Here's quick tip #2 from our trainer, James "Max" Clark.
A lot of people know that for weight loss you need to have a
solid cardio regiment, however using that treadmill over and over can get
tedious and let’s face it just plain boring. Here are a couple ideas of how to
change up your cardio to keep you moving and see the results you want and maybe
add something new you haven’t thought of yet.
HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) cardio - Most people
think that this can only be done on a treadmill and sprinting, but it can also
be done on Stairmasters or elliptical as well. By alternating between speeds or
resistances on the Stairmaster and elliptical you achieve the same effect as on
the treadmill.
Add weights to your regiment - By using 5 to 10 pound weights
and doing overhead presses or any upper body movement to a brisk walk on a
cardio machine for periods of around 60 seconds you can help spike your heart
rate and in the process burn more calories.
Give these tips a try and see if your weight loss program gets a little kick-in-the-toosh!
There are many ideas circulating about the best way to
promote fat loss, change lifestyles, and maintain the changes you make. Today,
let’s look at a few of the popular ideas surrounding weight management.
Small lifestyle changes are enough to lose a
significant amount of weight and keep it off.
Though efforts like parking
further from your destination are a good place to start, latest research is
showing that this may not help as much as we would like to think. The fact is
that the amount of time in which we are sedentary greatly outweighs the effort
of walking 20 extra yards once a day. Experts say once again the most effective
means of substantial weight loss and management is consistent dietary
management and exercise.
Setting realistic goals is the best approach.
The current thought about goal setting is to create a small manageable goal and
progress once that goal is reached; however leading fitness professionals are
recommending a more progressive approach. Personal trainers are familiar with
this concept, and there is no reason that you should not be too: micro goals
and macro goals. Set a higher weight loss goal but then break it down into
smaller goals. This will allow you to celebrate small successes while
continually challenging you to meet your true goal. Click HERE to review a previous blog entry on goal setting.
Rapid weight loss is always bad.
Researchers are saying this is not always true. The key is finding a program
that is sustainable.
Regularly eating breakfast prevents obesity.
Researchers have found that a person’s baseline breakfast habits set the
nutritional standards for the rest of the day. So a healthy breakfast fostered
healthier eating for the remainder of the day, but an unhealthy breakfast led
to poor meal choices for the duration of the day. Click HERE to read a blog about eating breakfast.
Eating more fruits and veggies results in
weight loss.
Research has concluded that there is no evidence to support or
reject this theory. Eating fruits and veggies allows you to reap the
nutritional benefits, but if the key in weight loss is creating a calorie
deficit.
Still frustrated and confused about how to go about losing weight the safe and effective way? Schedule an appointment with one of our trainers AND one of our nutrition specialists. Let's talk about what got you to where you are today and how we can help you with your "scientific body transformation". Remember, all you have to do is ask for help...we won't turn you away.
This blog was adapted from: "What Really Works In
fighting Obesity." IDEA Fitness Journal. Jan 2014 pp 16-17
If you're looking to lose weight, you might be wondering: Should I focus on doing cardio or should I weight train? The answer, for those of you not interested in hanging around for the "why" part of the answer, is both. What matters most is the way you train, the system you train under, and your lifestyle.
The cardio vs. weight lifting question stems from the days when "cardio" usually meant going to a low-level aerobic class and "weight lifting" meant spending a couple of hours in the “free weight room,” chatting with your buddies between attempts at "out-benching" each other. These days, most workout programs incorporate both, often during the same workout. Most "cardio" work has an element of resistance training, either in the form of added weight or plyometric movements, while most "weight lifting" work has a cardio element because it's done in circuits. There are two myths inherent in this age-old question. The first is that weight training will make you bulky. The second is that cardio doesn't build muscle. Let's dispel these once and for all.
