Resolutions
The reason resolutions (or diets or exercise routines) fail is because people approach them as all or nothing things. It has taken me years to outline a fitness routine I can really keep week after week. If something in my schedule changes then I have to take a few weeks and adjust my routine. Its not always perfect.
Dieting by eliminating a food group, drinking shakes instead of eating meals or using foods to cleanse is no way to live long-term so it will not work for most people. Deciding to exercise by going out and running until you feel nauseous or lifting weights that are too heavy with poor form is no way to start an exercise routine.
You need to pick a resolution that you can really follow through on – that means you’re ready to commit to it and it's something that you try to change gradually, not all at once on Jan 1. Below are some ideas that together will maximize your health and fitness, but just choose a few to start with and build from there!
1) REDUCE YOUR SUGAR INTAKE: Become aware of how much sugar you consume and reduce it. One teaspoon of sugar is 4grams.
2) EAT 100% Whole Grains: Not "whole wheat", not "multi-grain", not "enriched, unbleached or refined", find wheat pasta you can enjoy.
3) BURN FAT: Plan a certain number of days you can really commit to cardio exercise and do it. Walk, run, bike, ellip.
4) IMPROVE YOUR SNACKS: Potato chips, full fat ice cream, candy, cake, cookies, sugary cereals. Have them outside your home/office only occasionally
5) STOP OBSESSING: I really understand how crazy a number can make all of us but focus more on good consistent habits instead of the scale.
6) BUILD MUSCLE: If you train consistently one day a week you need to be sure to do a second day on your own, building muscle requires consistency.
7) SAY NO TO NEW DIET TRENDS: A new year brings new diets & new diet books. A good pattern of eating 90% of the time allows for 10% splurges.
8) LIGHTEN UP: On your butter, measure your oils every time, use cream, jelly and cheese sparingly. Start becoming more aware of what you eat.
9) EAT OUT LESS: You really don't know how many calories you are consuming when you eat out. Eating out often makes it very hard to stay fit.
10) PUT YOURSELF FIRST: A lot of things can come between you and fitness: your job, your family, your friends; no one can keep you on track except you!
Friday, December 18, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
MODERATION and Holiday Eating
Moderation is the key to successful holiday eating but it may be the key to successful dieting too. The best tip I've heard for keeping on track with your fitness goal during the holidays is rating your food. If its not a 9 or a 10 walk away. Don't waste your calories and fat consumption on cheesecake if you really love pumpkin pie. Don't eat it just because its there. Chances are if you have some body fat to lose a lot of it is from eating things just because they are there.
How living without MODERATION impacts your fitness goal (weight loss)
1) Start Saying No More Often. If you take on too much and say "yes" to friends and family when you really mean "no, I can't I have too much on my plate to do that", you are negatively impacting your health. Stress increases hormones that are fat storing.
2) Sleep.Stop burning the candle at both ends. We know that lack of sleep lowers our fullness hormone and increases our hungry hormone. Sleep more.
3) Stop Overeating. Its not a contest, you don't have to eat more than everyone else in the room. Is happiness really linked to fullness? Become aware of when you are full and STOP. Really, being a slave to food is ridiculous when you think about it!
4) Limit Drinking. Drinking 2 drinks can be as fun as drinking 5, especially if you don't usually drink 5+ drinks. Just as your stomach expands and your sense of how much food you need to eat to make you "happy" grows with your waistline, the more you drink the more tolerance you have for drinking. If drinking is a part of your normal social scene, start to reduce your social drinking over time. Slow down your pace and alternate alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
5) Purchase in Moderation. Drive by the donut shop 4 times and stop on the 5th. Pick one splurge family snack per week to enjoy, make the rest of the snacks fruits and veggies.
Nothing is off limits if you eat/drink it in MODERATION. If you can't work more Moderation into your life you are going to be on the YO-YO for a lifetime.
How living without MODERATION impacts your fitness goal (weight loss)
1) Start Saying No More Often. If you take on too much and say "yes" to friends and family when you really mean "no, I can't I have too much on my plate to do that", you are negatively impacting your health. Stress increases hormones that are fat storing.
