"If you don't have your diet down, don't waste time going to the gym."
Jay Cutler said it and guess what, he's right!!! I will make sure this is where you find the answers to the real tips no one is telling you! I will bullshit you not!
The most gains I have ever seen have been when I was on my balanced diet AND doing the damn thing at the gym. Some studies argue that at least 70-90% of how you look is based on your diet and training is only 10-30% impacting on your body. Yup! If you thought that going to the gym is the only thing you should do, think again!!! Your body WILL get used to the gym if you are one of those people who just try to "work it off" after cheating.
Your Body Blueprint
To piggyback off of last week's blog on your physique/somatotype (ectomorph, mesomorph or endomorph), the answer to getting and maintaining your ideal physique is largely based on your breakdown of macronutrients; carbs, protein and fat, usually, in that order. For example, bodybuilders are recommended to be on a diet that is comprised of 50% carb, 30% protein and 20% fat. These are breakdowns I only wish someone had informed me on years ago. Which is exactly why I'm telling you. Tom Venuto, author of Feed the Muscle, Burn the Fat, has appropriately named this diet the "Baseline Diet". This is the normal recommended balanced diet for anyone of any body type that is moderately active.You can do as many push ups as you want in a day, but if you are an advanced athlete that does NOT have this knowledge I'm not sure how far, if anywhere at all, what you do in the gym will get you. You see because the macronutrient breakdown is your blueprint to looking hard, soft, or in-between...whatever your goal is. And because everyone's body is different and everyone has different specific goals the same exact macronutrient breakdown won't work for everyone. This is exactly why it is just that, a "baseline". So you can begin to customize/alter your macronutrients for yourself to see what works.
After struggling myself for a year or so, in limbo, I tried to figure out what to do next to take my body to the next level. I had hit a wall where I was seeing gains very slowly until I decided to take a friend's advice to change up my macronutrient breakdown--one that would be conducive for my body type; mesomorph. Within a week of doing my usual 5 meals a day, timed, with carbs, protein and fat in each meal and sometimes eating oatmeal at night two hours before bed but reaching my carb macronutrient count I saw fabulous gains within one week. Areas tightened up that I had worked on vigorously in the gym morphed almost overnight it seemed. I had been starving myself on low carb diet that I had made my lifestyle. This put me in starvation mode. Folks, you really can't do the same thing over and over again. Even your macronutrient count which I will, for now, call your body blueprint MUST be altered. It will stop working. Steady state cardio WILL stop working. Switch it up!!
Fiber: A Miracle Nutrient
I was so elated when I finally figured it out. I was eating more real food and more carbs and getting smaller. I was taking the advice that carbs are NOT bad, (after realizing I wasn't as 'carb-sensitive' as I had thought) if you eat them right and know which ones to eat AND expel them right (HIIT training :) for optimal results.
I have never felt soo good eating soo much fiber. It is said to boost metabolism, make you feel fuller which in turn makes you eat less. I actually don't feel hungry after eating my meals when I have damn near every meal with at least 5 grams of fiber! Women typically need around 25 and men 30 grams. Your body needs this nutrient or you may always be hungry! Ever heard of the term "Net carbs"? For example, if you are trying to reach a macronutrient count of 150 grams of carbs per day and 30 grams of those carbs are fiber you can take:
150-30 = 120 grams of carbs that will stay with you until burnt off. The 120 grams of carbs are your NET carbs. The other 30 that were fiber will run straight through you so its like you don't have to count them because they were disposable carbs just from digestion. Fabulous picture huh?? This is important to know if you are on a diet and you have specific grams you need to reach for your body blueprint where you can decide if you want some leeway in undercutting the grams if you know you have NOT expelled that extra energy.
How to figure out Your Macronutrient Breakdown
Alright, here's the real talk to figure out all this mumbo jumbo trainer jargon. In this month's issue of Muscle and Body Magazine (that GNC magazine) shared this important info with its readers on macronutrient breakdown.
For example, if you are a female on a 1500 calorie diet going by the "baseline diet" (50,30, 20) and you know that's the amount of calories it takes for you to lose weight (when trying to lose specific pounds per week, to lose one its suggested -500 calories from your regular intake) you then multiply:
1500 x .5 = 750 calories of carbs for the day
750 / 4 = 187.5 grams of carbs - You divide by 4 because 4 is the "fuel factor" for carbs
Next we will figure out grams of protein:
1500 x .3 = 450 calories of protein for the day
450 / 4 = 112.5 grams of protein for the day - 4 is also the fuel factor for protein. The amount of energy it takes to burn off carbs is the same amount of energy it takes to burn off protein. However, your body uses carbs as its first source. So if you are trying to maintain or build muscle it is important you have sufficient carbs to preserve the muscle and be able to build new muscle with sufficient carbs! I learned this the hard way....of course!!
