A few of my friends has been asking me to help with them their new diets, and I am writing this to share what has worked for me. I started a new “life style change” in January at a gym in Orange Park. My friend, Jason Woodard and B-Fit has taught me a lot about truly being healthy and what has worked to help keep me there.
- Journalling to Success
By keeping a journal of your workouts, I want you to physically see what works for you when you work out and see what you’re putting into your body in a food log. This means two journals: one for workouts and one for food intake. This might sound difficult, but trust me I am here to help you get the results you want!
When it comes to journaling,
- Pay attention to nutrition labels.
Watch the serving sizes as they can be tricky. If you happen to eat more than one serving, write it down! Be honest with yourself so you know what areas you need to focus on. Start with the serving size and the calories per serving. Remember the Daily Value amount is a percentage of your day where 5% or less is low and 20% or more is high for a meal. Limit your fat (saturated, trans, unsat), cholesterol, and sodium intake. Your potassium, fiber, and vitamins should be plentiful. The carbohydrates are tricky. For a low-carb watcher, maintain about 20g per meal and match it with at least 20g protein. Limit your sugar intake for it only fills you temporarily.
Did you know?: Take your carbohydrate MINUS your dietary fiber = net carbs (what’s left over to be digestive into energy). Protein takes that energy and sustain it (with the proper foods) in a glycemic effect allowing it to digest slowly by keeping you fuller longer.
- Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!
If you aren’t drinking at least 64 fluid ounces of water a day, then you are probably dehydrated and don’t even know it. Drinking plenty of water helps your muscles recover quicker. Water replenishes what we sweat out after a wicked workout. Treat yourself right and nourish it properly. For every cup of caffeine (e.g. coffee, tea, soda), you should drink about two cups of water to replenish because these drinks actually dehydrate you. If you cannot fathom drinking all that water from the get-go, try adding frozen or frozen fruit for something naturally sweeter. If you must, add Crystal Light in moderation.
- Performance Results.
When you come in and work out, work your butt off and write down what you did to remind yourself you did it! This builds confidence and a chance to improve and get better. Ask a trainer for techniques that cater to your fitness and physical level. The key is to track your progress over time at your pace. If you are struggling with a certain workout, write what worked for you and what’s hard to do. Be honest with yourself and watch your progress as you try again next time. Some people count pounds while some count inches, I say the BMI is a better indicator.
However, if you like to watch the pounds I recommend weighing yourself the same time every day in the same state because our weight can fluxuate throughout the day and week. If you are measuring your body, remember inches can vary on the body type. In the long run, inches will come off but don’t get discouraged if you didn’t lose as much as you think you should have.
If you have any further questions, ask my friend Jason at fitprojw@yahoo.com
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Lessons in Life 