I recently started working out, AGAIN. This time is different. Doesn't everyone say that? No, for real, this really is something different for me. I have never worked out like this before, and I have to say that it is more possible than any other workout program I have tried. The way this workout program is designed, it's easy to stick with, and the goals are completely attainable. Please click on the title of this post to find out more, but let me share with you what I have been doing.
First of all, my eating habits have changed. I started with making a list of my current eating habits and then making an "opposite" list containing my goals. For example:
CURRENT: 3 meals a day
Breakfast: Bacon, Egg & Cheese on a Bagel
Lunch: Bacon Cheeseburger, Fries, Root Beer
Dinner: Chicken Fried Steak, Mashed Potatoes w/ Gravy, Corn, Roll
GOAL: 6 meals a day
Eating for Life Program
Breakfast: Oat Bran Flakes w/ Skim Milk, Scrambled Eggs w/ Salsa, Glass of Orange Juice
Mid-Meal: Strawberry Banana Smoothie
Lunch: Tuna Sandwich on Whole Wheat Toast w/ Light Mayo, Side of Cottage Cheese
Mid-Meal: Fruit Bowl (Cantaloupe & Strawberries)
Dinner: Taco Pasta Salad
Dessert: Banana Cream Pudding
Then I made a list of my current level of exercise/activity and another "opposite" list:
CURRENT:
Zero cardiovascular activity, zero weight training
7 hours of sleep
2-3 bottles of water a day
GOAL:
Body for Life Program
20 min. of cardiovascular activity 3 days a week, alternate upper/lower body weight training
8 hours of sleep
8-10 bottles of water a day
THAT'S IT!
So, this is a typical day/week for me:
5:00am—Get up & ready for workout
5:30am—Get to the Y
6:00am—Leave Y (on cardio days)
6:30am—Leave Y (on weight lifting days)
7:00am—Eat Breakfast
9:30am—Mid-Meal
11:00am—Eat Lunch
3:30pm—Mid-Meal
5:00-6:00pm—Dinner & Dessert
9:00pm—Go to Bed
Here is my typical workout routine (feel free to use this):
Cardio (20 minutes, 3 days a week):Elliptical Trainer (10 min.)
Stationary Bike (10 min.)
Upper Body (alternate):
Shoulder Press
Chest Press
Tricep Press
Bicep Curl
Lat Pull Downs (Back)
Lower Body (alternate):
Leg Press
Calve Press
Quad Raise
Hamstring Lift
Inner Thigh
Outer Thigh
Lunges (5 lb. weight) 24 on each leg
Abs (alternate):
Ab Video
Side Bends
Reps—12, 10, 8, 6, 12, 12 = 60 reps on each exercise (3 sets)
Weight—lowest weight, lowest-medium weight, medium weight, highest weight
So far, it's working out great! Mentally, it's a lot easier to handle cardio 3 times a week, every other day, instead of every day. It's also a lot less stress on your muscles to alternate the areas you work with periods of rest in between.
Here is the basic principle of the whole thing: You cannot expect to lose weight without cardio exercise, and you cannot expect to endure through cardio exercise unless you properly fuel your body. So, you must feed your body well and often, and you must get up and move around regularly. You can't have one without the other. You can't just tone and eat all you want, and you can't run yourself to death and not eat at all. Get it?
In our society today, when we hear the word "diet" we think: "I've got to eat less, and exercise more." or else we look at ourselves in the mirror and say, "I need to lose weight, I better stop eating and start working out." Many times, this mindset leads to eating less and less frequently + starting an intense workout program = no energy + no motivation to work out = early burnout/quitting workout program. Does that make sense? In order for your body to workout, exercise, or handle any type of physical activity, you've got to fuel it just like you would a car. You wouldn't pour rocks, mud, gravel, and gunk into your car's gas tank and expect it to run right, would ya? It's the same with your body. You've got to fill it WELL if you expect it to run its best. So, forget all those fad diets that are starving you and start eating right! Check out Eating for Life at the link on the right, and Body for Life, by clicking the title of this post and get going!
