In this day of instant messages and overnight delivery, immediate gratification is expected. And when we don’t get it, well, we don’t like it. But when it comes to changing your eating habits and workout routine to be healthier, stronger, faster, whatever-er, patience is a serious virtue. So when can you realistically expect to begin seeing physical changes as the result of an improved diet and consistent workouts? Let’s discuss.

We live in a world that promises instant physical changes with this magic shake or that magic workout. It’s all BS. So while you can’t expect significant changes to your shape in the first few weeks, here’s what you can expect:

• Improved sleep
• More energy
• Increased strength
• A better mood

All good things that keep you motivated, right? As for physical changes, it will depend on factors like your personal goals, your starting point, how consistently you are with diet and exercise, how much rest you’re getting and, wait for it, genetics. For real.

If your goal is to lose weight, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to see a few pounds or inches lost around the four-week mark. A change in your exercise routine and diet almost always means a quick loss of water weight. If your goal is to build muscle, increase your endurance or improve your flexibility, that’s going to take somewhere between six and eight weeks, conservatively.

Your personal starting point is a big deal too. If you’ve been eating poorly and not doing much exercise-wise, you’re likely to see some pretty big changes fairly quickly. If you’re working around an injury and you need to take things slow, your progress will likely be slower.

When you’re working out consistently – four to six classes a week – and backing it up in the kitchen, the sooner you’re going to see changes. But let’s be real. One of our challengers said her personal trainer friend told her she should have dropped somewhere between 10 and 15 pounds by now. We had a good laugh about that.

If you’re not getting enough rest – both between workouts and at night – you’re sacrificing muscle recovery time and that can also slow your progress.

And finally, your genes. Some people are just genetically predisposed to dropping weight fast – the lucky bastards.

Last weekend, we measured and weighed our Resolve to Evolve challengers for their four-week assessment. They’ve had four weeks to get to class and change their eating habits. Assuming they’re hitting somewhere between four and six classes a week, that’s 16 to 24 workouts. It’s not a lot, when you really think about it. However, across the board, people were down or the same on the scale, and more importantly, showed inches lost. That. Is. Awesome. It means they’re sticking to the nutrition plan, drinking their water, hitting their classes and resting up. And that’s a recipe for serious success.