Lastly, grams of fat:
1500 x .2 = 300
300 / 9 = 33 grams of fat - You will notice here that the fuel factor for fat is 9. This is because fat takes the longest to burn which is why steady state cardio is soo popular when trying to lower bodyfat while still preserving muscle. The problem with that is I know few people who like to be on the treadmill for hours in a day. (I will cover that more in-depth on Thursday.) This is why it is important to keep your fat low. Don't ever exclude it just keep it low. Saturated fat is a big no-no as it tends to have the effect of being that gross sticky fat that clings to you. It is the hardest to burn off and is also said to be a fat that stays with you "permanently" after a certain point of eating so much of it. Your body can't catch up with burning it off as soon as you put more of it in your mouth. If you take nothing from this at all, check your saturated fat intake. I try to keep mine as close to 0 as possible with the exception of egg yolks. Egg yolks are the only good trans fat, yes i did say trans, that has the ability to burn bad fat. Its also known as CLA, (Conjugated linoleic acid- egg yolk fat) at your local vitamin or food stores in the supplement aisle. It is one of the few supplements I have actually seen a noticeable effect in decreasing the fat off of my abs. It is worth the buy!! I digress....
Recap: The Macronutrient Factors
Step 1: Calories for the day multiplied by percentage of carbs/protein (in your macronutrient breakdown) = total carb and/or protein calories for the day
Step 2: Total carb/protein calories for the day divided by 4 (fuel factor) = total grams of protein or carbs to reach for the day
Step 3: Calories for the day X percentage of fat = total fat calories for the day / 9 (fuel factor for fat) = grams of fat for the day
Dare you to try out your macronutrient breakdown for a week on the 'baseline diet' and see what happens!
Kristened Results:
I recommend when doing your carbs start off with the first two meals with starchier carbs like oatmeal, oat bran or cream of wheat, the next two servings to be fibrous carbs; like beans and lentils and the last one or two servings closer to bedtime, green veggies.
Fat in your starchy carbs should be taken into account. Good fats like almonds, walnuts, olive oil, flaxseed should be used as main fatty items.
Protein should always be lean; extra lean turkey, extra lean beef, fish, chicken breasts and egg whites with the exception of a yolk or two.
"More than just a workout or diet...its a lifestyle." -Kristened
Don't take my word for it. READ!!!!!!!
Reading Sources/ E-Books:
Venuto, Tom. Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle.
Geary, Michael. The Truth About Abs
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
The Major Detail Left Out in Most Diets; Your Somatotype
"Applied knowledge is power."
Everyone knows the statement, "Knowledge is Power," but if that were true, you would have power and never know Why? There is little power in knowing by itself. The true power lies in what you DO with your knowledge. You could know everything in the world and it not make a difference, if all you do with it, is know. Its called TRIVIA!!!
The Battle of Wanting but not Knowing
Throughout my lifelong fitness and dieting journey, (which spans at least 11 years) I knew that I wanted to be active, feel good, see some results and feel like I was doing something to impact my body and, at the very least, maintain my weight. In college, I got into a routine of doing a full-body strength workout 3 days a week after mastering steady state cardio sessions for 45 minutes to an hour a day. Back then, I was content and comfortable with doing the same strength training workouts Monday, Wednesday and Friday to continue to fit into the same size jeans. That was reward enough after eating 3 times a day at buffet-style dining halls with cookies, pecan pie, frozen yogurt, cookies and cream pies calling my name daily. I got away with eating dessert 4 nights a week and maintaining my jean size. It wasn't until my senior year that I had epiphany after epiphany of taking my health to a different level. I would take 2 workout classes a day on top of doing my own daily regimen. I did get tighter but somewhere along the line thought that I was not getting enough results for the amount of work being put in. I'd always been one to keep my carbs moderately low. There were days where I would have oatmeal, two slices of bread and a green salad and that was my total intake of carbs after doing 3 vigorous cardio and/or 1 strength training sessions in one day. I would protein it up! I liked feeling satisfied and protein hardly left me feeling hungry. Carbs however, would send me back to the kitchen within 45 minutes. So, I followed my gut...literally.
Without knowing much about foods and their effects besides carbs making me softer, hungrier or fatter, I chose protein as clear winner in making me harder and tighter. I didn't have limits. So although, I was leaning out, I still maintained my size, weight and circumference of my muscles. I was simply changing my body composition with the mass that was not reducing. People would tell me I'd dropped weight when I gained 10lbs!!! Do you know how frustrating that is?!! To eat low carbs, fighting the temptation to eat more and not lose weight on the scale from the tortured effort? I didn't realize that it all had to do with my body type or somatotype. I'm a mesomorphic type and when trying to lose weight, protein isn't always my bff if I'm NOT trying to gain size. Not knowing this one detail has derailed me from getting onstage, from further defining my physique to my ideal AND to slaving away pointlessly starving on super low-carbs trying to get there. Its taken me a year and a half to utilize this knowledge where I am finally gradually getting the results I want.
Needless to say, knowing your somatotype is important to know it if you are on a journey of dieting and fitness to achieve maximum results!