Myth 1: Weight Training Will Make You Bulky Gaining bulk is hard. I wish I had a nickel for every time I've seen a hardcore gym rat who's been lifting for months, desperate for a few pounds of lean muscle mass, blow his stack when he hears a woman say, "Weight training will make me bulky". It takes a ton of energy for your body to add muscle. During the initial stages of any kind of intense training, especially one you're not used to, your body releases excess amounts of the hormone cortisol, which causes your body to retain water. Some people think this means they are bulking up when, in reality, it's just the body adapting to the training. It happens whether you are trying to gain or lose weight and has nothing to do with gaining actual muscle mass. Once your body adapts to the new training, the cortisol release ceases and your body flushes the excess water.
Myth 2: Cardio Doesn't Build Muscle This second myth is trickier. Low-level, steady-state aerobic training will atrophy muscle, so it can be true. But "cardio" hasn't meant aerobic zone training since Richard Simmons' heyday in the 80s. Cardio is a catchall term for any training that elevates your heart rate for the entire workout. These days, since almost all weight training is done circuit style, your heart rate remains elevated during both cardio and weight training workouts. Modern cardio training is almost always an offshoot of interval training, which means it's a mix of aerobic and anaerobic training. And this builds muscle.
What Is the Best Way to Lose Weight? The best way to lose weight is to follow a solid training system that targets weight loss. A system takes into account your entire lifestyle, workout, diet, sleep, and supplements. Why? Because all of these things affect your body's ability to change. The key to weight loss is to change your metabolism. While it's easier to alter your metabolism through weight training than cardio, both will do it if the workouts are well designed. The word you're looking for to make this happen is intensity. By that, I mean you need to force your body to work in the anaerobic realm. Because your body depends on air to live, forcing it beyond its ability to breathe causes it to release performance-enhancing hormones to survive. When done consistently, these hormones change your metabolism. Of course, you'll die if you stay in the anaerobic zone for too long, which is why you only do anaerobic work in short intervals. In between these intervals, your heart is working out aerobically to recovery. As long as the breaks between your anaerobic sets are strategic, you get a powerful cardio workout during every anaerobic workout. For example: circuit weight training—consisting of many sets to failure, with short breaks—is not only a great anaerobic weight training workout, but also a very effective workout for your cardiovascular system as well.
The next factor when it comes to boosting your metabolism and losing weight is recovering properly between workouts. This is why having a system is so important. Intense anaerobic training is stressful for your body. You need this stress to change your hormone balance, but if you over stress yourself, it will lead to problems in the form of overreaching and, if you do it too long, overtraining (both responsible for maladies from lack of results to injury or illness). A proper exercise program takes this into account by scheduling different styles of workouts next to each other to create a balance between intensity and recovery.
Your nutrition and lifestyle are very important for proper recovery. The better you eat, the faster you recover. Ditto for sleep. (I don't care how many episodes of Game of Thrones you need to catch up on.) Sleep is when your body produces its natural PEDs (performance-enhancing drugs). So get your shuteye! All of this is why PROMATx never sells individual workouts that aren't attached to a program—or system—for your training. It's not that doing random exercise isn't good for you...because it can be. However, we design workout systems that synergistically combine aerobic and anaerobic training (along with sundry other types of training, not to mention proper nutrition) to give you results. That way, it's much easier for your body to change its metabolism, and for you to lose weight. To recap, whether your exercise routine is focused on cardio or weight training has very little to do with whether you'll lose weight. The best training programs have elements of both aerobic and anaerobic training and the important factors for weight loss are: pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone (aka intensity), eating enough to recover (but not too much), and resting enough between your workouts. Balance these factors correctly and your metabolism will shift and the pounds will melt away.
If you just started an exercise plan or are getting your butt in
gear by working out more consistently, you may need to change how you fuel your
body to get the most out of it. Common nutrition mistakes such as drinking your
calories or eating too much post workout may be the reason why you can't lose
weight (or inches) even though you're giving it your all. Although getting fit
isn't just about the scale, it's still an important factor, so we'll break down
5 common problems—and how to fix them—to get you back on the path to results.
