What Happens AFTER the Reverse Diet?

Swipe ➡️ On the left, exactly two years ago I was at the top of my reverse diet. ⠀ ⠀ Calories around 1900, prioritizing protein, strength training focus 5x/week, minimal planned cardio, 10k average steps a day, stress management as best I could; lifestyle stuff. Not always treating my body as great as I should, still working through mindset challenges, EVOLVING.⠀ ⠀ Two years later, I am doing all the same things...albeit eating about 200+ calories more a day (that I naturally added in through a building phase and never took away), but I appear leaner.⠀ ⠀ Swipe again to see the midway point between these two photos, 1 year ago. ⠀ ⠀ All throughout, same approximate weight, same general routine - what/why/how did my body change?!⠀ ⠀ {Note: Perfectly executing macros, working out 7 days week, calorie cycling or running were not invited to my party.}⠀ ⠀ ✨This is the magic of living at maintenance calories. ⠀ ⠀ ✨This is focusing on progressive overload in the gym. ⠀ ⠀ ✨This the the result of minimal effective dose in training and nutrition. ⠀ ⠀ ✨This what happens when you incorporate actions that align with your goals into your lifestyle day after day, week after week, month after month. ⠀ ⠀ HABITS are formed, leading to a lifestyle and environment that makes management of all that hard work not only possible, but simple! ⠀ ⠀ Note I didn’t say EASY. But the friction is mostly gone. I know the drill. I execute because it is part of me now.⠀ ⠀ Could I have achieved this ‘transformation’ in 3 months? ⠀ ⠀ Actually, yes 🚨(cue the sirens in the distance)⠀ ⠀ Would I be able to sustain it comfortably - eating MORE food at the end? ⠀ ⠀ ❗️Most certainly not❗️⠀ ⠀ So there it is. No half truths. No diets with special names. No fasting. Just boring, old, unsexy consistency.⠀ ⠀ And not consistency for 12 weeks. Consistency for TWO YEARS. You may want to read that last sentence again.⠀ ⠀ Enjoying the process is part of what makes this lifestyle possible for me, so I choose to prioritize things like meal prepping and creating recipes I LOVE, strength training workouts I look forward to (@madeline_moves ) and surrounding myself with a community that for the most part, echoes my feelings or at minimum supports me in this! Most recently I’ve hired a coach so I can receive guidance from a trusted, educated source @carolineofenstein_tcm Swipe to see how when you solidify the bottom few layers of the pyramid, there is a much stronger foundation, allowing flexibility - or even altogether dismissal - of layers at the top! Understanding how and where to put your energy, and in what ORDER - has been critical to long-term sustainability (and growth). Thanks @cody.boomboom for the #infographic!