The Somatotypes:
(Courtesy of Muscleandstrength.com)
There are three different body types your physique falls under, this is also known as your Somatotype. They are the following:
Ectomorph
An ectomorph is a typical skinny guy. Ecto’s have a light build with small joints and lean muscle. Usually ectomorph’s have long thin limbs with stringy muscles. Shoulders tend to be thin with little width.
Ectomorphs find it very hard to gain weight. They have a fast metabolism which burns up calories very quickly. Ecto’s need a huge amount of calories in order to gain weight. Workouts should be short and intense focusing on big muscle groups. Supplements are definitely recommended. Ectomorphs should eat before bed to prevent muscle catabolism during the night. Generally, ectomorphs can lose fat very easily which makes cutting back to lean muscle easier for them. I would recommend more weight training and less cardio especially when trying to gain muscle.
Mesomorph
The mesomorph body type responds the best to weight training. Gains are usually seen very quickly, especially for beginners. The downside to mesomorphs is they gain fat more easily than ectomorphs. This means they must watch their calorie intake. Usually a combination of weight training and cardio works best for mesomorphs. I would caution that for this physique to be very cautious about your intake as if you are taking in alot of protein your muscle size will get bigger as you get leaner. If you are trying to get leaner and don't mind losing some size, limit your protein. I can't stress this enough, as I am a female mesomorph. Oftentimes we are trained like we are ectomorphs and this is simply not the case for those of us interested in decreasing our upper and lower body portions for further symmetry. If you know you are one to lose inches before pounds you may be a contestant to being a mesomorph (or endomorph) so watch your protein intake! Make sure as a baseline that your grams of protein match your ideal weight. If you are currently 145 and are trying to get to 125 only take in, at most, 125 grams of protein or less. Play around with that number as anyone can be a mixture of these body types (i.e. meso- ecto, meso-endo, ecto-meso). Use the knowledge gained from here to match which shape is most predominant for you.
Endomorph
The endomorph body type is solid and generally soft. Endomorphs gain fat very easily. Endo’s are usually of a shorter build with thick arms and legs. Muscles are strong, especially the upper legs. Endomorphs find they are naturally strong in leg exercises like the squat. I may be a slight mixture; meso-endo based on this description. As my densest area are my upper legs, but still have the physique and functions of a "true" mesomorph. However, most of my characteristics most fully match the Mesomorph. Make sure when trying to figure out your own type and possible combos so that your workouts and diet are tailored to your specific physique.
When it comes to training endomorphs find it very easy to gain weight. Unfortunately, a large portion of this weight is fat not muscle. To keep fat gain to a minimum, endomorphs must always train cardio as well as weights. Usually supplements may not be needed as long as the person has a high protein intake in their diet. For this body type, cardio is of the utmost importance as it helps to significantly impact weight when the correct forms of cardio are done periodically and consistently.
I would strongly suggest HIIT cardio for this somatotype. For example, cardio sessions that are a one-minute sprint, one-minute jog and one-minute walk then repeat. This works wonders for blasting fat when done at a challenging level and prolonged duration; 30 - 45 minutes a session. HIIT training sessions don't work like steady state cardio where the calories you burn on the treadmill are ONLY burnt on the treadmill. HIIT on the other hand has an "after burn effect". Where your body is still reacting as if its still working on cardio. I don't know about you, but I want 2 for the price of 1!!!
A combination of Body Types
These body types aren’t set in stone. In fact, most people have a combination of two body types. These combinations are either ectomorph/mesomorph or mesomorph/endomorph. It is not uncommon to find a pure mesomorph that gains weight like an endomorph for example. To know for sure, go through the list provided or do your own research and check off which characteristics your physique mostly matches. Then, do further research on what kind of cardio and strength training you should do and for how long. There are also alot of legitimate diet portions recommended for each type that DO work if you track your macronutrients (intake of carbs, protein and fat). If calculated correctly, for your most dominant body type you will definitely see results within days if you are an active individual that works out consistently.
Why is this Important to Know AND Apply?
After many years of doing different diets and then making a low-carb diet more my lifestyle I realized along the way that I didn't need to starve myself of carbs AND then, knowing the right ones to eat! Save yourself the time and start customizing to learn what diets and workout plans are most effective for you. You don't need to ever starve to get weight loss results. Have you heard the term "starvation mode"? If you are ever lacking in one macronutrient (your carbs, protein and fat) your body has a tendency to hold onto weight as an emergency precaution to keep it functioning correctly. If you are constantly depriving yourself of adequate nutrients, your body holding onto weight or gaining it, may be the result. Why not customize your diet and fitness plan to be satisfied with the way your body was meant to look AND feel?
For up-to-date images and/or further information go to:
Link: http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/body-types-ectomorph-mesomorph-endomorph.html
muscleandstrength.com
OR
Muscle & Strength Magazine
muscleandstrength.com
Follow up blog to come; "HIIT cardio vs. steady state, Which One Is the Best for You?"
Everyone knows the statement, "Knowledge is Power," but if that were true, you would have power and never know Why? There is little power in knowing by itself. The true power lies in what you DO with your knowledge. You could know everything in the world and it not make a difference, if all you do with it, is know. Its called TRIVIA!!!
