Spring vacations and warm weather are RIGHT around the corner with summer and bathing suit season following...but don't freak out! You still have time!
The end result of your hard work is NOT just a great physique, but it's the journey getting there that gives you a renewed life-changing appreciation for yourself and those around you. Being successful in your fitness goals extends so much further than just a number on the scale, or a new size----it produces a positive energy and confidence within you that no other accessory or material item can produce. I'm glad to hear about the successes people have had! So awesome!
I'm sorry to report, though, that there's NO quick fix! It takes focus on nutrition and exercise. Let's break that down, shall we? You need to exercise at least 30 minutes a day, strength train every other day (or even every day if you're working different muscle groups), and watch your food intake carefully. Of course, the more you move throughout the day, the more calories you'll burn in addition to those workouts you're doing. So take the stairs, play with the kids, and move more!!!
Remember, it's NOT about restricting calories and skipping meals (those will cause you setbacks)...it's about finding the right ratio between the calories you burn and calories you consumer. It's tempting to go to the route of skipping meals because that does tend to show a loss on the scale, but what you end up losing is mostly water and muscle. It you're looking to maintain your weight, you would want to balance what you're eating with what your burning.
If your goal is to lose fat, then the calories you burn in a day needs to be HIGHER than the calories you've consumed or your body will not burn existing fat stores. Don't aim for too much of a deficit though. I wouldn't recommend more than 1000 calorie deficit or less than 1200 calories consumed for anyone. Your metabolism will slow down as a result of too little calories leading to the loss of much needed MUSCLE (not good!). So the ratio is very important for fat loss. Always check with your doctor to be safe because I don't know your specific medical needs/history and those play a large factor into effective weight loss.
You NEED healthy food to fuel your workouts and give you lasting energy throughout the day and to keep your metabolism running efficiently. But you have to be aware of approximately how many calories you should be eating and PLAN your meals so you don't go long periods of time without food. By planning your meals/snacks ahead, you can be sure to have a healthy option to eat wherever/whenever you need it. Another great idea is keeping a food journal, then you know exactly what you're eating and you'll be less likely to consume food you're not writing down.
Something important to remember: You cannot snack on fat free processed foods and think they don't count. In fact, I recommend eliminating these foods all-together! Companies advertise these foods to be good for you, but they're not! Trust me! Empty calories are calories with very little nutritional value and do nothing for your body. They leave you feeling hungry faster and, in many cases, craving more food and/or sugar. That's what can cause you to eat more calories than you need. Your best best is to remove them from your sight, or from the house. Does ANYONE in the house need those?? Probably not!
If your metabolism is slow, which for most people it is the culprit, then the way to increase your metabolism is to add muscle. Lifting light weights and doing a lot of reps, works the existing muscles' endurance. Lifting HEAVY weights with fewer reps, on the other hand, will result in a new muscle which increases your metabolism. You burn more during your workouts AND at rest. But you will have to give yourself about 2-3 months for your body to make the transition to a faster metabolism and really start shedding the fat. It does not happen over night. You can't complain about a lack of results until you've done the right things consistently for at least 8-12 weeks straight. You'll see even better results as you continue long term after that. Patience is a virtue. Give yourself time for the results to kick in. Do you know how many calories you consume, or should be consuming in a given day in order to shed fat safely and effectively? You can check the daily calorie needs calculator on www.Freedieting.com . It's usually right on track!!
As far as cardio...to improve cardiovascular fitness 3x/week is good, but for faster fat loss, you really need to be VERY active every day. So you need to plan some type of cardio or activity for every day. I recommend alternating steady state cardio and interval training. With super busy schedules and lives, I know it's not always likely that it will happen every single day, but if you plan on it, then you're more likely to make it happen most days. That's going to help you lose fat faster due to the calories burned each day.
And, like I always stress, it's important to be selfish sometimes...especially when it comes to your health because it makes you a better person for those you love and those around you! So let go of the excuses! You can do it...I KNOW you can!
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