We are well into winter and the so-called “winter-blues season.” So far you may have been good… or you may have fallen off the bandwagon! Either way it is now time to turn that flab to fab! SET your mind to your fitness goal, and GO! There is no point in waiting until the New Year to get going. Doing so will set us back even MORE. While all of your friends are binging away at Christmas parties, let’s step outside the “norm” and start our New Year’s resolutions a little earlier this year!
Flab to FAB TIPS:
EAT more to WEIGH less. Yes! I said it… eat more and you will eventually weigh less! Meals should be spread out every two to three hours. They should consist of lean protein (3/4oz), veggies and complex carbs. Aim for about 5-6 meals a day and eliminate carbs toward the evening when your body doesn’t need as many. Spreading your meals throughout the day will keep your metabolism engine burning all day. NOT eating slows down your metabolism, prevents fat burning and your body will store the fat!
STRENGTH train. Wanna speed up your rate of burning calories? Pick up those HEAVY weights and get a good burn! For every EXTRA pound of muscle you put on, your body burns about 50 calories more. Working out 20 minutes a day, three times a week will NOT help you build muscle. Try getting in at least a half hour, 5 times a week!
Cardio. Put on muscle to burn fat, but we also may need to get RID of existing fat. MORE often than not, girls OVER CARDIO themselves. It takes a good balance of strength training AND cardio. Your body type will determine how much cardio you may need. If you need to LOSE more fat, bumping up the cardio is NOT a bad idea. If you are skinny-fat, add it in but focus more on the weights 🙂
SCALE away. SO many times we weigh ourselves WAY too much… It can be good or it can be BRUTAL and turn a perfect day into an awful one 😉 Muscle weighs MORE than fat. So… take a fit, muscular woman and an average woman and the fit one may weigh 20 pounds more. Does it mean she is fat??? Obviously not. Do not let the numbers on a scale define you! If you are obsessive like me… sometimes it is easier to lose when you put the scale away. If you do better with it, keep it out. Instead, go off of how your favorite pair of jeans fit. Are they too snug this holiday season? Or, are they becoming baggy on ya??!
MIND over MATTER. Holidays are filled with fun, family and friends! Most of America considers “fun” to be FOOD! NO!!!! Food can be fun, yes, but mind over matter. Is food fun enough to have a low self-esteem and be flabby?? To some it may be, but to most motivated individuals it is not! There is never a perfect time to start, so START now! Enjoy your once a week “refuel meal.” Reward yourself with ONE meal. This meal may be saved for your work Christmas party, or going out on New Year’s Eve. Whatever it may be, enjoy yourself and get back to business right after!
POST constant REMINDERS. I just started a fitness journal of daily/weekly goals. Throwing 20 goals down for one week is not the best idea. Start slow. For instance if you have a hard time getting to the gym… make that your GOAL of the week. Aim to get to the gym THREE times that week. The point is, make it achievable! Some people have vision boards, sticky notes on their mirrors, a whiteboard with quotes, etc. Choose YOUR constant reminder/motivator and keep it where you will see it multiple times a day. This will hold you more accountable and bring you one step closer to your fitness goals!
This time is a hard time of the year, but it doesn’t have to be. Enjoy yourself, practice discipline, and remember moderation is key! You don’t have to be a hermit, just keep your overall goals in mind this season. ALWAYS remember how you feel when you achieve something that you THOUGHT was never possible. Remain confident, believe in yourself, and in no time you will reach your overall goal! Stay dedicated and determined and remember… the “Skye’s the LIMIT”!