Problem 1: You have no idea how
many calories you're really eating
It's common to think more exercise = more calories. But if
you're trying to lose weight, you may be adding on as many calories as you're
burning—or more. "Think about the food that you're eating to fuel your
workouts and ask yourself how it fits into your total calorie allotment for the
day," advises Felicia Stoler, MS, RD, a nutritionist and exercise
physiologist. Just because you hit the cardio hard today doesn't automatically
mean you can supersize dinner. "Most people have no idea how much they're
really eating." To get honest with yourself about your calorie needs,
write down everything you eat for a day (yes,
even that handful of nuts you're holding right now) or use a site like
MyFitnessPal®. You'll probably be surprised by your final number.
Problem 2: You're hydrating
with a sports drink
If you're doing a hard, prolonged workout, then hydrating with a
sports drink can be a good thing, but for your standard, at-home program,
you're usually better off with water. Sports drinks contain about 50 calories
per 8 oz., and 14 grams of sugar (about 3.5 teaspoons). Your body will probably
burn though that in an hour-long workout, but then you won't be mobilizing fat
stores as much. As for the electrolytes, yes, an hour-long program depletes
them, but it's nothing a good recovery drink can't fix.
Problem 3: You're addicted to
that pre-workout snack
As long as they're getting enough balanced calories in their
diet, the average person should have all the glycogen stores they need to get
through an hour-long workout, even first thing in the morning. Eating something
beforehand might give your performance a little boost, but if you skip it
you're better off—teaching your body how to mobilize fat stores for energy
(just like in Problem 2). The exception to this is if you "bonk" or
run out of glycogen and blood sugar partway through your workout. When this
happens, you don't just feel a little pooped; you feel as though you've just
run into a brick wall. If this happens, 50–100 calories of simple carbs, 10
minutes before you start, should fix it. Half a banana would be ideal. If you're
looking for a boost with minimal calories, Beverly International Up Lift and
Fast Upor a strong cup of coffee are
three great ergogenic aids.
Problem 4: You're eliminating
all carbs
So many exercisers try to eliminate starchy carbs—including
whole grains and starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn—when they're trying
to lose weight. But it's water weight you're losing, not fat. Not only that,
the strategy can backfire. Depleting carbs from your diet means that you have
to tap into your lean protein stores for energy, which ultimately can decrease
your lean muscle mass. Muscle is critical for upping your metabolism—and
burning more calories even while you sit around—so you may see your weight
plateau. The lesson? Don't be afraid to incorporate some whole grains and
starchy veggies into your daily diet.
Problem 5: You're not working
out hard enough
If you notice you come home from a run only to find that you're
noticeably hungrier, consider upping the intensity of that run. A recent study
in the International Journal of
Obesity looked at sedentary, overweight men who either worked out at a
moderate pace for 30 minutes or completed a high-intensity interval workout for
the same amount of time.1 Those who did the intense interval exercise ate less at a subsequent
meal, as well as the next day. Not every workout should be an intense interval
session, but fitting in one or two a week can help turn the dial down on your
appetite.
Eliminate these problems and see if your weight loss gets back on track. If you still need help, consider making an appointment with one of our nutrition specialists here at PROMATx Health Club. Get your life back on track!!
Last week, you were feeling gung ho and ready to tackle your weight-loss goals head-on. This week? Not so much. You're tired, you're hungry, and you're aching in places you didn't even know existed. But before you lose all motivation, take heart—the second week is supposed to suck. In week two, your body is generally in a state of severe breakdown. After all, you're eating less, going hard, and your body needs some time to adapt to your new lifestyle. Here are a few slump-proof strategies for pushing through Week 2. Don't Panic if You Plateau
You've busted your butt all week and been downright virtuous about your diet. So when you hop on the scale, you're ready to see the results of your hard work. But here's the rub: During Week 2, it's not unusual to get stuck or even gain a pound or two. "As your body adjusts to exercise, cortisol—a performance-enhancing stress hormone—is released," says Edwards. "Part of cortisol's function is to promote water retention as a defense mechanism for survival. This causes you to feel puffy and gain some weight."
