If you could take a pill at breakfast, another one at lunch and lose up to thirty pounds in three months, would you do it?

I saw this post from a multi-level marketing supplement salesperson on social media. It's not my habit to argue with strangers on the internet, and I am relatively non-confrontational by nature, so I quietly scrolled past even though I wish everyone knew what I know.

If you want to lose thirty pounds, chasing a magic pill, shake, or wrap won't give you what you need, even if it did deliver on its promise of weight loss. Spoiler alert: statistically, it won't work for the long term.

People chase the quick fix because they think if they weighed thirty pounds less, they'd be happier, so they aim to get there the fastest way possible.

If you're chasing miracle weight loss, you might be missing out on the best part. The transformation occurs in the journey when you learn that you're strong, capable, and resilient.

It's the day in and day out work that accumulates into a new person. You change when you fail and come back stronger. It happens when you commit to a goal and achieve it, only to realize that you're capable of more than you ever imagined.

It becomes less about a smaller body and more about a shift into the type of person who honors the commitments they make to themselves. You change as a person when you prove to yourself that you can do hard things, and those lessons seep out into all parts of your life.

The thirty pounds you might lose is merely a side effect of this journey. You might not lose thirty pounds at all; you might lose some fat and gain some muscle, stay about the same weight, but with recomposition look and feel healthier and happier. You might lose unhealthy habits and gain confidence. It’s not always about weight.

A pill can't give you that. Extreme weight loss without effort usually results in weight relapse. You have to learn the lessons, love yourself, trust yourself to follow through, change your lifestyle, and enjoy the journey.

How Long Does It Take?

If you start today, I can't promise that you'll get there in thirty days, sixty days, ninety days, or even a year. No one can. It happens in an unpredictable amount of time when consistent behavior towards your goals is applied.

If taking a pill could help you lose weight fast and effortlessly, it wouldn't give you the health and confidence of a well-rounded, balanced healthy lifestyle.

I Write From Experience

As someone who lost thirty pounds (and more), I can tell you the magic isn't in the weight loss. You think you'll be happier in a smaller body, but it's not the size that makes you satisfied and confident. Once I learned to love the process, it fundamentally changed me as a person.

I am not happier because I am smaller than when I started. I am happier because I am healthier, more self-confident, have more trust in my abilities, and I know my worth. Losing weight doesn't give you those same results when it took extreme, unsustainable behaviors to obtain it. You don't have to get smaller to feel this way.

I've lost weight fast in the past by over-exercising and under-nourishing and gained it back more quickly than I care to admit—several times. Yo-yo dieting isn't healthy. Depending on the bathroom scale for validation isn't healthy. Obsessive thoughts and behaviors aren't healthy.

If you lose weight in an unhealthy manner, you won't feel better; you may feel worse. Disordered thinking, depriving your body of nutrients, and extreme behaviors will make you less healthy. A healthy brain and body go hand in hand.

My best advice is to build habits that make up a healthier lifestyle.

Focus on moving your body in a way that feels good to you at the moment. Maybe Crossfit or a marathon feels right and aligns with your goals, great. If you'd prefer Yoga or hiking, that's appropriate too. Master consistency first.
Eat food you enjoy that provides the nutrients you need to feel your best while allowing room for indulgences, celebrations, family gatherings, etc. Relationships are an essential part of a healthy lifestyle, so if your food choices limit your social interactions, it's something to consider: Are your food options making you healthier or less healthy?
Drink water to feel your best. Sometimes we overlook the basics in search of the magic bullet. Half your body weight in ounces is an appropriate place to start for a lot of people. You may need more or less but start somewhere to experiment. Dehydration can make you feel sluggish, and merely staying hydrated can be a simple solution.
Work to improve your sleep quality and quantity. If you feel like you're doing everything right and not seeing the results you desire, consider that lack of quality sleep can be a limiting factor. I know it's not easy, and sometimes not possible, but brainstorm ways you can start to make small improvements. Small changes can snowball into significant results.
Work to manage stress. If you have a high-stress lifestyle, make time for meditation, prayer, walks, hobbies, or alone time to balance. We obviously can't always control the stress we have in our lives, but work to balance it where you can.
Enjoy the journey. When you fall in love with the process, you can focus on consistent behaviors towards your goals. Find the movement, food, and lifestyle that feels sustainable and achievable. Start small.
Find a community of like-minded people. If the people in your life don't support your goals, seek out people who do, whether in-person or online. Don't be afraid of asking for help.
Forget about perfection. Do the best you can with what you have right now. It's enough. Don't waste any energy feeling guilty about food choices or missed workouts. Allow yourself some grace. Move on.
The real secret to a healthy lifestyle is to keep moving forward, making the best choice possible at the moment. One unhealthy meal or missed workout doesn't ruin anything, keep moving forward and make a better choice at the very next opportunity-not the following Monday, the first of the month, or new year's day.
Learn to tune in and honor the feedback your body provides. More is not always better; more exercise and more restrictions can inhibit results if you fight against your body instead of work with it. Rest when you need to, eat enough to sustain your lifestyle, choose foods that make you feel your best. Eat when you're hungry; stop once your full. It's not always easy, but our bodies tell us what it needs if we're open to listening.

A magic pill, shake, or wrap can't give you want you're seeking. You can only achieve it by consistently doing the work. I wouldn't trade my growth as a person during the fat loss process for quick results because the real transformation came from the journey. If you can overcome the lure of the quick fix, you'll get better, sustainable, long-term results.