Sabotaging Your Weight Loss?
It may be time to check yo'self befo' you wreck yo'self!!!!
So if you are just starting an exercise program and kicking your buns into high gear to TRANSFORM yourself, make sure you change how you fuel your body so you can hit your goals! We all know the common nutrition mistakes, but do we actually take them to heart and MAKE CHANGES. Some common nutrition mistakes are drinking your calories OR eating too much post workout; these could be the reasons you can't lose the weight or inches you have been working so hard at! Don't get me wrong, getting fit and healthy isn't all about the scale or inches, BUT it is still an important factor!
SO let's break down FIVE of the most common problems that WE are facing (because I struggle just as much as the next fitness journey!)-- and lets also figure out how to fix them! My hopes are that TOGETHER we can make the proper changes and CRUSH our goals and get on track to the results that we desire.
Problem 1: You have no idea how many calories you're really eating
I commonly think that I can eat more on the days that I work out. More exercise = more calories right? BE CAREFUL! YES it is true that your body needs more fuel on the days that you are burning TONS of calories, but don't let that be your excuse for shoving food down your throat. If you are trying to lose weight, you may be adding on as many calories as you are burning -- or more! "Think about the food tat you are eating to FUEL your workouts and ask yourself hot it fits into your total calorie allotment for the day, " advices Felicia Stoler, MS, RD, a nutritionist and exercise physiologist. Don't you SUPERSIZE on the days that you hit the cardio hard?? Most of us have no idea how much we are really eating! I suggest having a food diary, not only for your intake of calories, but also how the food makes you feel before and after you eat it! Be honest with yourself, learn about your triggers and how foods make you feel after consumption. Every few months I revisit MyFitnessPal on my iPhone and track my caloric intake and output. I do this to remind myself about portions, what foods ruin my day, and this gives me a check up! I don't enjoy counting calories, and I do not intend to live my life counting every thing, BUT it is good as a reminder from time to time :) TRY IT!
Problem 2: You're hydrating with a sports drink
Sports drinks contain about 50 calories per 8 oz., and 14 grams of sugar (about 3.5 tsp.). Your body will most likely burn through all that in an hour long workout, BUT you will not be mobilizing your fat stores as much. YES, sports drinks will restore your electrolyte depletion but I highly recommend drinking a recovery drink instead of Gatorade. You are better off staying away from these sugary, processed drinks and sticking to water. Something that I have been experimenting with is Results and Recovery Formula from Beachbody. This post workout supplement will benefit you and your goals by:
- replenishing your glycogen (energy storage) depletion
- Helps with muscle resynthesis with a high protein efficiency ratio
- AND has vitamins and antioxidants that will help with muscle soreness and repair and growth!
Problem 3: You're addicted to that pre workout snack
If you are getting enough balanced calories in your diet, the average person should have all the glycogen stores they need to get through an hour long workout, even at the butt crack of dawn! BUT eating something beforehand might give your performance a little boost. Skipping this pre workout boost though can help to teach your body how to mobilize fat stores for energy. There is an exception, you can run out of glycogen or blood sugar partway through your workout and lose energy. If you fee like you just ran into a brick wall, yeah that is what I am talking about!! If you need a little boost of energy half way through your workout, try eating 50-100 calories of simple carbs 10 minutes before you start. Half of a banana is your best bet! OR two great ergogenic aids would be a strong cup of coffee OR E&E Energy and Endurance from Beachbody (I am currently drinking this while typing :) getting ready for my workout!). Eating right before a workout does not work for everyone, so play around with some different pre workout snacks! I know that my body does not work well if I eat within an hour before my workout so I opt for E&E as my boost.
Problem 4: You're eliminating all carbs
I am in no way a fan of eliminating all of something, unless that something is processed and unhealthy foods, then definitely a fan!! hahaha Our generation is such a fan of Fad Diets that tell you to cut out something completely from your diet. This works if you have an allergy or you prefer to not eat meat. But your body needs a balance!! Balance is key in my life, in fitness, business, and pleasure. So many exercisers try to eliminate starchy carbs - whole grains, starchy veggies like potatoes- when they are attempting to shed some weight. BUT you aren't losing fat when you do this, just water weight! This strategy can back fire terribly… When you deplete carbs from your diet it means that your body has to tap into your lean protein stores for energy. Ultimately this can decrease your lean muscle mass! This comes full circle because your muscle is CRITICAL for upping your metabolism and burning more calories even while sitting down! In the end you will have a weight plateau. SO my lovely people, the lesson here is to not be afraid to incorporate whole grains and starchy veggies, IN MODERATION!
Problem 5: You're not working out hard enough
PUSH HARDER!!!!!!! :) A recent study in the International Journal of Obesity looked at sedentary and overweight men who either worked out at a moderate pace for 30 minutes of completed a high-intensity interval workout for the same amount of time. Those who did the intense interval exercise ate LESS at a subsequent meal, as well as the next day.
Ever come home from a run or jog to find that you are noticeably hungrier, consider upping your intensity in that run!! Not every workout should be an intense interval session, BUT fitting in one or two a week can help turn down that crazy appetite of yours!
SO don't give up just because you are not seeing the results that you desire! Every body is different, and everybody will have to try different things to find what works for their body. Just know this: if you are eating clean and working out daily, you are doing AMAZING things for your body and you will see this compound over time. SO many times I gave up after 3 weeks of working out because I didn't have a six pack! HA! My exceptions were so high and my efforts were so low. 3+ years later, I still don't have a six pack….. BUT I have a better grip on who I am, what I am doing, and how to reach my goals. I hope this was helpful, any suggestions or recommendations would be amazing! COMMENT BELOW!
xoxo
Heally
Resources:
http://www.teambeachbody.com/about/newsletters/-/nli/297#326213425
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23835594
PS Please feel free to reach out to me if you need help with support, motivation, health and fitness. It is my goal in life to help others find their beautiful potential within <3
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