So, let's recap. You're achy, you're starving, and the number on the scale is now moving in the wrong direction. It's no wonder you feel discouraged and are tempted to bail altogether. But hang in there, because your body will eventually get the memo. It's a necessary part of the process. Sometime between Weeks 3 and 6, once you adapt to your exercise program, you stop producing cortisol and flush the excess water, which leads to you feeling and looking fitter, and losing some weight.
Track Progress, Not Just Weight Loss
While there's plenty of science behind your plateau, that doesn't make it any less frustrating. So when the number on the scale isn't budging, how can you tell if you're still on the right track? Start recording your healthy habits—whether that means keeping a workout log or posting Instagram shots of your meals—so you can see all the changes you've made. "Track the behavior, not the outcome," says Joshua Klapow, PhD, Chief Behavioral Scientist for the health incentive company ChipRewards and author of Living SMART: 5 Essential Skills to Change your Health Habits Forever. According to Klapow, “track the food you eat, the steps you take, and the calories you burn, and make those your markers of success." Seeing these changes can give you just enough motivation to power through this week's plateau, and Klapow says that's all that matters: "Think of motivation like a tank of gas. The tank doesn't need to be full to move, but you can't run on empty."
Focus on the Process
Sure, your biggest motivation might be squeezing into smaller jeans. But this week, it can help to focus on all the touchy-feely stuff instead. "Reframe the way you think about working out so it becomes your escape, your path to wellness, something you do for you," says Kim Chronister, PsyD, a health psychologist and author of The Psychology Behind Fitness Motivation. "Our thoughts can powerfully affect our ability to tackle a new weight-loss routine." If you're too focused on the scale, a second-week plateau may feel like a huge failure; if you focus on the "me time" you get while working out, you'll achieve that no matter what.
If that doesn't help, just acknowledge that this week won't be your favorite, and keep on trucking. "Belief in the process helps at this stage," says Edwards. "You cannot make a total body composition change without suffering through a period where all of your goals seem like they are going backwards." He compares it to scaling a mountain or running an Ironman—miserable while you're in the thick of it, but insanely rewarding once you're done. So hang in there, because it'll be next week soon enough.
Continuing from last month's guest blogging...trainer (and brand new dad) Shawn Massey writes about "Post-Pregnancy Exercise". Here's what he has to say.....
As most of you know, my wife had our first little girl a month ago. Getting back into an exercise program can be difficult after pregnancy. My wife has said that she feels like she is in a different body. Her balance is different, joints feel different, gait has changed, and taking time off has affected what she is able to do in her workouts. But like most moms, she is ready to get back into the swing of things, so for all the new moms, and soon to be new moms, here are some guidelines for re-entering the exercise world postpartum.
Generally it is safe to start exercising (other than going for walks) 4-6 weeks after you deliver, but if you have had a c-section or other complications, check with your doctor before starting back up. Your body has gone through a lot so start out slowly and be patient with yourself. Shoot for 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week including strength training and cardiovascular work. Be sure to take the time to warm-up and cool-down (5-10 minutes each), start slowly and gradually increase your intensity as you feel comfortable. Don't overdo it! Drink plenty of fluids, and stop exercising if you feel pain or if something isn't quite right.
It can be challenging to start back up as you experience hormonal changes, fatigue, and a tough schedule, but it will promote weight loss, restore strength, boost your energy, improve your mood, relieve stress, and help prevent postpartum depression. Try these exercises to get you going:
Kegels
Hip bridge
Crunches with knees elevated (calves parallel to the floor)
Plank
Burpee (or modified burpee- step out instead of jump)
Pushup or modified pushup
Stiff leg deadlift
Dips
Good luck!! Remember, you can always seek the advice of a fitness professional at PROMATx Health Club. We have plenty of "new-parent" trainers and "current-parent" trainers to guide you along and help you reach your goals. Be patient but be vigilant and you will be back in action in no time!
