Posts Tagged ‘Fitness’
Times like the 4th of July, parties, family events, heck, just the weekend can be a MAJOR crimp on your “Fit life.” You need to understand that is OK. We all have setbacks, the thing we all have accept that we are human, and we can get back on track. We just can’t be disheartened.
The week before the 4th, I made it through my first week of full food tracking with pretty good results, and I am very confident that I’ll be rocking 6 pack abs in 2 months. Last Monday I was at 201.3 lbs, and I am now 3lbs lighter, even after a crazy weekend of 3000 calorie days. (eeeep) When I am being diligent it is easy to eat right. But beer and cocktails are my downfall. (And late night papusa runs.)
I know that the basis of this blog is that you can live fit and still enjoy good food and drink. I stand by that 100%, but to be ripped, and super fit, then you have to record everything you eat. You have to maintain a good workout program, and you have to decide how long you want to maintain being super ripped.
As you all know I practice what I preach! Here are my day 1 Fit test results for the beginnig of my 3rd Insanity cycle.
Week 1
Switch Kicks: 100
Power Jacks: 56
Fast Knee’s: 113
Power Jumps: 41
Globe Jumps: 7
Suicide Jumps: 15
Push Up Jacks: 31
Lo Plank Knees: 70
This past week I have been away from the house 8 of the last 10 days. This is the kind of situation that thrashes most peoples training programs. You can be very good when you are at home. You are in your comfort zone, you are able to follow your regimen, you can eat what you are supposed to and everything you need is available to you. Being on the road, you are lucky if you can bring any of your training needs. You MUST be creative. (Earlier this week, while in Seattle, I found a group of guys who also train in Sambo and went to train with them. Got to think outside the box when traveling!)
This trip, I did not want to take a single step backwards, s0 I took precautions. I have 2 videos with me that are good full body workouts, don’t need any equipment, and can be done in a confined space. They are also core centric, so I know I will get a good burn. I also made sure that I had a supply of decent food and snacks. Though I hate the Biggest Loser marketing, there is something to be said about knowing where you can find a Subway. 6 inch turkey subs with lots of veggies are great in a pinch, and with Honey Mustard, are usually between 280 – 300 calories.
Here’s a question that gets asked a lot: “Should you look at the scale?”
I think absolutely you should* if fat loss is your goal. I know others will tell you to “ignore the scale,” but it is the most objective way to tell if you have your energy balance right for fat loss. When we add exercise to our regime, it is SO easy to overcompensate on the calories we think we are burning. We pour the cereal for a few seconds longer, we add just a little more peanut butter to our toast, we take just a few more noodles every time we have pasta– we don’t even notice it, but before we know it we’ve totally equalized or, worse, flipped the energy equation. Weighing and measuring food is one way to make sure this isn’t happening, weighing and measuring your body is the other.
It also bears mentioning that exercise has been proven to have more than just a physical effect, it also has a mental one. It improves mood, outlook and self esteem (all great things!) Unfortunately, what this can mean is that maybe we’re standing a little taller, looking at ourselves through different eyes, feeling great about ourselves and, thus, seeing some changes that might not really be there; The scale and the tape measure are two totally objective tests that won’t lie to ya. Especially if we are getting fit for health vs vanity, we need to move beyond the mirror and put some numbers behind it.
*To preserve your sanity, I suggest weighing only once per week, at the same time of day, under the same conditions, otherwise the waterweight fluctuations will drive you batty. If you insist on weighing yourself every day, use a tool like Google 15 to give yourself a running average and make adjustments to your program based on the average, not the day-to-day fluctuations.
Yes, it hurts. Yes, you are tired, but you will get more used to it! You will get stronger, and you will see great results! Keep your diet in control, take your recovery drink and keep pushing play!
If you need help or have a great idea, let us know!