First of all, my eating habits have changed. I started with making a list of my current eating habits and then making an "opposite" list containing my goals. For example:
CURRENT: 3 meals a day
Breakfast: Bacon, Egg & Cheese on a Bagel
Lunch: Bacon Cheeseburger, Fries, Root Beer
Dinner: Chicken Fried Steak, Mashed Potatoes w/ Gravy, Corn, Roll
GOAL: 6 meals a day
Eating for Life Program
Breakfast: Oat Bran Flakes w/ Skim Milk, Scrambled Eggs w/ Salsa, Glass of Orange Juice
Mid-Meal: Strawberry Banana Smoothie
Lunch: Tuna Sandwich on Whole Wheat Toast w/ Light Mayo, Side of Cottage Cheese
Mid-Meal: Fruit Bowl (Cantaloupe & Strawberries)
Dinner: Taco Pasta Salad
Dessert: Banana Cream Pudding
Then I made a list of my current level of exercise/activity and another "opposite" list:
CURRENT:
Zero cardiovascular activity, zero weight training
7 hours of sleep
2-3 bottles of water a day
GOAL:
Body for Life Program
20 min. of cardiovascular activity 3 days a week, alternate upper/lower body weight training
8 hours of sleep
8-10 bottles of water a day
THAT'S IT!
So, this is a typical day/week for me:
5:00am—Get up & ready for workout
5:30am—Get to the Y
6:00am—Leave Y (on cardio days)
6:30am—Leave Y (on weight lifting days)
7:00am—Eat Breakfast
9:30am—Mid-Meal
11:00am—Eat Lunch
3:30pm—Mid-Meal
5:00-6:00pm—Dinner & Dessert
9:00pm—Go to Bed
Here is my typical workout routine (feel free to use this):
Cardio (20 minutes, 3 days a week):Elliptical Trainer (10 min.)
Stationary Bike (10 min.)
Upper Body (alternate):
Shoulder Press
Chest Press
Tricep Press
Bicep Curl
Lat Pull Downs (Back)
Lower Body (alternate):
Leg Press
Calve Press
Quad Raise
Hamstring Lift
Inner Thigh
Outer Thigh
Lunges (5 lb. weight) 24 on each leg
Abs (alternate):
Ab Video
Side Bends
Reps—12, 10, 8, 6, 12, 12 = 60 reps on each exercise (3 sets)
Weight—lowest weight, lowest-medium weight, medium weight, highest weight
So far, it's working out great! Mentally, it's a lot easier to handle cardio 3 times a week, every other day, instead of every day. It's also a lot less stress on your muscles to alternate the areas you work with periods of rest in between.
Here is the basic principle of the whole thing: You cannot expect to lose weight without cardio exercise, and you cannot expect to endure through cardio exercise unless you properly fuel your body. So, you must feed your body well and often, and you must get up and move around regularly. You can't have one without the other. You can't just tone and eat all you want, and you can't run yourself to death and not eat at all. Get it?
In our society today, when we hear the word "diet" we think: "I've got to eat less, and exercise more." or else we look at ourselves in the mirror and say, "I need to lose weight, I better stop eating and start working out." Many times, this mindset leads to eating less and less frequently + starting an intense workout program = no energy + no motivation to work out = early burnout/quitting workout program. Does that make sense? In order for your body to workout, exercise, or handle any type of physical activity, you've got to fuel it just like you would a car. You wouldn't pour rocks, mud, gravel, and gunk into your car's gas tank and expect it to run right, would ya? It's the same with your body. You've got to fill it WELL if you expect it to run its best. So, forget all those fad diets that are starving you and start eating right! Check out Eating for Life at the link on the right, and Body for Life, by clicking the title of this post and get going!
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