We planned our meals one week at a time — planning every single meal and every single snack.  I had to be prepared if I was going to engage myself fully and STICK TO IT. In short, we lowered the bad carbs that were in our diet (bread, grains, pasta, processed starches and anything with added sugar), and we added more healthy carbs (veggies and some fruit).

Here’s what we found after the first 10 days:

1. WEIGHT LOSS: 6 pounds for me, and 6.5 for my husband.
2. ALERTNESS: I find myself needing less sleep and feeling more alert during the day.
3. EASE: It is easy to do if you plan ahead.
4. NO HUNGER PAINS: This isn’t a fad diet that left us hungry or craving food. This is eating real food, and it is filling.
5. TASTY: There are so many great resources for tasty foods.

What was challenging but easily overcome:

1. COST: Eating healthy can be more costly, but there are ways to save! Buying food in bulk or buying food that is on sale and freezing it can both make a difference.
2. TIME: At first, it took us a lot longer to prep food, but we learned what we could do ahead to save time.

A typical day for us usually includes:

Breakfast – eggs with onion, green pepper and mushrooms; sausage links and fresh fruit
Lunch – grilled/baked chicken with broccoli salad
Snack – handful of almonds or fresh fruit
Dinner – hamburger with all the fixings (minus the bun) and a side salad

Sound delicious?  It is.  Be what you eat.  Be healthy.

Want to learn more about cutting carbs and grains? Check out this great article for some motivation to get you pointed in the right direction.

Given the fact that many women believe common misconceptions about weightlifting, they opt for cardio training instead. Instead of simply scratching lifting off of your “to-do list”, consider what additional benefits you could be getting during your normal workout time.

Lose More Fat – And Have Your Clothes Fit Better

Yes, we’ve all been there. Thinking about getting into your “skinny jeans” and setting diet/weight loss goals because the idea of going dress shopping for that wedding where you’ll see a bunch of college buddies seems overwhelming. One of the benefits of weightlifting is that you lose more fat than if you just stick with cardio exercises. Focusing only on cardio could mean that when you do lose weight, you lose both fat and muscle. Weightlifting helps you trim your waistline, among other important areas of the body. Your clothes will fit better and you’ll be happier.

Burn More Calories

That’s right – you can burn more calories lifting for an hour than just doing cardio or other exercises alone.  Lifting can also help you boost your metabolism for a longer period of time after working out – longer than you would if you just ran on a treadmill or went on an elliptical. Additionally, muscle burns calories at a higher rate than fat does. With added muscle your body becomes a more efficient calorie burning machine – even when you aren’t working out!

Lower Your Risk for Osteoporosis, Heart Disease and Injuries

Did you know that lifting can help you increase bone density, and decrease your risk for osteoporosis? Lifting can be a total body workout – also helping decrease risk for heart disease and diabetes. It also helps prevent injuries.

Feel Healthier AND Accomplish Goals

Doing stagnant workouts can be difficult in the sense that you can feel like you do the same thing, over and over again. When you lift, you can set specific goals and work toward accomplishing them. What should your goals be? Set them with your trainer or someone who helps you with your workouts. Goals do not always have to be big, but attainable.

After knowing the benefits to weightlifting, are you willing to consider adding it into your workout? You can see, feel and live the difference.

This time of year, our exercise facilities are overflowing with individuals who are new to the whole fitness lifestyle and who want to become healthier, leaner people. Kudos to them for finding the factor that told them to get off the couch and workout; however, don’t leave your common sense and respect at home. Whether you joined a large or small gym, the following guidelines will make for a better experience.

Hygiene
Yes, we are at a gym and people sweat, spit and sometimes vomit. At least have the common courtesy to don clean attire that you haven’t worn to the last two sessions of your CrossFit experience. Nothing is less motivating than performing a repetition and getting a whiff of someone else.

Personal Space
Believe it or not, but workout benches are mobile, and the gym owners will not care if you move them. That said, use the space provided and be respectful of other’s space and focus points. For example, don’t stand right in front of someone who is focused on looking in the mirror during his set. Who wants to focus on another guy’s flaring chest hair as he performs single-arm rows? Not this guy.

Behavior
Make sure your behavior is gym appropriate. You should be there to workout, not hit on other gym members while texting your friends. Don’t make a spectacle of yourself by being loud and throwing weights. Conversely, don’t get mad at others for grunting or making the occasional noise. Remember, it’s a gym not a library. Finally, please don’t be the person who sings to his or her music. There is a reason you have a day job, remember that.

Share Equipment
Do not take over a piece of equipment that was previously used by another person until you ask them if they are done. This is common courtesy. As the person is unloading their weights, ask them if they are done. This lets the person know someone else would like to use the equipment, and it prevents you from staring down that person from the other side of the gym like an owl at their prey. You can also ask to work in a set during someone’s rest break. This works best at weight machines that require little setup between sets.

We were all new at some time in our lives and have wished someone would have told us these things, so please coach those who are developing bad habits (especially the person who is singing). Even if you are not new to the facility, we sometimes become complacent and forget these basic guidelines that help make everyone’s workout a little more enjoyable.

This is a great video on nutrition and how we have gotten way off track. Chances are you will learn something if you watch this. It could change your life. Please watch it.

The only thing I disagree with is talking about “going to the gym” as a negative thing. We still need to be active – even if we are at a healthy weight. Maybe it doesn’t have to be a gym membership, but exercise is still extremely important to our health.

Baby got back.

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