So the problem with Facebook is that it is learning us. It creeps me out. All the adds on my feed are 1. Fitness, 2. Writing, and 3. Homeschooling books. Yikes. Yup, I guess that's where I am these days. Thank God they haven't figured out my addiction to yarn, beads, clay & glass. Our budget can't afford all that mess!
Anyway, because of this, my news feed is full of the latest fads and "science proven" weight loss tips. Here's the thing, guys, nothing has changed! Ok, we know some more than they did 100 years ago, but overall the concepts are the same. Many people have asked me about my certification. I went through ACE - The American Council on Exercise. Why? Because they're the best. Plain and simple. And ya know what else? They get it! They do the research. They find the science and read the journals. They do the work. And the pass it to people in two ways - the science based and the easy to understand. So what do we do? What is HIIT?? How do I carb cycle? AAAHHHHH!!! The madness! Ready for it? Keep it simple. Watch what you eat. I always advise people to journal what and when they eat for two weeks to a month before they make any changes. Why? We need to know where we're starting from. Then we adjust to how we need to eat. Don't do fad diets. We know the yo yo experience is not what you're after. Eat a balanced diet. This includes carbs, people. I cannot tell you how many people have tried to cut carbs only to lose muscle mass and energy. I think of it in terms of this - If God made it for us to eat, that's good enough for me. Bread was in Genesis, bread can be in Jewel. But seriously, all of these diets are not the best thing for you. We need to look at long term goals. I remember the first time I had to lose weight. I lost 5 pounds in a week. Flying high! Well, that was until I realized it was water weight. And that was long before the days of drinking 84 oz or more each day. Losing 5lbs in a week is ok, if you're starting out at 300+ lbs. When we look to what we want for the rest of our lives, we need to see that we don't want these diets that kill our metabolism. We don't want to exclude food groups, when clearly we know that our body needs these components to function at its finest. Slow and steady wins the race. I have seen too many do well only to fall off the wagon and roll into some extra pounds of fat. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. And please, no more of this conversation: Random person: I don't eat carbs. Me: That sucks. RP: No. Carbs turn into fat if you don't use them. Me: Uh, ok. So you won't eat an item that will turn into fat IF it isn't used, but you will eat fat which does nothing to turn into fat. RP: Yeah, carbs turn into fat. Me: FAT IS FAT. Also, the carbs that "turn into fat" are stored as the fat that is the first line of fat to be burned up through exercise. However, carbohydrates are also used for so many other processes like clearing out toxins released during exercise into the blood stream. Carbohydrates help regulate us. Oh, there is just so much that we need from carbs. But those fats that you're eating will find a good home on your body as well. Oh yeah, enjoy burning your protein because you don't have enough carbohydrates in your system to get the fat burning process started. I'm sure your lean muscle mass will be awesome. Exercises are no different. We hear about HIIT workouts being the "new thing." Sorry to burst bubbles, but that's not new. It's just that the public didn't know what the exercise style was called. Everything has been separated into cardio or strength, but clearly there are different options within those two headings and some that put together both. All these new exercises are not new. Oh how I love the pinterest posts with how to burn belly fat or to tone the booty. How many of them have high knees?! People, if doing high knees is new to you, it simply means you didn't play any high school sports. Sorry. The constant apps that rotate through exercises and plans. Nothing new. Don't get played by companies trying to earn a buck off of you. Ask questions from real people with real experience and knowledge. Find someone, or really a network of people, that can help you along your health journey. Now, you will need to find what works for you. If you are built long and lanky, it will be difficult for you to do plyometrics and harder strength. If you're built like a tank, use it. Your body will tell you what you need as you go. There won't always be one thing. You will go through stages. Be open to those changes. Be willing to grow as your body changes. Fuel it for what you need. Longer distances in running? Stack those carbs. Power lifting? Hit the protein. Do what you need, not what someone else needs. Happy journeying.
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