We are now into week 2 of the 8-week challenge from trainer, April Crosby. How did you do last week with adding 20 minutes of activity into your daily routine? Was it hard to find the time? Were you successful? Hopefully you were able to get your 20-minutes in on most of the days last week. Keep going, though, don't stop just because that week's challenge is over. The goal of this program is to improve your health and get you ready for spring!! We are hoping you will make PERMANENT lifestyle changes and not just short-term changes.
This week's challenge is about hydration. If you haven't read our previous blogs on water intake, go back and read "Water...Is it the Magic Pill for Weight Loss?" and "I Don't Like the Taste of Water - Do You?" before continuing with this week's challenge. These blogs will give you a little better perspective on the importance of water and hydration. With that being said, let's move on to this week's challenge. Most Americans are in a constant state of dehydration due to the over-consumption of soft drinks/caffeinated drinks and sports or energy drinks. How often do you drink just plain ol' water? Our body's are made up of approximately 60% water. Our brains are comprised of almost 70% water and lungs are nearly 90% water. Without the proper hydration level, our bodies do not function at their peak performance. More importantly, if you are dehydrated, you are not an efficient "fat-burning" machine. So what is April asking of you this week? In short, she wants you to increase your water intake. Your goal is to consume half of your body weight in ounces of water daily. For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, you will need to drink 100 ounces of water. That's about 6 small water bottles a day. First of all, don't panic. If you are not up to speed on your water intake, start with baby steps in the beginning of this week. The first couple of days, drink 25% of your weight in ounces of water. In our example above, that would equate to 3 small bottles or 50 ounces of water. Work your way up to half of your body weight of ounces. You will be amazed at how much better you feel when your body is fully hydrated! Your mind will be more clear, you'll have more energy, and most importantly your body will function as it should!!
So this week, keep up with your daily 20-minutes of physical activity and keep a water bottle with you all day. Remember, we are looking for plain ol' water...not "vitamin" water or anything with additives in it. You can add fresh fruit to your water to "spice" it up a bit but that's it! Keep track of your water intake on your smart phone or in a journal. Start small and work your way up. Let's make your body an efficient fat-burning machine so you can either lose those extra pounds or to keep them off permanently!! Good luck and keep us posted on this blog or on Facebook.
Here we are in the first week of April already. The first quarter of this year is gone...what have you accomplished? Hopefully the new goals you set for yourself in January are till going strong. Or are they? Did you forget about them? Well, one of our trainers, April Crosby, is here to help you get back on track. She is starting an 8-week challenge to help you get back on track and to get your body (and mind) ready for spring.
Here's how it works. Each week starting on April 8th, April will post a blog challenge for you to complete each week. It may be related to nutrition, stress management, exercise, or general well-being. These challenges will also be posted on our Facebook page so be sure to check out "PROMATx Trainers" and become friends with us. In each of these weekly challenges, April will challenge you to do something daily for the week. We encourage you to post your successes on our Facebook page or comment on the weekly blog challenge. Let us know how you did and what struggles you are having. As part of our fitness family, we want you to be successful so let us help you get back on track!!! Stay tuned on Monday for your first challenge from April!! Good luck!!
In this day and age, the majority of Americans are on (or have been on) a diet. Our society has lost focus on prevention of obesity and we must rely on the treatment instead. Calorie-cutting has been a way of life for a lot of people recently. Today's blog is going to address the issue of "calorie shifting" or as many know it, "cheat day". There are mixed reviews on the topic of calorie shifting. Some experts feel that a "cheat day" may lead to overindulging and will break the cycle of healthy eating while others agree that a day to enjoy some of the less healthier foods you used to eat will help keep you on track and reduce the tight structure of a diet.
