Many of us have fitness goals but don’t know where to start or how to go about the process of achieving them. Let’s start with your current eating habits. How many meals do eat per day? How much fat, sweet and calorie dense foods (dressings, syrups etc) are you eating? I know that's a lot of data, but a brief and concise answer to these questions will put you on the right path to a better eating lifestyle.
What are your weak spots? As in fats and sweets; For example, salad dressings, cupcakes, ice-cream, sour cream and cheddar ruffles? Identify these and you'll have a great place to start cutting out foods that don't support your fitness goals. Cutting out these foods is key in losing fat and building a leaner physique. Remember, once you get your eating lifestyle in order, the aforementioned foods can be eaten in moderation. Developing an eating lifestyle that is healthy but enjoyable is a major key.
If you're just noticing how bad your eating habits are, don't worry you're going to do better. Also, I like to tell people that there's always more than one way to get to a personal goal. One way may work better than another depending on the individual. And sometimes multiple ways may work for one person and it will just be a matter of preference. Finding the method/style that works best for you is part of the journey!
When it comes to fats and sweets i.e. pastries, I would suggest eliminating them all together for 30 days. Then gradually introducing them back as a moderated reward maybe once a week. Like a cheat snack., which will also help with cravings. I would suggest no fried foods for the first 30 days. And reintroducing them back in as a cheat meal once weekly to keep it a little fun taste bud wise. Initially I would suggest. Cleaning up your current foods. For instance, using low calorie balsamic dressing instead of the regular type. Furthermore, eating salads without dressing and adding some additional seasonings for flavor is another way to keep it tasty.
Nows as far as proportions. I think the simplest way to start would be to have a serving of protein 4-6 ounces (clean). Carbs are ok in moderation (they are an energy source for workouts), 1/2 cup or less on average (carb and fat moderation is highly important). When it comes to your green/vegetable portions you can pretty much eat until you face turns green.. Lol.. You can have as much vegetables as you want. They are nutrient dense, extremely low in calories and also filling.
One of your meals can be replaced with a protein shake. Notice I didn’t specify the number of meals. This is because it can vary depending on each individual and their personal goals. However, three moderate sized meals with a snack is a good place to start. Two moderate sized meals and a snack is a more aggressive approach we can discuss later. The key is to get started. I don't know what your cooking style is like but that will determine if you need to look at your current recipes and maybe add some new ones. There are other advanced eating lifestyles such as counting calories and finding your base line calories and then cutting from there. But that's something I would suggest later in the game, not initially. However, keeping a track of your weight on a weekly basis will be your indication to scale back on your proportions and or specific foods (oils dressings and other calorie dense foods) etc.
Now let’s approach your workout lifestyle. What is your personal schedule like? Do you work, if so what hours? When are your days off; free time etc? Use this information to design a workout routine around your current schedule to make it work for you is key.
As you may know, there are thousands of workout routines to choose from. Being bombarded with them all can be overwhelming. So a basic foundation of what you want (goal physique, goal weight etc) is key; then work from there. I usually start out by suggesting a routine that includes regular cardio, then advances to high intensity cardio so that you can build stamina and endurance and it also helps with confidence (the mental aspect of training). I also suggest that the routine includes strength training as well, because this will keep a balanced body composition (muscle vs fat). I like to explain this as a muscle to fat trade off. Which basically means you'll create underlying curves as you progress. Over the course of your journey of losing weight a balanced physique and look is a great goal. You don't want to lose so much weight and there's nothing underneath but lose skin, that's why it's important to work on strength training as well. The increased muscle tone, density and size is where the curves come from. If there was no mountain under the snow what would people ski on?
So you may be wondering how your gym schedule should look. It can look a number of ways. We can try and see what works best for you. Sometimes it's about finding your own bodies sweet spot. First, I would suggest three workouts per week minimally, but four on average. If things get hectic in your personal life we can live with three. Then back to four on average. It’s always good to work some flexibility into your routine. I'd suggest starting with two upper body days, two lower body days and 20 to 30 minutes of cardio during three or the four workouts. Complete your workout first then do cardio (when doing them cardio and weight training in the same session). Reason being that cardio can drain energy and decrease the intensity of your weight training session.
You could also break the cardio session up if you have a flexible schedule. For example, doing 30 minutes of cardio at the top of your morning. Then going in for a strength training workout late afternoon etc. I would suggest breaking it up initially to allow your body to adjust (if needed).
In closing, fitness can be both an art and a science. Get your mind ready to change the way you think about fitness and you can transform both your body and life. You have to adopt an entirely different paradigm and mindset when it comes to fitness and it will make a world of difference. Your goals are achievable and there is more than one way to get there. Just get started the you will find what works best for you!
