation in our thoughts, attitudes and behaviors towards health. It’s quick because, if done correctly, you only do this once instead of yo-yo’ing through life.

You can either take 10, 20, or 30 (or maybe never) years or a heart attack to figure it’s time to learn about nutrition and health OR you can do it right the first time and enjoy the rest of your life.

What A Foundation Looks Like

A solid foundation to achieve real results in health and wellness starts with small, consistent investments that build over a period of time. Some people start with ten minutes of exercise every day while others begin with a glass of water when they wake up. The point is that the first investment is doable, manageable and achievable. These first steps are essential to success because they not only yield results in themselves, but boost your confidence that this IS POSSIBLE! And it is! You are definitely worth it!

Another piece of the foundation is a desire to learn about the topic. Sure, you can follow mine or anyone else’s diet advice, but until you take ownership of your life, your health, and your results… they will only be temporary. Digging in and reading articles and books or going to seminars is essential to your success.

The final piece of the foundation is time. You did not get where you are overnight, but gradually. Ultimate progress will happen gradually as well. Sure, there are some great stories of people “reversing” disease instantly and many do experience immediate relief after beginning Paleo, but there are just as many people who have only transformed their lives through consistency and celebrating smaller successes each week. Give yourself time to grow, time to plan for and build a solid foundation, and time for it to settle.

In essence, a foundation is hard work that requires discipline but reaps big dividends in the future. Picture a tomato plant. If you raise it from a seed, it takes anywhere from 8 to 12 weeks before the plant is ready to go outside and you haven’t even got a tomato yet! Once outside, it takes a few more weeks before producing. But if you’ve ever had a tomato plant, you know how much one plant is capable of yielding!

True and lasting results are like that tomato plant. They take time and effort, but small efforts like daily watering pay off big time in the end. I won’t lie and say that results are easy because they aren’t. They are fairly simple, but not always easy. Unfortunately, this is not what most people want to hear. Instead, they want to know why results haven’t happened fast enough.

Often, it’s because the foundation wasn’t set properly.

Thoughts on foundations? Comment below!