2) Sleep.Stop burning the candle at both ends. We know that lack of sleep lowers our fullness hormone and increases our hungry hormone. Sleep more.
3) Stop Overeating. Its not a contest, you don't have to eat more than everyone else in the room. Is happiness really linked to fullness? Become aware of when you are full and STOP. Really, being a slave to food is ridiculous when you think about it!
4) Limit Drinking. Drinking 2 drinks can be as fun as drinking 5, especially if you don't usually drink 5+ drinks. Just as your stomach expands and your sense of how much food you need to eat to make you "happy" grows with your waistline, the more you drink the more tolerance you have for drinking. If drinking is a part of your normal social scene, start to reduce your social drinking over time. Slow down your pace and alternate alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
5) Purchase in Moderation. Drive by the donut shop 4 times and stop on the 5th. Pick one splurge family snack per week to enjoy, make the rest of the snacks fruits and veggies.
Nothing is off limits if you eat/drink it in MODERATION. If you can't work more Moderation into your life you are going to be on the YO-YO for a lifetime.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Achieve your goal this year!
No matter what your goal is - weight loss, building lean muscle, building cardio-respiratory endurance ... its time to start planning or else next year you will be right where you are now, planning for the following year. What is in the way of you reaching your goal this year?
Why do people fail to reach their goals. Because they stop trying.
Its hard to lose weight and get fit. People start the new year motiviated. By March they are bored, not seeing enough results, too tempted by old habits, too tired or stressed to maintain an exercise routine. In April they start to think about putting on a bathing suit and get serious until maybe July where they figure why bother. September is a time to get back in a routine and things go well until Nov-Dec holiday time blows all progress. The net result is no results.
How To Reach Your Goal:
(1) Commit to following through on your plan for 6 months.
(2) Start an exercise journal to log what you do and when. Log in what you do and when each day. Commit to 2 to 3 days of strength training and at least 3 days of cardio. Some people reach their goals with 3 intense days of cardio, some do well with 5 or 6 days of more moderate cardio activities. You have to find what works for you and gives you the results you are expecting. Not getting results? Don't scale down in protest, who benefits when you do that? Increase activity.
(3) Start a food journal. Avoid anything you can't eat in moderation. If you don't buy it (or drive through it) you can't eat it. Know your calories, get a food scale if you need one and keep writing for at least 6 months (see #1).
(4) Stay around motivating people, stick with your gym or trainer or walking partner. Quitting is not an option. Buy and serve what you need to eat to stay on track. Your family will live without pizza and french fries, everyone can benefit, don't use your family as an excuse to blow your plan.
(5) Exercise when you don't want to, have one drink instead of three, skip or share dessert, have a plan and follow through.
The reason why people fail to reach their fitness goals is because its easier not to!
Why do people fail to reach their goals. Because they stop trying.
Its hard to lose weight and get fit. People start the new year motiviated. By March they are bored, not seeing enough results, too tempted by old habits, too tired or stressed to maintain an exercise routine. In April they start to think about putting on a bathing suit and get serious until maybe July where they figure why bother. September is a time to get back in a routine and things go well until Nov-Dec holiday time blows all progress. The net result is no results.
How To Reach Your Goal:
(1) Commit to following through on your plan for 6 months.
(2) Start an exercise journal to log what you do and when. Log in what you do and when each day. Commit to 2 to 3 days of strength training and at least 3 days of cardio. Some people reach their goals with 3 intense days of cardio, some do well with 5 or 6 days of more moderate cardio activities. You have to find what works for you and gives you the results you are expecting. Not getting results? Don't scale down in protest, who benefits when you do that? Increase activity.
(3) Start a food journal. Avoid anything you can't eat in moderation. If you don't buy it (or drive through it) you can't eat it. Know your calories, get a food scale if you need one and keep writing for at least 6 months (see #1).
(4) Stay around motivating people, stick with your gym or trainer or walking partner. Quitting is not an option. Buy and serve what you need to eat to stay on track. Your family will live without pizza and french fries, everyone can benefit, don't use your family as an excuse to blow your plan.
(5) Exercise when you don't want to, have one drink instead of three, skip or share dessert, have a plan and follow through.
The reason why people fail to reach their fitness goals is because its easier not to!
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