The Battle of Wanting but not Knowing
Throughout my lifelong fitness and dieting journey, (which spans at least 11 years) I knew that I wanted to be active, feel good, see some results and feel like I was doing something to impact my body and, at the very least, maintain my weight. In college, I got into a routine of doing a full-body strength workout 3 days a week after mastering steady state cardio sessions for 45 minutes to an hour a day. Back then, I was content and comfortable with doing the same strength training workouts Monday, Wednesday and Friday to continue to fit into the same size jeans. That was reward enough after eating 3 times a day at buffet-style dining halls with cookies, pecan pie, frozen yogurt, cookies and cream pies calling my name daily. I got away with eating dessert 4 nights a week and maintaining my jean size. It wasn't until my senior year that I had epiphany after epiphany of taking my health to a different level. I would take 2 workout classes a day on top of doing my own daily regimen. I did get tighter but somewhere along the line thought that I was not getting enough results for the amount of work being put in. I'd always been one to keep my carbs moderately low. There were days where I would have oatmeal, two slices of bread and a green salad and that was my total intake of carbs after doing 3 vigorous cardio and/or 1 strength training sessions in one day. I would protein it up! I liked feeling satisfied and protein hardly left me feeling hungry. Carbs however, would send me back to the kitchen within 45 minutes. So, I followed my gut...literally.
Without knowing much about foods and their effects besides carbs making me softer, hungrier or fatter, I chose protein as clear winner in making me harder and tighter. I didn't have limits. So although, I was leaning out, I still maintained my size, weight and circumference of my muscles. I was simply changing my body composition with the mass that was not reducing. People would tell me I'd dropped weight when I gained 10lbs!!! Do you know how frustrating that is?!! To eat low carbs, fighting the temptation to eat more and not lose weight on the scale from the tortured effort? I didn't realize that it all had to do with my body type or somatotype. I'm a mesomorphic type and when trying to lose weight, protein isn't always my bff if I'm NOT trying to gain size. Not knowing this one detail has derailed me from getting onstage, from further defining my physique to my ideal AND to slaving away pointlessly starving on super low-carbs trying to get there. Its taken me a year and a half to utilize this knowledge where I am finally gradually getting the results I want.
Needless to say, knowing your somatotype is important to know it if you are on a journey of dieting and fitness to achieve maximum results!
The Somatotypes:
(Courtesy of Muscleandstrength.com)
There are three different body types your physique falls under, this is also known as your Somatotype. They are the following:
Ectomorph
An ectomorph is a typical skinny guy. Ecto’s have a light build with small joints and lean muscle. Usually ectomorph’s have long thin limbs with stringy muscles. Shoulders tend to be thin with little width.
Typical traits of an ectomorph:
|
Mesomorph
A mesomorph has a large bone structure, large muscles and a naturally athletic physique. Mesomorphs are the best body type for bodybuilding. They find it quite easy to gain and lose weight. They are naturally strong which is the perfect platform for building muscle.
Typical traits on a Mesomorph:
|
Endomorph
The endomorph body type is solid and generally soft. Endomorphs gain fat very easily. Endo’s are usually of a shorter build with thick arms and legs. Muscles are strong, especially the upper legs. Endomorphs find they are naturally strong in leg exercises like the squat. I may be a slight mixture; meso-endo based on this description. As my densest area are my upper legs, but still have the physique and functions of a "true" mesomorph. However, most of my characteristics most fully match the Mesomorph. Make sure when trying to figure out your own type and possible combos so that your workouts and diet are tailored to your specific physique.
Typical traits of an Endomorph:
|
I would strongly suggest HIIT cardio for this somatotype. For example, cardio sessions that are a one-minute sprint, one-minute jog and one-minute walk then repeat. This works wonders for blasting fat when done at a challenging level and prolonged duration; 30 - 45 minutes a session. HIIT training sessions don't work like steady state cardio where the calories you burn on the treadmill are ONLY burnt on the treadmill. HIIT on the other hand has an "after burn effect". Where your body is still reacting as if its still working on cardio. I don't know about you, but I want 2 for the price of 1!!!
A combination of Body Types
These body types aren’t set in stone. In fact, most people have a combination of two body types. These combinations are either ectomorph/mesomorph or mesomorph/endomorph. It is not uncommon to find a pure mesomorph that gains weight like an endomorph for example. To know for sure, go through the list provided or do your own research and check off which characteristics your physique mostly matches. Then, do further research on what kind of cardio and strength training you should do and for how long. There are also alot of legitimate diet portions recommended for each type that DO work if you track your macronutrients (intake of carbs, protein and fat). If calculated correctly, for your most dominant body type you will definitely see results within days if you are an active individual that works out consistently.
Why is this Important to Know AND Apply?