In order for weight loss to a permanent solution, you must first eliminate the word "diet" from your vocabulary. Just saying the word "diet" promotes negative connotations. Most people assume they have to eat just vegetables/salad and drink water and that's all they can have. Say the word "diet" in a crowded room and see how many people walk away from you. Or better yet, see how many people flock to you to tell you horror stories on their past experiences with dieting. Dieting has a temporary status attached to it. Most people will tell you how many diets they have been on in their lifetime and how they always gained the weight right back. Instead, think about making a lifestyle change. A permanent lifestyle change. Something that will last and will keep you healthy for the rest of your life. Now let's talk about calorie shifting or having a "cheat day" built into your new lifestyle change. Restricting your calorie intake is difficult enough by itself. Preventing yourself from having those foods you used to enjoy is difficult to maintain. That's where calorie shifting comes into play. Totally denying yourself of certain foods/drinks makes the brain think about those items more often. If they are always on your mind, you are more likely to "fall off the wagon" and gorge on those foods. But what if you allow yourself a portion of your calorie intake to include some of those foods? Your mind (and taste buds) will be satisfied and you will be more likely to continue with your newly found, healthy choices. For some, you may even find that food to be "gross" after changing to healthier foods. However, there is a dark side to calorie shifting. You must take into consideration your personality and behavior traits. If you are the type of person who tends to be a little more obsessive, calorie shifting might not be the way to go.
So what's the best thing to do? First of all, you will need to change your eating habits and clean out your nutrition plan significantly in the first 30-60 days. That means you will need to stay away from those "cheat" foods. Next you should take into consideration whether calorie shifting is the way to go for your behavior traits. Don't try to tackle weight loss on your own. Seek out the advice of weight loss professionals. And, by "professionals", I don't mean people who have yo-yo dieted their way through life. Seek out certified/degreed nutrition specialists for advice and guidance through your weight loss journey. There's more to it than just calorie restriction. Final thoughts....this blog may have been a little wishy-washy in terms of what we think about calorie shifting but just keep in mind that you need to make these permanent lifestyle changes in order for weight loss to be successful. Surround yourself with healthy people and healthy habits and you will reap the benefits in the long run.
Here's another blog entry from our guest blogger this month, Caitlin Massey.
It's no secret that portion sizes
are growing larger and larger, but studies have shown that they have enlarged
between two and five times what they should be! Cornell University studies
conclude that the average calorie count per serving has increased 63% in the
last 70 years. It's no wonder that American's average weight has also increased
along with it. If you are trying to shed a few pounds or are stuck on a
plateau, take a look at your portions. Larger size bowls and plates often skew
our idea of what a proper serving is, so be sure to read the label for the
serving size of the food you are eating. If your cereal says 1 serving is ¾ cup,
measure it out before you put it in the bowl to get an accurate understanding
of the energy you are consuming. Also don't assume that just because something is
small it doesn't have many calories. Measure and count it out! Even
underestimating your calories by 100 per meal/snack can break your weight loss
efforts (100 calories x 3 meals and 2 snacks = a 500 calorie underestimation
which is 1lb a week!).Also, try to
avoid drinking your calories. The University of Kansas Medical Center has
concluded that consuming liquid calories is correlated to post-meal hunger.
This is because getting calories from solid food versus liquids reduces ghrelin
(your hunger-producing hormone), meaning your desire to eat will be less intense
which typically results in smaller portion sizes. So get meticulous (at least
for a while until you can spot the correct portion sizes you should be
consuming) and start seeing better results!!
I can't tell you how many times I've heard some of my training clients say "I work out so hard with you and I eat right...so why is the scale not changing??". First of all, nutrition is a HUGE component of weight loss and although many people feel they are eating "right", they may still be lacking in well-rounded, nutritious meals/snacks. Second, which is the focus of today's blog, think about how active you are (or are not) when you are not in the gym working out (with or without a trainer). Granted you may be busting it during your 30-minute session, 2-3 times per week with your trainer. However, that is only 60-90 minutes of the 10,080 minutes in the week (roughly 0.6-0.9% of the week). What are you doing the other approximately 960 minutes in the day when you are awake? Here's what I am getting at...the average person sits 9.3 hours a day. So even if you are a competitive athlete doing "two-a-day" workouts, it is still possible to lead a sedentary lifestyle.
