One day, workout and meal at a time
If you or anyone you know is struggling – and I mean struggling - with food and weight, my number one piece of advice is "do the best you can one day, workout and meal at a time!" Seems simple enough but I run into a fair share of people who get so caught up in big weight loss goals that the process itself becomes overwhelming. And people who feel overwhelmed tend to get stuck.
So let's say you have 10 or more pounds to lose and you know what needs to be done in order to lose it (If not, we need to talk. Call me!) but you are feling overwhelmed by the process. Shift your focus from the large picture or end goal to the current or next step in the process. That might mean taking the time to figure out what your healthiest food choices could be for the next meal as opposed to worrying about how you are going to stick to a "diet" for the next several months.
Use a similar approach with your workouts by focusing on how you feel physically and the circumstances at hand. If you're feeling run down or are pressed for time, alter your workout accordingly by doing a low intensity workout or a shorter, interval-based workout to save time.
If you think about it, you can apply this approach to just about anything once you've determined a goal. I do it to get unstuck with regards to work-related projects and it works most of the time.
Coming up in the next post!
Fit Esteem Spotlight: Steve Sears' quest for fit esteem
Til then…stay positive and keep it real!
Chesna
Don’t be a Glutton Puppy
It's Thanksgiving and my number one rule for the holidays (and vacations) is this: "You can come back lighter or the same but you MUST NOT gain!" Maintaining your weight over the holidays is possible if you exercise (hmmm, ummm, pun intended) a little common sense.
I've seen it with my clients as well as myself; when one deprives oneself, one crashes and burns! So my advice is to allow yourself to indulge in your favorite foods just do so in moderation unless you've been told otherwise by your doctor.
Morning tips: Get up, throw on the gear and train. Twenty to thirty minutes of Interval training is an effective way to rev up the metabolism and burn fat.
Eat a breakfast that contains protein and avoid the bagels, muffins, cereals, donuts, pancakes, waffles, home fries and other refined carbs. Trust me: eating these foods for breakfast will make you crave them all day.
Afternoon tips: Make your mid-day meal your largest and stay active after all meals. Just ten minutes of walking or extra activity after your meal will aide digestion.
Dehydration is often mistaken for hunger. Drinking water and other healthy beverages throughout the day will help to keep you feeling full.
Evening tips: Watch your portion sizes and avoid excess sugars and sweets. Eating too many calories before bedtime can affect your sleep and digestion as well as lead to weight gain if you eat more calories than you burn.
Double up the workout by training again for 20 minutes. Try a quick strength-training routine that targets the major muscle groups.
The key with fitness and nutrition is moderation folks. Don't be a glutton puppy this holiday season and you'll find yourself feeling healthier and happier.
Chesna is available for individual and group training and coaching. Currently, she runs Flaunt Fitness Bootcamp, a weekly boot camp in Morristown, personal training in Cedar Knolls and private in-home training in Morristown, Short Hills, Maplewood, West Orange, Union, Livingston, Chatham and Madison.
Coming soon: Boot Camp in South Orange! Please email for details. Chesna@FitEsteem.com