After many years of doing different diets and then making a low-carb diet more my lifestyle I realized along the way that I didn't need to starve myself of carbs AND then, knowing the right ones to eat! Save yourself the time and start customizing to learn what diets and workout plans are most effective for you. You don't need to ever starve to get weight loss results. Have you heard the term "starvation mode"? If you are ever lacking in one macronutrient (your carbs, protein and fat) your body has a tendency to hold onto weight as an emergency precaution to keep it functioning correctly. If you are constantly depriving yourself of adequate nutrients, your body holding onto weight or gaining it, may be the result. Why not customize your diet and fitness plan to be satisfied with the way your body was meant to look AND feel?
For up-to-date images and/or further information go to:
Link: http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/body-types-ectomorph-mesomorph-endomorph.html
muscleandstrength.com
OR
Muscle & Strength Magazine
muscleandstrength.com
Follow up blog to come; "HIIT cardio vs. steady state, Which One Is the Best for You?"
Thursday, January 19, 2012
The Losing Side (Mental Health)
I'd rather lose before I win.
Listen to the Silence, Not the Noise
The Underdog
All Sides of the Story
You probably think I may be crazy for saying that. Just think of all the times you won something. You weren't sure why or perhaps you felt like you didn't deserve it. Maybe you didn't try as hard as the other times when you lost? Then, that's when it hits you that perhaps losing is more important than winning. If winning is what you expect to do don't you think you might grow more from losing? Losing is winning if you're obsessed with keeping score.
I think of all the times that I've tried something and was repeatedly defeated and honestly, I don't know why I got back up again. Perhaps, I felt I hadn't caught the dream i thought i was so close to catching. And thinking back, had I won, I know I would have stopped trying again to win a title, goal or feat. I would have crossed it off my list and moved onto something else if it was that simple. In hindsight, I realize I've been more concerned with completing a task than actually doing it right. I will admit that. Alot of times, I'd rather just get something over with than really putting my heart into it. I like feeling that I accomplished something I thought I never would and then putting my heart into it the next round. Baby steps, baby steps...
Listen to the Silence, Not the Noise
Its interesting what happens when you let the silence of life consume you. Your life's truths seem to come to the surface. When you thought you were looking, observing, and watching you weren't doing the most important thing-- seeing. When you thought you were listening or learning you weren't hearing. And when you felt that you were doing, accomplishing or finishing something you were never really putting your heart into it. But, when you are still, all the things you were avoiding come to the surface. It doesn't matter how hard you try to bury them in the busy-ness of your life, in the silence, all the things you are afraid of come to the surface. Be still, the boldest truths come out in the silence. I think one of the worst things in the world is for someone to be afraid of being alone with themselves. You live in your body, how are you going to be afraid of having a conscious relationship with yourself. I think its the most important thing, right next to having one with God. Good grief, He made you for a reason. Might as well spend some time actually trying to figure out what it is by yourself.
The Underdog
When I think of two-sides of anything I think of the underrepresented side. Who's going to battle for them? And most times, I'm biologically on that side anyway!! When I think of a large group who aren't praised much, I think of introverts. If you're an introvert would you say so in an interview? If you are one, but wouldn't say thats who you are, why? And if you are one and would, why would you? Introverts must be the most understated and misunderstood people. I usually hear the term "introvert" when someone is describing someone as being 'anti-social'. In their defense, I would describe an introvert to be the following: someone who is less social with others, that in their time with themselves, develop a genuine sincerity to their thoughts, opinions and their beliefs truly become their own. They are less concerned with how others will think of them and more concerned with how they think of themselves and don't mind at all if they are standing alone. Being with themself and by themself is just as important or more important than being with others.
When you spend time with yourself, the most allegiance you will have will be to yourself. And when you do, you truly become your own best friend. That's why they are understated. Their survival, happiness or contentment doesn't depend on the support of others the way that many extroverts generally need the company of others. Introverts seem to have more comfortably found the security within themselves! (And in today's world, it might be a smart move!) I think its worth stating for an understated people. Yes, some of them truly are. Secure. There is nothing wrong with being an introvert because first of all its a label. And secondly, labels stem from someone's opinion on describing a group of people. If I'm a true individual there won't be books written about me. No one will be able to figure me out unless they talk to me....often. And if an introvert is someone who prefers to keep to themselves while listening, observing and being silent instead of talking to others all the time, don't you think they would gather a rather significant amount of information in their silence? And perhaps, more so than the person who is busy talking all the time?? When you speak, you're not hearing anything! And if you're expelling words, when are you receiving them? This is one of those times when perhaps its better to receive than give. If you're giving more speech than hearing it perhaps you have more to learn. "Just a thought, not a sermon!"
When you spend time with yourself, the most allegiance you will have will be to yourself. And when you do, you truly become your own best friend. That's why they are understated. Their survival, happiness or contentment doesn't depend on the support of others the way that many extroverts generally need the company of others. Introverts seem to have more comfortably found the security within themselves! (And in today's world, it might be a smart move!) I think its worth stating for an understated people. Yes, some of them truly are. Secure. There is nothing wrong with being an introvert because first of all its a label. And secondly, labels stem from someone's opinion on describing a group of people. If I'm a true individual there won't be books written about me. No one will be able to figure me out unless they talk to me....often. And if an introvert is someone who prefers to keep to themselves while listening, observing and being silent instead of talking to others all the time, don't you think they would gather a rather significant amount of information in their silence? And perhaps, more so than the person who is busy talking all the time?? When you speak, you're not hearing anything! And if you're expelling words, when are you receiving them? This is one of those times when perhaps its better to receive than give. If you're giving more speech than hearing it perhaps you have more to learn. "Just a thought, not a sermon!"
