Aerobic Training
Perform 30 minutes of some kind of aerobic training each day. Best time to do your aerobic training is on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning or after your weight training, as this will ensure glycogen stores are depleted, leaving fat as the primary fuel source for exercise.
Refuel Meal
One scheduled “refuel” meal per week is a great way to stay sane and keep your metabolism elevated. Keep in mind, here we refer to this meal as a “refuel”, you may have heard it referred to as a “cheat meal” but I prefer “refuel” as this meal is meant to refuel you mentally and physically, rather than used as an all out “cheat” or also known as binge…To ensure positive results from this strategy, I suggest you stick with a meal that may not be on your current menu but is still a healthy choice. For example, if you are craving pizza, that is just fine. I suggest you opt for whole wheat crust and go for the thin crust over thick. Another great option is pasta, again opting for whole wheat, if available. A refuel meal is intended to allow you some flexibility and to be able to let lose a bit. It is a great way to stay in the game mentally and physically! My favorite Refuel Meal is Sushi with red wine and maybe a frozen yogurt for dessert! Of course, sushi isn’t sushi without the rice so I would go for the real rolls but stay away from the crazy sauces.
Dietary Plan
In order to be successful, it is imperative to have a plan, which includes a dietary plan. Using the word “diet” is inappropriate. A dietary plan gives you a blueprint for success, mapping out the macro and micro nutrients, the timing of your meals each day and most of all a great overall structure you can refer to.
Eat 5-7 Small Meals Per Day
Eating 5-7 small meals per day ensures that your metabolism stays elevated by forcing your body to process nutrients on a regular basis. I always use the analogy of a furnace. Imagine your body as a furnace. You constantly have to give it fuel (food) to keep the fire (metabolism) burning. Once you are low on fuel, the fire starts to slow down and eventually burnout. They key to weight loss is keeping your metabolism sparked up and consistently burning, throughout the day. By eating smaller meals you also limit eating more calories than your body can process per sitting, minimizing fat storage. I am sure you can recall those times you are ravenous and want to eat anything and everything you lay eyes on. When you are eating small frequent meals, you never allow yourself to get to the point of wanting to eat everything in sight.
Frequency
Along with your nutritional plan, cardiovascular and resistance training is another way to keep your metabolism going strong throughout the day. Not only do you burn calories while you are working out but your body continues to burn calories throughout the day. The more frequently you train, the more of a caloric demand you put on your body, which creates a need to utilize calories more efficiently and frequently. Typical cardio and weight training program should consist of 4-5 days per week, mixing up a variety of weight training variations and various cardiovascular activities.
Plyometric Training
Plyometric Training exercise is a great addition to your weight baring exercise program. This form of exercise can greatly increase athletic performance, strength, speed, agility, and power. Use plyometric training to create strong, explosive bursts of movement in a short amount of time. Jump squats and side lateral squats off a block are great ways to add variety into your weight training. Plyometric training also keeps your heart rate up during your training program, which helps with alternative cardiovascular performance along with keeping your body in a fast pace, fat burning zone.
Goal Setting
The first step to any aspiration is setting a goal. In order to be successful, you need to define what it is you are working to achieve and accomplish. Not only does defining your goal allow you to stay focused but also it limits your mind from distraction and questioning. The biggest success is seeing your goal through. The sense of accomplishment you gain from knowing that you set your heart on something and did it, is indescribable! Not only are short-term goals essential but long-term goals are just as important. Set up daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals for yourself and monitor them on a consistent basis.
Heart Rate
In order to utilize body fat as your primary fuel source during cardiovascular training, it is best to keep your heart rate at 65-70% of your maximum heart rate (MHR). To determine MHR, simply subtract your age from 220. Now, multiply this number by 0.65 and 0.70 to establish your heart rate range while you’re doing cardio.
With this being said, incorporating higher intensity cardio sessions is a great way to mix things up and constantly offer your body change! Change is key!!!
Journals
Journals are a must in order to gage your success. Journals have helped me significantly. They are not only great to ensure you are staying on track but are great to refer back to at future dates. A training journal provides you the ability to gauge progress, mishaps and forces you to ensure your intensity is remaining at a steady pace. A food journal forces us to be honest with our true nutrient consumption. We often don’t realize just what we are putting our mouths until we write everything down. Try writing down everything you put into your mouth for one week and you will be surprised just how many calories you didn’t realize you were in taking. When you journalize, you not only are able to keep track of how you achieved your goals but also the ability to analyze times of failure or hardships. I always like to learn from my past. It is smart to refer back to things that worked or may not have worked, things that made you feel good or sometimes you can pick up on things that did not make you feel so hot.