It's time to take inventory of your activity levels in a 24-hour period. When you subtract out time for good, quality sleep, that will leave you with around 14-16 hours. Granted you may have a job that requires you to sit through most of your work day. However, unless your job physically requires you to stay tethered to your desk (i.e., call centers), then you still have the opportunity to add activity to your day. As time evolves, we spend less time moving the muscles in our body. Our grandparents and great-grandparents lived more physical lives than we do now. Yes, technology was virtually non-existent when they were growing up, but is there too much technology in your life? We don't have to use our muscles to open the garage door, to lower a car window, to change the channel on the television, or even get a message to a co-worker down the hall. Technology has made all of that (and more) easier for us but it is taking away our ability to be physically active. Once you look at how many hours are left in your day after sleeping, think about how you can make your day more active. Walk down the hall to talk to a co-worker instead of sending an e-mail or instant message; stand (and pace) when talking on the phone; hang your laundry outside instead of throwing it in the dryer; bike to work; walk to the store around the corner instead of driving. Put the computer/tablet/smart phone down and go outside and play with your kids or dog(s).
Burn more calories throughout your day and, in conjunction with a sound nutrition plan and regular exercise, you will see changes in your body. Don't sit and "weight"...instead stand and lose! One of the few times you'll hear me say that being a "loser" is a good thing! Get up and get active. Your health and your waistline will benefit.
Here is the final entry in our guest blogger series for this month from Carrie Covington. Remember, go back and check out Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 before reading this blog.
You are making it worse.
If you had a disease and your doctor told you that you could
take this certain medicine but it would actually make the disease worse, would
you do it? I can guess everyone answered "no". Dieting is the same way. It is not
a cure to our weight problem; it is part of the problem.
Tip #5:Stop going on diets. Educate yourself on nutrients.
Learn what you need and when you need it. The key to losing weight is changing
your metabolism to burn more calories than you take in. Diets do the exact opposite.
When you restrict your calories too much, your metabolism slows down because your
body goes into “starvation mode”. This is a defense mechanism that allows our
bodies to survive on less. Your body will start using lean muscle as an energy
source and it will protect the fat stores. The less muscle we have, the lower our
metabolic rate will be and the less calories we burn. On the flip side for every pound
of muscle you have, you will burn 50 more calories.
If you are unclear on what a good nutrition plan
is then seek help. Find a professional that can help you with a meal plan to help you lose weight without restriction. Include foods you enjoy and get
plenty of variety. Combine your meal plan with a balanced exercise program and
you will become healthy with the side effect of weight loss.
Remember, the staff at PROMATx Health Club are here to help you but you have to take the first step. Make an appointment today to talk with our nutrition specialist. Find out how we can get you back on track and help you lose the weight. Then work with one of our trainers to get your body back in tip-top shape. You won't regret it...but you will have to work at it!!
Continuing with our guest blogger series from Carrie Covington, here is Part 3 of "Weight Loss Tips". If you missed the previous entries, check out Part 1 and Part 2 before continuing to read this blog.
There is no wagon to fall off or track to get on…
We have to change our relationship with food to have
permanent weight loss. I am sure there are some foods you feel like you can’t
ever have if you want to lose weight and keep it off. You may even label every
food as “good” or “bad”. I can relate…I was once there. It was torture to
always wish I could eat anything I wanted. In reality, I can and you can.
Tip#3: Get rid of the guilt and get rid of labels. There is
no wagon to fall off of or a track to get back on…be where you are! We are
completely in control of what we put in our mouth and, in moderation, everything is OK. Learning a proper portion can help you feel that you can eat foods you may
label as “bad”. It is more about being
in a place that you want the healthier choices because you know it is better
for you. Hear this. You are in control of your choices, they are not in control
of you...although sometimes the vicious cycle makes you feel that way.