All Sides of the Story
I think the reason why some people feel lost of "empty" (as many Alpha males and females describe) or can't just stop and do nothing for a day or two is because they are afraid to. They are afraid that if they do, life-- their life might become too real for them to handle seeing what is really going on in it. They may be afraid to stop and be still, in looking at the person in the mirror staring back at them. Its a frightening vision when you actually stare at yourself in the mirror. All of a sudden your faults, beauties, shortcomings, inadequacies, strengths, power, potential, insecurities, purpose...who you really are in the busy-ness of your life seems to stare back at you. You're losing touch with the spiritual you. Because you don't take time to nurture it. That's why I think some of us can't stand to be still and do nothing. We're afraid that the problems that we need to devote time into thinking more deeply about will eat us alive to the point where we are depressed and empty. Its okay to feel those ways. Feel that way, dwell in it for a minute. Get it out of your system and figure out how to become your best friend so that doesn't happen. But, for the next time it does be okay with being alone by yourself in the emptiness that may be boredom begot by disconnectedness. Feel bad for yourself, let it go and feel good about learning something new. Exercise your mind.
Deal with it, work it out, then let it go.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Making Your Diet a Lifestyle
Consistency is the foundation of virtue. - Francis Bacon
My Desk Job Attack Phase
That it is and perhaps the hardest thing to maintain as a habit for most of us. Consistency is indeed key. Looking back to when I had my first epiphanies about health and fitness, I was in college. My body was tired of having soft serve frozen yogurt every night for dessert. I was tired of feeling full all the time. Those were the days when my abs remained hidden when I worked out everyday! When I graduated and got a desk job I felt more sluggish and had stopped eating dessert often. I felt weight creeping back on me after hours of inactivity. I had to do something. I began to start my day with the advice of a friend of working out on an empty stomach. So every morning before work I'd pop in this "Bootcamp Ten Minute Solutions" dvd and did it relentlessly every day. I couldn't help myself, it felt good and made me feel less stressed about sitting down all day. For someone that had typically worked out in the evening, I saw more instant results in simply changing my workouts to the morning and working out on zero calories. I walked on the treadmill, created my own circuit training routines, and continued my workout dvds. Doing all those things regulated my weight loss to the point where I started to see myself becoming more toned. After a couple of months of doing that, I added a protein shake for breakfast and then once I arrived at work I'd have my oatmeal OR a bowl of mixed fruits with one tablespoon of peanut butter (which i still swear by as it satisfies me best without feeling heavy!). For lunch it would usually be chicken and veggies and my midday snack was yogurt and nuts. Then for dinner I'd have a shredded chicken salad. It was my favorite Trader Joe's demo recipe. Spring mix salad with grilled shredded chicken and peanut dressing. I happily lived off of that for dinner for a year! I continued to bring 4 meals with me to the office before I had become formally educated as a trainer. And very quickly without distraction or interruption (which is a blessing to have!) this became my lifestyle.If I could go back and change anything in this phase I'd add drinking two bottles of water with each meal or 7.5 bottles (of 16.9 oz) this = 1 gallon. This one thing did make a difference in dropping fat pounds and getting tighter...noticeably in my competition training.
Getting Into a Routine
The result of my attack phase: I started to drop pant sizes and usually after one to two months this slows down and it did. But I was content with my progress. In hindsight, I was still skinny fat because at the time I only did cardio and bodyweight exercises and no strength training. So I wasn't building as much muscle as I could have. But, it was the simple knowledge of planning my routine and sticking to it that made my progress visible. I ate 5 meals a day and if I got hungry at night I'd have salad with shredded grilled chicken and balsamic vinegar. At the time, I couldn't afford to get more food than protein powder, berries,salad, chicken, eggs, peanut butter and oatmeal. I was thrilled to be in control of not having any junk food in the cupboards that I'd grown accustomed to my mom bringing in the house--and at times, in copious amounts. And when I moved out, my sister would come over and open my cupboards for snacks and could find nothing but peanut butter! Being in control and having full control of what I ate made me so happy. I did it so easily without temptation. I couldn't afford junk food! How many people ever say that?! What was different about this time than others was that I made a conscious choice to be healthy. It was that I had been itching to do it after months of living with my family where my control over food in my surroundings was limited. I was dying to take control of it all!!! Perhaps determination is key too!! lol..I had visions of what things would be like once I got my own place and made the effort to stick to my new lifestyle of eating more organically. It got me excited because it was an experiment. An experiment to see what would happen if I elimintated ALL the junk and just ate organic, nutritious and complete foods?
