Do you want to "CHANGE?"

I hear people tell me every day how they want to change. They want to eat better. They want to work out more. They want to be healthy. They want to set a better example for their children. They want to look in the mirror and be content. 

Sometimes I hear the same thing from the same people year after year. It makes me sad AND mad.  I hear all the excuses. ALL OF THEM. They are just that! Excuses. You give me an excuse and I will tell you how to get past it. I will show you an example of someone who has far more reason to quit or never start BUT did it anyway. Our society has got to get past their excuses and JUST DO IT!! If it is important enough to want to change it in the first place, it is important enough to not give up on. 

Easy was never guaranteed. Easy is sitting on the couch feeling sorry for yourself and making excuses on why you can't or don't have time for change instead of just doing it. 

I want to help you! I want to motivate you and push you! I want you to see how much better your life will be once you make the changes you want. So stop the excuses! Ask for help. Don't wait until tomorrow when you can talk yourself out of it or make up another excuse on why not to do it. Start Today! START NOW! You are important. You can do it. You just have to want it bad enough. 

Day 1 "8 Week Lean Out"

So today I started my 8 week lean out. My goal is to lose 10 pounds by the end of September while losing minimal muscle. I will do this by having a strictly clean diet and slowly increasing my cardio each week. I will continue my strength training. My Beginning weight is145, approximately 18% body fat.  Stay tuned for my beginning picture. 

Today's Workout:

Legs 

10 minutes uphill fast walk

Squats  (4 sets of 10) superset popsquats (4 sets of 20)

Deadlift (4 sets of 10) SS weighted princess lunges (4 sets of 20 each leg)

Reverse hacksquat 4 sets of 12 at 100 lbs

Abductor & Adductor 4 sets of 20 with 10 sec hold 

Shoulders

The secret to a good workout is intensity.  Keep rest between sets to a minimum (20-45 seconds). 

Shoulder Press 3 sets of 10-12 heavy 

SUPERSET: (4 sets of 15-20)

Cable Rope Pull Through

Lateral Dumbbell Raise

Face Pulls

Land mines 3 sets 10-12

Upright Row 3 sets 15-20

Workout Schedule

In order to design a workout schedule, you need to set goals. 

My goals are to lean and increase muscle mass in my legs, shoulders and lats. I am in a so called bulking phase, so I only do 30 minutes of cardio 3x per week (if that).  I am mostly weight training. Here is my schedule:

MONDAY: Quads, hamstring and glutes

TUESDAY: Shoulders

WEDNESDAY: Back & Abs

THURSDAY: Legs

FRIDAY: Shoulders

SATURDAY: Biceps, Triceps, Abs

SUNDAY: REST or Cardio

(Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday are interchangeable) 

I have been very happy with my progress. I am adding 100 calories per week to my "diet" and still losing an average of 1 lb per week. 

My body fat decreased by 1% in the last month even though I am eating 300-400 calories more per day. (Currently at 1900 calories per day: 38% carb & protein 24% fat.)

Set goals and stick with them. Don't expect results overnight...it took years to put that weight on and it will take some time to get it off. 

How Many Calories?

I get asked alllll the time "how many calories should I eat?"

The answer to this question is way more complex than most people imagine. But it needs to be made clear that there is no set number. I want to break it down a little for you to think about.  The first thing you need to answer:

#1 What are your goals? 

Are you trying to lose weight? Gain weight? Maintain your current weight?

#2 What is your activity level? The more active you are the more calories you need to eat. Even if you are trying to lose weight, you need enough calories to fuel your workouts!

#3 What body type do you want? Skinny? Muscular? Soft? Hard? 

#4 Do you know how to and are you willing to count calories? This is the most frustrating part. I have never met anyone who could correctly guess how many calories they eat per day. (Unless they have counted before and keep to strict eating habits) You can play the guessing game and eat more or less based on what the scale says. This is absurd if you have actual goals and are serious about getting "in shape."

#5 (I think this is most important) What kinds of food are you eating. Calories are not all the same!! A 500 calorie hamburger and 500 calories of grilled chicken are NOT the same. The burger is wasted non satiating calories. The chicken will fill you up and is healthy for your body. Fruit is healthy, but it has carbs and carbs are sugar. If all you eat all day are fruits (sugar) your body is still treating it as sugar. Avacado and Almonds have fat but they are good fats that your body needs to function efficiently. Get the point? 

Caloric needs vary from person to person based on age, gender, activity level, etc. etc. Also, caloric needs do not stay the same. As you gain muscle and/or lose weight, your caloric needs change. When you gain muscle and your metabolism speeds up you may need more calories.  

Every person is different. 

Counting calories also makes you aware of what you are actually putting in your body on a daily basis. A mocha latte for breakfast, a few chips here and a small piece of chocolate there all add up and your calorie goal is now over by 500 calories per day. Over a period of a week, that adds up to a pound. Over the period of a year that is 52 lbs. "I go to the gym so it's ok" you say. Going to the gym is barely touching those 500 calories. So you can forget about getting in shape!!  You are merely exercising to not get obese. 

Are you serious about learning how to get in shape and how much and what you should be eating to reach your goals? I would love to help! Tried and tested. I have become a master of my body and can help teach you how to learn what your body needs. Notice I did not say I know what is best for your body. I said I will help teach you the tools to determine what you need to reach your goals.  We have to listen to our body. Eating healthy foods, drinking plenty of water and getting enough exercise and enough sleep will CHANGE your life!! Hit me up!! Be FIT FOR FUN, fit for life. Healthy is a lifestyle NOT a fad ❤️❤️❤️

Glute Hamstring Workout

=

3-4 sets to failure! 

What I have learned...

1.       The scale is just a number. Don’t let it define you.  Keep pictures and measure your body fat monthly to get an accurate measure of progress.

2.       The more activity you do the more you should eat.  Know your “maintain” calories number. On days you work out, add 100-200 calories.  If you are only eating 1200 calories, you are starving your body and will never reach and maintain your goals.

3.       LIFTING WEIGHTS WON'T MAKE YOU BULKY! You will get lean and strong. Feeling strong is very empowering. Looking lean feels way better than any food tastes.

4.       If you are not sore, you most likely did not work out hard enough.  Add weight and try less rest between sets.

5.       Learn to cook yummy healthy food. The options are endless.

6.       Fruit has Carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are sugar.  More Fruit=More Sugar

7.       You don’t have to eat clean 100% of the time. Try 1 cheat meal per week.

8.       You will fail. Get over it and get moving again.

9.       The process is ever changing. Love the Process. Love your body.

10.   There is no magic pill. Trust me I would have found it.  It takes hard work and will power. Healthy is not a trend, it is a lifestyle.