As trainers, coaches, or clients, we need to decide where we want to go and how we are going to get there. I've talked a lot about goals in the past and I truly feel that setting realistic, measurable, and achievable goals it the only way to be successful.
A lot of people have a desire to get in better shape during the month of January. How are they going to do it? Exercise and diet, Duh? Eat less / Move More. Eat Better / Workout. Yeah, we get it, everyone knows what to do to get in better shape, right? Not necessarily.
When it comes down to the type of exercise you are going to do, the duration, the frequency, and the intensity all are factors toward your success. When it comes down to your diet the amount of carbs, calories, fats, protein, all have a detrimental effect on your "getting in shape" goals.
My new "friend" when it comes to monitoring calorie intake is livestrong.com. It is a great website where you can input your food and activity level and get a calorie count for the day as well as nutrient breakdown. It's very similar to fitday.com but a little more user friendly. Most people get slapped with a big dose of reality when they actually see what they are putting into their system and where those calories are coming from.
When it comes to exercise, cardiovascular activity alone won't cut it. Some people think they need to create an "aerobic" base before they begin resistance training. This is FAR from reality. Jogging doesn't build muscle. Neither does performing an "intense" workout on the elliptical. If you are not performing resistance training you are pretty much setting yourself up for failure. Honestly....
So what's your diet look like? How about your training plan? Do you know what type of exercise you are going to do and when? Do you know how many calories you are eating? Where are they coming from? Do you know how much you want to lose/gain by next month? All of these questions should be able to be answered if you are serious about getting results.
Now the important part, deciding what is best for YOU. Low carb, Paleo, Atkins, South Beach, Carb Cycling, etc. There are tons of "diets", some are good and some suck. Chose what type of nutrition plan (diet) fits your goals and your lifestyle and stick to it for at least 6-8 weeks before making a change. It comes down to dedication, persistence, and perseverance with any diet, how much you put in, is directly related to what you'll get out of it.
When it comes to a diet that will work with your lifestyle, it's more relevant that it is convenient with your profession. I'll use myself as an example. I am reading the Ultimate Diet 2.0 by Lyle McDonald. It is a phenomenal nutrition plan and as smart as Lyle McDonald is, the information is easy to understand and enjoyable to read. I will end up doing this diet, but not at this time. Why? It is really not conducive to my profession.
I teach middle school Physical Education. When dealing with 12-14 year old students you need to have a ton of energy. Being in a good mood is extremely important when working with kids. My mood/attitude effects student behavior and effort. I am also extremely active throughout the day. Depleting too many calories and carbs can have a drastic effect on energy and mood. I also train clients at the gym before and after school, as well as kickin' my own ass in the weight room. It is just not worth the possible struggle of being efficient at my profession and having successful days week in and week out. Did I mention that I have some classes with 60-70 students???
During the summer- I'm in 100%. I'm sure I will get excellent results from the Ulimate Diet 2.0, probably worth a couple blog posts.
So what am I doing instead? Stay tuned to the blog. I will be outlining my typical day, discussing my training program, and give you an overview of my diet plan. A lot of information that I'm sure you'll enjoy (or make a dumbass comment).
No comments:
Post a Comment