The result was, I started to lean out. I learned more what worked for my body in having different foods from time to time. But even then, I knew that for my body type to keep my carbs low were and are still a vital key to staying lean. And for many years with this knowledge this is one golden rule that I live by with little error as it has become a habit. I can say that with less rigid plans of a competitor's diet (that includes more strict meal timing or water intake) this was far easier to continue to live by.
Staying Active Daily
Before I had ever learned or was made aware about bodybuilding, bikini and figure competitions I worked out daily for an hour from the time I was 15 without any breaks longer than two days to now! Yes. I am one of those workout freaks that HAD to work out every day or I felt fat. Its also been through working out and not changing my diet in the past that I learned how to maintain my weight. Working out without changing your diet will = weight maintenance. For ten solid years, from high school to college to post-grad era, I had stayed the same weight give or take 3-5lbs. I changed my body composition a variety of times but still, I had mixed feelings about that. I remembered all the hard work I'd put in to simply maintain what I had. You MUST do something different in order to get different results. Its been this fact that has made it hard to get quick results in any program because my body is used to moving and moving vigorously. With that said, everyone's body gets used to doing the same thing over and over again. You might get discouraged if you are trying to lose weight doing the same activity you've always been doing. But fret not! :) I advise that everyone try a different activity daily, or, if at the gym do 3-4 different cardio machines at various resistance levels for 5-10 minutes each until you reach 40 minutes. HIIT training, also known as High Intensity Interval Training is also a great source to jumping your metabolism. For example, a workout that starts with a 2 minute walk, 2 minute jog and 1 minute sprint that repeats until 30 minutes would be considered a moderately challenging HIIT training routine that works in dropping weight fast!
Always do your warm up, then strength training first for at least half an hour (this puts you in a fat burning zone so by the time you get to cardio you are burning more than just the food you ate for the day) then cardiof after strength, for 30 - 45 minutes depending on your goals. Daily activity should be at least an hour for anybody with specific goals!
Tips on Maintaining a Lifestyle Diet
Golden rule: The more consistent you are in varying your workouts and maintaining your diet, the more changes you will see.
My Desk Job Attack Phase
That it is and perhaps the hardest thing to maintain as a habit for most of us. Consistency is indeed key. Looking back to when I had my first epiphanies about health and fitness, I was in college. My body was tired of having soft serve frozen yogurt every night for dessert. I was tired of feeling full all the time. Those were the days when my abs remained hidden when I worked out everyday! When I graduated and got a desk job I felt more sluggish and had stopped eating dessert often. I felt weight creeping back on me after hours of inactivity. I had to do something. I began to start my day with the advice of a friend of working out on an empty stomach. So every morning before work I'd pop in this "Bootcamp Ten Minute Solutions" dvd and did it relentlessly every day. I couldn't help myself, it felt good and made me feel less stressed about sitting down all day. For someone that had typically worked out in the evening, I saw more instant results in simply changing my workouts to the morning and working out on zero calories. I walked on the treadmill, created my own circuit training routines, and continued my workout dvds. Doing all those things regulated my weight loss to the point where I started to see myself becoming more toned. After a couple of months of doing that, I added a protein shake for breakfast and then once I arrived at work I'd have my oatmeal OR a bowl of mixed fruits with one tablespoon of peanut butter (which i still swear by as it satisfies me best without feeling heavy!). For lunch it would usually be chicken and veggies and my midday snack was yogurt and nuts. Then for dinner I'd have a shredded chicken salad. It was my favorite Trader Joe's demo recipe. Spring mix salad with grilled shredded chicken and peanut dressing. I happily lived off of that for dinner for a year! I continued to bring 4 meals with me to the office before I had become formally educated as a trainer. And very quickly without distraction or interruption (which is a blessing to have!) this became my lifestyle.If I could go back and change anything in this phase I'd add drinking two bottles of water with each meal or 7.5 bottles (of 16.9 oz) this = 1 gallon. This one thing did make a difference in dropping fat pounds and getting tighter...noticeably in my competition training.
Getting Into a Routine
The result of my attack phase: I started to drop pant sizes and usually after one to two months this slows down and it did. But I was content with my progress. In hindsight, I was still skinny fat because at the time I only did cardio and bodyweight exercises and no strength training. So I wasn't building as much muscle as I could have. But, it was the simple knowledge of planning my routine and sticking to it that made my progress visible. I ate 5 meals a day and if I got hungry at night I'd have salad with shredded grilled chicken and balsamic vinegar. At the time, I couldn't afford to get more food than protein powder, berries,salad, chicken, eggs, peanut butter and oatmeal. I was thrilled to be in control of not having any junk food in the cupboards that I'd grown accustomed to my mom bringing in the house--and at times, in copious amounts. And when I moved out, my sister would come over and open my cupboards for snacks and could find nothing but peanut butter! Being in control and having full control of what I ate made me so happy. I did it so easily without temptation. I couldn't afford junk food! How many people ever say that?! What was different about this time than others was that I made a conscious choice to be healthy. It was that I had been itching to do it after months of living with my family where my control over food in my surroundings was limited. I was dying to take control of it all!!! Perhaps determination is key too!! lol..I had visions of what things would be like once I got my own place and made the effort to stick to my new lifestyle of eating more organically. It got me excited because it was an experiment. An experiment to see what would happen if I elimintated ALL the junk and just ate organic, nutritious and complete foods?