Log In to your OWN personal Log HERE and start tracking your progress.
Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated Fats
Monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fats are “good”/ “healthy” fats. These fats are liquid at room temperature and help lower LDL (“bad” cholesterol) in the blood, which can decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease and increase HDL (“good” cholesterol). Olive oil, flaxseed oil and sunflower oil are all sources of monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats can be found mostly in grain products, fish and seafood. It is important to include them as part of a balanced diet. Keep in mind, it is a misconception that fats make you fat. You need fats to burn fats, but it is the type of fats you intake that will determine your success!
Negative Thoughts
Success is directly related to your state of being. Your mental thoughts and how you think inversely effects your success and achieving your goals. In order to stay on track with achieving your goals you MUST maintain a positive mindset. Remember the glass if half full theory we utilize?! The power of the mind is amazing and has the ability to determine outcomes of situations. In order to stay on track and moving in the right direction, negative thoughts only hinder your success. You must remain positive, removing all negative thoughts and influences in your life, envisioning your future success and achieving your goal. I use the typewriter as an analogy. Imagine your mind as a typewriter and as soon as a negative thought comes into your mind, immediately erase that thought and replace it with a positive one. I have used mental and visual exercises to help me stay on track and accomplishing my goals. At times, you may feel that your thoughts are not detrimental to your success but I promise that they can be. They can be your best friend or your worst enemy. The key is to stay positive and always see your glass as half full. Try making a visualization board with all your goals and dreams. Wake up to your board every morning and hang it where you can visually see it throughout the day. BELIVE IN YOURSELF because you absolutely can do anything you set your mind and heart to!
Rest
Though rest may seem quite trivial, it is an overlooked aspect of fitness. When you sleep, especially during deep R.E.M. sleep, your body replenishes hormone levels, which is necessary for muscle recovery and repair. In addition to maximizing recovery, a good night’s rest will also improve memory and can prevent the onset of depression. Remember, sleep is just as important as your daily nutritional and training program!
Stretching
Stretching is defined as the deliberate lengthening of a muscle. When we stretch our muscles, muscle flexibility is increased, range of motion of joints is improved, delayed-onset muscle soreness is slowed and muscle soreness due to training is significantly decreased. It’s a great idea to build stretching into your workout.
Toning
It’s important to understand that toning involves weight training. To develop good muscular “tone”, you need to weight train, which will develop the muscle tissue and give it a defined shape. If “toning” is your goal, try to perform 3 exercises per body part, 4 sets per exercise and 12-15 repetitions per set. Ladies, you will NOT get big from lifting weights, rather you will obtain the body you desire!
Under-eating
Just as over-eating can be detrimental, so can under-eating. When we under-eat, we deprive ourselves of essential nutrients, which can lead to malnourishment. Under-eating also decreases metabolic rate by “tricking” the body into thinking that it’s starving, which results in the calories consumed being stored as fat. Under eating is NOT the answer to a successful weight loss program. You need to eat to lose weight!
Water
To ensure proper hydration, performance and existence of life, water is essential. If you wait to drink water until you are thirsty, you are too late, as dehydration has already begun. A good rule of thumb to follow is to sip water continuously throughout the day, by consuming at least 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water. For example, if you weight 150 pounds, you should aim to drink at least 75 ounces of water a day. I would aim for more, if you are working out, but that is a rule of thumb. My goal on a daily basis is to aim for 3/4-1 gallon a day!
No Calorie Sweeteners
No calorie sweeteners are used to limit calorie consumption and satisfy that sweet craving you often have but don’t want to give into. It’s important to read labels and be weary of your artificial sweetener consumption as overuse can potentially lead to stomach discomfort, bloating and diarrhea. If you are going to use no calorie sweeteners, I suggest using a natural form such as Stevia.
Yoga
There are many forms of yoga, but all have the similar goal of controlling the body and mind. Positive benefits of yoga include improved flexibility, increased lubrication of connective tissue and enhanced toning of muscle tissue. In addition, yoga is an excellent way to relax and promote the reduction of stress.