Tip #4: Learn to have emotion. A poor
relationship with food will often result in emotional eating. When you are
motivated, you will replace the bag of chips or gallon of ice cream at bedtime
with carrots and fat free dip but what is more important is finding what void your eating is filling and fill the void. Emotional eating is a hard habit to break
and an easy one to fall back into. From birth we are comforted with food from
the bottle to the suckers at the doctor’s office. So give yourself slack if you
struggle in this area, it is how we are programmed. However, if you want to
have permanent weight loss you need to fill the emotional void without feeding the
emotion. If you are tired, sleep don’t eat. If you are sad, what can you do to
cheer up? If you are stressed, learn stress management tools. If you are bored,
then finish one of the hundreds of projects that you have started. Emotional
eating will sabotage your weight loss. Again remember Tip #1: weight loss is NOT
mindless. Learning to have emotion is healthy...stop trying to numb it!
Hopefully you have had a chance to read "Part 1" of this series this month. If not, take a moment and go back and read "Weight Loss Tips (Part 1)". So here is part 2 of the series from Carrie Covington.
Tell me if you can relate…
How many times have you had "THE TIME" you're motivated,
encouraged, you have a great plan and then you get into your life and just
can’t make it work or just don’t know what to do? Sure, you have a great plan -
set small goals, eat this, do that, blah, blah, blah…but when the reality hits
that you have to do it AND follow it, you just don’t.
Tip #2: You must want it and you must know exactly
what you want. If you are perfectly content, stop complaining and be thankful.
But, if you are in a place that you so desperately do not want to be, you will
do whatever it takes to not be there. Having a powerful reason to lose the
weight is crucial. I have found that wanting to be a size "X" is not always enough
to keep you motivated. However, wanting to feel confident, being included in
the family pictures, or being able to have energy to play with your kids is enough.
Some questions to ask yourself would be…
What are you missing out on because of
your weight?
What would your life look like if you were "X" pounds lighter?
What
activities would you be doing that you are not doing now?
What is it that you
want that you don’t have?
If you don’t lose the weight what will happen?
Once
you have your reason, create your statement. Use verbs such as I will, I can,
and I am. By changing the way you think you will take more positive actions. Forget
the past, it will only hold you back, keep your eyes forward pressing towards
your goal.
Stay tuned for "Part 3" of this series. In the meantime, if you need assistance getting started, call or stop by PROMATx Health Club and make an appointment with Carrie or our nutrition specialist so that we can help you lose the weight and be more confident. Don't wait...we are here to help!
Hi, I’m Carrie. I have been working out for 20 years now and
in the industry as a fitness professional for 17 years with a degree in Kinesiology
from the University of Kentucky. In 2001, I became a founding partner of PROMATx
Health Club. Working in several
different gyms in Lexington, we saw that the industry catered to the fit more than
the unfit. PROMATx was founded to provide a non-intimidating, friendly, and
family-oriented atmosphere where real people feel comfortable to workout. It was our
mission to provide this space so that lives can be changed and memberships are
used instead of wasted. My personal passion is to help empower women to find
freedom from the mental exhaustion that comes from counting calories in versus
calories out, comparing their body to others, and most of all missing out on
LIFE! Over the years, I have watched countless women search for the "secret
formula" to weight loss success. They look for an easy solution that will melt
away the pounds without changing the way they eat, the way they think, or by adding more activity. As a former searcher I can tell you there is NO
SECRET! Weight loss is hard and permanent weight loss is about changing
everything. During the month of September, I will be coaching you and sharing my top 5 tips to stop the search for the secret to “get and stay skinny” and commit to a
lifestyle change.
Tip #1: Weight loss is NOT mindless. It is
actually the opposite…it is very mindful. You must have a plan and you must
follow the plan to see results. Once you have a plan you need to think through
all the obstacles that WILL come. Life doesn’t always go how we plan so having
strategies for the obstacles that come is a must. I suggest looking back on the
past attempts to lose weight and see what kept you from success as well as think
ahead to what obligations you have. Make a list and have a plan to execute when
life doesn’t go as planned. The more time you spend on the plan the more empowered
you will feel when you overcome an obstacle to your success.
Stay tuned later this week for another "Tip from Carrie".
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