The result was, I started to lean out. I learned more what worked for my body in having different foods from time to time. But even then, I knew that for my body type to keep my carbs low were and are still a vital key to staying lean. And for many years with this knowledge this is one golden rule that I live by with little error as it has become a habit. I can say that with less rigid plans of a competitor's diet (that includes more strict meal timing or water intake) this was far easier to continue to live by.
Staying Active Daily
Before I had ever learned or was made aware about bodybuilding, bikini and figure competitions I worked out daily for an hour from the time I was 15 without any breaks longer than two days to now! Yes. I am one of those workout freaks that HAD to work out every day or I felt fat. Its also been through working out and not changing my diet in the past that I learned how to maintain my weight. Working out without changing your diet will = weight maintenance. For ten solid years, from high school to college to post-grad era, I had stayed the same weight give or take 3-5lbs. I changed my body composition a variety of times but still, I had mixed feelings about that. I remembered all the hard work I'd put in to simply maintain what I had. You MUST do something different in order to get different results. Its been this fact that has made it hard to get quick results in any program because my body is used to moving and moving vigorously. With that said, everyone's body gets used to doing the same thing over and over again. You might get discouraged if you are trying to lose weight doing the same activity you've always been doing. But fret not! :) I advise that everyone try a different activity daily, or, if at the gym do 3-4 different cardio machines at various resistance levels for 5-10 minutes each until you reach 40 minutes. HIIT training, also known as High Intensity Interval Training is also a great source to jumping your metabolism. For example, a workout that starts with a 2 minute walk, 2 minute jog and 1 minute sprint that repeats until 30 minutes would be considered a moderately challenging HIIT training routine that works in dropping weight fast!
Always do your warm up, then strength training first for at least half an hour (this puts you in a fat burning zone so by the time you get to cardio you are burning more than just the food you ate for the day) then cardiof after strength, for 30 - 45 minutes depending on your goals. Daily activity should be at least an hour for anybody with specific goals!
Tips on Maintaining a Lifestyle Diet
Golden rule: The more consistent you are in varying your workouts and maintaining your diet, the more changes you will see.
- Educate yourself on strength training exercises, workouts, your body, your intake and your output
- Start adding more real food to your meals (fruits like berries, apples and grapefruit and green veggies) and removing the junk like butter, gravies, and excess "bad" fat
- Try to keep your fats low (also another golden rule I live by) and if you must start slow, start with ALWAYS keeping your SATURATED fats low. There was a time I counted saturated fat gram intake cuz I was so afraid of it!! Now, I just read labels.:)
- READ your LABELS. You should recognize most, if not, all of the ingredients. If this isn't the case it is NOT real food.
- Keep your sodium low. If an item has more than 250milligrams of sodium per serving, trust me, you can live without that!
- You definitely need to put down the salt shaker. I have lived life for the past two years without salting anything. If I have, it was not a conscious move and I forgot to tell the waiter to make my protein "naked".
- Stop drinking your calories, unless its a protein shake first thing in the morning or the last thing before bed. Even in those times, God knows I'm one of those people who likes chewing my food NOT drinking it. So I keep my protein shakes to a minimum and hardly ever consume alcoholic beverages, real soda, juice, or any other sugared drink. Work on your lifetime habit to drink water alone, with lemon or iced tea with lemon or stevia if you must sweeten.
- Aim to drink a gallon of water, steadily throughout the day every day. You could lose ten pounds doing just that!
- Take your supplements! The following are key to seeing any changes: Fish oils, CLA (conjugated linoleic acid aka egg yolk fat(the only trans-fat that burns fat off your abs), Vitamin C, Vitamin B (all of the various kinds), Green Tea extract to name a few that I saw results with in weight loss and definition
- Sleep 6, 7.5 or 9 hours. Those are the hours that are sufficient hours of rest in completing your sleep cycle as they are 1.5 hours long for each cycle. When I first started following these sleep pattern rules I woke up consistently more energetic than sleeping for 8 hours or 6 and a half. Don't wake up 30 minutes into the next sleep cycle. You'll never feel awake.
- Cook your small meals in advance and space them out consistently apart from the next for appropriate fat burn and complete digestion. Small meals mean 150 - 350 calories per meal as an average. I suggest 4 - 6 depending on the calorie content and when you start your day.
- DO have a cheat meal or two a week so you don't crazy if you are rigid with your diet often. This relieves stress and confuses the body leading to more weight loss--ONLY if not overdone or in excess.
More blogs to come this week on Competition Dieting tips that Transformed me from Skinny Fat to Bodybuilding Brat!! :) Stay tuned and feel free to post questions on here or Facebook.
"Its not just a workout or a diet, its a lifestyle!"
"Its not just a workout or a diet, its a lifestyle!"
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)