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This topic is all about that last challenge to get to YOUR ultimate body. How do you make sure that
it does it? Read on!!!
Reminders:
- The closer you are to your "optimum" weight / body fat, the harder it will be to get down to that point. :-) Don't let
your brain tell you that you are a failure - if it seems hard, it's because it IS!
- "In order to loose weight, it's a
simple calculation. You must burn more calories than you intake." HOWEVER - this can be misleading. Not all calories are created
equal.
- We all already know that the "secret" to weight loss is cardio + weight training + nutrition. Most of us think
we have a pretty good handle on it, but the more I grip it, the more I learn.
- Static is bad. This is true for nutrition,
cardio type and weight lifting. In every sense of the term, static really is bad. I'll quote the truism and explore it in
each of the sections below - the only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth. :-)
- Nature knows more about
what we should be eating than man or scientist. :-)
Tips /
Tricks / Things:
This is my list of things I did in C3 that made for an ~ 8% body fat loss… and I -KNOW-
I could have done better if I'd been more focused. :-)
Nutrition:
- No bars or RTDs unless you have NO OTHER choice. Whole foods are best for you, because they require more work from your
body - got to love the thermogenic effect.
- Refeeding - If your target food zone is ~1400-1600 calories a day, go up
to 2200 for one day and down to 1200 the next. I find I eat more on HIIT days, so those are the days I cycle to the higher
calories. Make sure you do this within reason. In my example, we want the average to be that 1500 calorie mark.
- Find
new foods - make sure you aren't in a rut with your food - one of the benefits of the refeeding thing where you are cycling
your calories is that some things that aren't in your food range if you're on 1500 calories ARE in it on the higher days.
Take advantage of that. It makes it easier to stick with eating clean and you get a variety of tastes, nutrients and vitamins
/ minerals.
- No - and I do mean NO - alcohol for the duration of the challenge. It can screw you up to badly. If you
REALLY have to have it for some reason, it's ok; but it will hork your calories for that week and potentially set you back
more than it's worth. This is NOT forever. Once you get to the place you want to sustain, you'll be able to add that back
in, but while you need a caloric defecit this is an easy and logical place to cut.
- Nix or severely restrict free days.
I stopped having much of a free day. I have two free meals. Usually within the same 24 hour period. I found that it really
cut down on cravings AND means that you don't have to work as hard to make sure you've got the caloric defecit over the course
of the week. This is NOT forever. Once you get to the place you want to sustain, you'll be able to add that back in, but while
you need a caloric defecit this is an easy and logical place to cut.
- Vegetables and Fruit are your friends. Make sure
that most of your carbohydrates come from fruit and veg - preferably things like berries, peaches and apples. Try to limit
crackers and bread type products in your meals - they sneak sodium in there that you probably don't need.
- Fiber, fiber,
fiber. And GOOD oils. Make sure you are getting loads of fiber (if you're eating loads of vegetables, you've prolly got this
covered.) Flax seed oil is your friend. It's a good oil that helps cut down on cravings and makes sure you've got what you
need to break down all that happy healthy food.
- Biggest meals first. The later in the day you are (as in closer to bed
time, whenever that is for you) the lighter your meals should be. Try for low GI foods like cottage cheese right before bed.
It's enough to keep you full; but not enough to weigh you down.
HIIT:
- Rock the body - and rock it HARD! If you think you could keep going - even for 30 more seconds - when you are at the
end of the last minute of your cardio, you didn't push it hard enough. There's all kinds of scientific proof that that minute
of super intensity is what REALLY ratchets up your metabolism.
- Cross-train!!! If running/cycling/biking is killing you,
DON'T DO THAT! Get on a treadmill, bike or an elliptical and kick some booty some new way!!!! Make sure that you don't court
injury - switch things up, and LISTEN to your body.
- Some days, break the habit! One of my habits was that my 10 on the
treadmill was a slightly higher incline from the rest of my workout, at 8.5 MPH. Last Sunday I DOUBLED my incline and still
went 8.5 MPH. I never thought I could have done it, but I did, and I felt FABULOUS once I cooled down (not to mention super
proud of myself for even attempting, let alone completing it)
- Find something you can do with a group - it will make
you push yourself WAY harder than you can alone. Maybe that's a trainer, or a spinning class, or just a group of friends to
go out with. Even if it's only one day a week that you do this, you'll find that it can be extra motivation to dig that little
bit harder into your reserves during other training.
Weight Training:
- Slow and steady AND fast and furious. :-) This is another area that switching it up REALLY pays off. Not just switching
up your fitness routine every 4 - 6 weeks, but little meso cycles INSIDE your 4- 6 week routine. Maybe use slow for intensity
one week (just because you're sick of the routine). Maybe do one day of totally "random" (but pre-planned) routine that isn't
what you'll do the rest of the 4-6 week interval - I like to test run the next routine I have planned, so I know if it needs
work; AND I get the benefit of changing things up.
- Form IS function. Concentrate, concentrate, concentrate. Make sure
you can SEE that muscle getting worked, and you KNOW your form is perfect. The better your form, the more concentrated the
exercise is on that muscle. That's a GOOD thing for muscle gain. :-)
- Long term weight lifting goals - for instance,
I want to do an unassisted pull up. That means I have certain muscles I KNOW need to get stronger to accomplish that goal.
I can (and do) design my work outs around those muscles and the types of things that make my goal more possible. (For this
challenge I was push up girl. I found something like 15 different ways to do push ups. *g*)
- Another place the buddy
system is your friend. Same as in HIIT - it will make you push yourself WAY harder than you can alone. Maybe that's a trainer,
or a spinning class, or just a group of friends to go out with. Even if it's only one day a week that you do this, you'll
find that it can be extra motivation to dig that little bit harder into your reserves during other training.
- Don't cheat
yourself. If you feel like butt and don't want to go, make sure you know why, and how you'll make that time up, but then LET
IT GO! If you HATE the idea of going that day, even as you stand in the gym door, or do your first rep, chances are you need
to back it off and either do about 50% that day, or don't do it at all, and use that as a free exercise day. Overtraining
will make you WAY more likely to LEAP off the wagon for both exercise and food.
References:
http://skwigg.tripod.com/id55.html
http://skwigg.tripod.com/id46.html (Tom Venuto article)
http://www.leanandstrong.com
http://www.global-fitness.com
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