Yes, I work out....
Yes, I watch what I eat...
It depends on your body...
No, you have to rest...
No, I am not on drugs...
I've been asked so many times what I did to lose weight that I am starting to sound like a broken record. This is not a complaint,though. Ever since I started on my journey, I am more than happy to help anyone who is willing to take that first big step. Before anything else, let's review:
Everyone who knows me personally always remembered me as a hefty kid during high school and college. I have not been called 'skinny' since my second year of high school. After college, my weight fluctuated because of inconsistent eating patterns as well as inconsistent exercising.
This was taken around April 2014. Yes I know it's a shitty picture but it's all I could find right now. I was not watching what I was eating and I had little to no exercise. I was somewhere around 95 kg/ 220 pounds here. After this, I decided it was time to shake things up and lose weight. But where do we start? Easy. With yourself.
MAKING THE DECISION
This is where it all starts. You have to take some time and internalize. Ask yourself what your goals are. Do you want to lose weight? In how many months? What things are you willing to do to? Take all the time you need to think about this because this is a huge life decision.
For me, I decided that not only did I want to lose weight but I also wanted to make a lifestyle change. Not only become fitter but to be fit both in what I eat and with the way I look. Took me about a week to finally convince myself to begin change.
TALK TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE FOR ADVICE
The "best" option of course for this is talking to a physician and a nutritionist before beginning any fitness and diet program especially if you're very out of shape and don't have a clue about what to control in your diet. When you've done that, you might also consider getting a trainer (or a buddy who works out) to show you how to perform the various lifts and cardio exercises that you need to be doing. Having expert and correct coaching can help you avoid unwanted injury. After reading all of this and you come to the conclusion that this sounds expensive I can agree with you. Your best alternative is that you can always ask your fit friends and hang out with them for awhile so you can get the gist of what needs to be done and what you can do.
I went to my then company doctor to have myself checked up and make sure that I was able to perform the exercises I needed without fear of injury. I didn't know any nutritionists in the area so I just took the advice of my fit friend who doubled as my trainer. I observed him work out, asked him on what program I should be following and I had him teach me proper execution and movement with regards to the big barbell lifts like deadlifts and bench presses and the more complex cardio exercises like headstands and crocodile pushups.
LET THE JOURNEY BEGIN!
WHAT YOU EAT
Eating right is a huge factor when you want to get fit. By consuming the right kind of food as well as the proper amount, you're giving your body the right 'fuel' to keep your muscles going.
When I started, I didn't see food as protein, carbohydrates, and fat. I admit I didn't really understand any of it. It's complex and plays multiple roles in the body and you'll have to learn to take them into account if you're really serious and dedicated about losing weight or gaining weight, and by that I mean if just trying to wing it isn't working for you anymore, you'll need to start counting these for at least a brief period. Let's break this down and make it simple as possible:
THE CALCULATION
Calories = Energy units used by the body
Protein: 1 gram = 4 Calories
Carbohydrates: 1gram = 4 Calories
Fat: 1gram = 9 Calories
BMR = Basic Metabolic Rate = calories burned if you sat and did nothing all day.
If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2
If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
If you are moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.5
If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.6
If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9
This is your caloric goal. Eat 500 calories less if you want to lose weight, and 500 calories more if you want to gain weight.
BASIC ROLES
Proteins are building blocks. Meats are high in protein. Protein is the glamour nutrient. I'm not going to go into a huge amount of detail but here is what I want to share. The amount of protein you should be eating is controversial depending on who you talk to however, most nutritionists or health buffs agree that you should consume more than is traditionally recommended. Here's current recommendations:
If you are trying to lose weight: 2-3g/kg. Increase as you get leaner. This will allow you to retain muscle mass more so than a lower intake.
If you are trying to gain weight: 1-2g/kg depending on what works for you.
You need more protein while dieting to help spare lean muscle mass. It's impossible not to lose some while cutting but people who consume more have been shown to lose less muscle. For protein, I recommend 1 gram of protein per pound of your ideal body weight.
For example, if you weigh 220 and want to weigh 180, eat ~180 Grams of protein each day.
Carbohydrates is for maintaining blood sugar and use for energy-- especially during exercise.
Breads, fruits, starchy veggies, etc are high in carbs. Carbs are an extremely important source of fuel for your body. They are stored as glycogen and broken down into energy. Studies show that it's more beneficial to not go on a low carb diet while trying to cut because it can be detrimental to performance and there's not really a beneficial to you in the long run. I recommend keeping carbs as high as you can while getting adequate fat and protein. 4-7g/kg or as diet permits
Do not cut calories primarily from carbohydrates while dieting. On workout days, 65% of those remaining calories should be from carbs. On days where you don't lift weights, try to limit carb intake to 50-75g or less, and instead have healthy fats make up the bulk of the calories for those days.
Your diet should consist of mostly whole foods such as lean cuts of meat, whole grains and healthy fats. Avoid trans-fats and highly processed food, if possible. This means fast food, people. I'm not saying stay away from fast food but go at least once a week, maybe from the start.
Confused, yet? I know you are hehe. Honestly, counting calories really takes effort and something to get used to but this is the way to go to be totally fit but if you want to follow something basic at first, here's what I did on my first month before I also began counting calories.
*Whatever you are eating right now, cut it in half. portions wise.
*Control your rice. 1 cup if possible. This will be the most difficult one yet for some of you. Good luck!
*Eat at least 3 full square meals a day. Although it has already been proven that eating at intervals doesn't really affect metabolism, it's more of a psychological thing. By fasting the body tries to conserve energy because it doesn't know when the next meal is going to come. Eating the same amount of calories spread over a longer period of time means the metabolism stays constant.
*Don't starve yourself. If you feel woozy in between your meals, eat crackers (Skyflakes will save you here) and fruits.
*Keep yourself hydrated at all times. Always carry a water bottle around. Always aim for that 8-10 glasses of water a day.
*No more soft drinks. No more junk foods.
This is Part 1 (of 3) of my journey/guide. Next up is the workout itself.
-Chady
2 comments:
Wooot. Got the idea now. :)
Be waiting for the part 2 chard. Thank you :)))
Post a Comment