I suppose any great plan means that all paticipants must have the end result in mind.
Want to lose weight? Want to quit smoking? Want to build muscle?
The you had better make sure that your efforts are in tune with your goals.
Constancy of purpose means that no matter how small you are checking in with your goals. Every day, every meal, every effort is geared towards your goals. Equally plan for days where the rules go out of the window.
So if you have a long term vision then make sure you bite off it in manageable chunks each day.
I like to ask myself the question "what have I done today?".
Monday, September 24, 2007
The Ultimate Fitness Tool
I love posts that have 'ultimate' next to it. It claims something then 'ultimately' disappoints!
Well, not in this case. In fact there happens to be a dramatic irony. In fact what I am referring to is the something that is discrete and yet can provide you with more help in your goals than anything you have ever come across.
An A5 Notebook.
Yes..recording everything that you lift, eat and anything else you care to add will save you countless hours of trial and error. That is why we record everything that you lift. It saves us time. It allows us to follow a core principle of training -Progressive Overload - so that you are always taking steps forward.
Dietary wise it can allow us to see what you are eating, how much and if there are any recurring habits that need nipping in the bud.
So do yourself a favour - start taking notes, detailed notes. Note what you eat, any supplements that you may be taking and what effect they are having.
The pen sometimes is deadlier than the sword.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JL
p.s. don't forget to lambast us with your comments - bring your training diaries in for us to review. Unfortunately we can't (although we would love to) be with you 23 hours of the day...
Well, not in this case. In fact there happens to be a dramatic irony. In fact what I am referring to is the something that is discrete and yet can provide you with more help in your goals than anything you have ever come across.
An A5 Notebook.
Yes..recording everything that you lift, eat and anything else you care to add will save you countless hours of trial and error. That is why we record everything that you lift. It saves us time. It allows us to follow a core principle of training -Progressive Overload - so that you are always taking steps forward.
Dietary wise it can allow us to see what you are eating, how much and if there are any recurring habits that need nipping in the bud.
So do yourself a favour - start taking notes, detailed notes. Note what you eat, any supplements that you may be taking and what effect they are having.
The pen sometimes is deadlier than the sword.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JL
p.s. don't forget to lambast us with your comments - bring your training diaries in for us to review. Unfortunately we can't (although we would love to) be with you 23 hours of the day...
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Have You Ever Eaten Anything by Accident?
Here is a thought for you.
Have you ever eaten anything by accident?
You know - whoops, I slipped and fell into a tub of Ben and Jerrys.
So many of begin a fat loss programme in earnest but constantly self-sabotage with spurts of poor food choices or over-indulging.
You know the 'just-one-more' syndrome.
You make a conscious decision with your foods. And that is just my point - these are conscious decisions.
Just give yourself the chance to make a correct one.
It is true - fat loss programmes are not easy. However, psyche yourself to stay ahead. Plan your cheat meals throughout the week and equally plan what you are going to eat in difficult situations.
Make that conscious decision.
Have you ever eaten anything by accident?
You know - whoops, I slipped and fell into a tub of Ben and Jerrys.
So many of begin a fat loss programme in earnest but constantly self-sabotage with spurts of poor food choices or over-indulging.
You know the 'just-one-more' syndrome.
You make a conscious decision with your foods. And that is just my point - these are conscious decisions.
Just give yourself the chance to make a correct one.
It is true - fat loss programmes are not easy. However, psyche yourself to stay ahead. Plan your cheat meals throughout the week and equally plan what you are going to eat in difficult situations.
Make that conscious decision.
Low Carb Diets are Effective for Fat Loss
In sensible circumstances Low Carb diets work of course under the supervision of a qualified professional )
This is a recent study:
Meckling KA, Sherfey R A randomized trial of a hypocaloric high-protein diet, with and without exercise, on weight loss, fitness, and markers of the Metabolic Syndrome in overweight and obese women. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2007 Aug;32(4):743-752.
The subjects were divided into two main groups - high carb (3:1 carb:protein) and low carb (1:1 carb: protein) and then subdivided into exercise (three times per week) and non exercise groups within each diet group.
Weight loss after 12 weeks was as follows: 4.6lbs for high carb no exercise group 8.8lbs for high carb with exercise group 10.1lbs for the high protein-low carb -no exercise group and 15.5 lbs for the high protein, low carb with exercise group.
"What's really interesting is that the high protein, low carb group was superior for weight loss over high carb with exercise. And it was 75% superior when combined with exercise."
(Alwyn Cosgrove)
---------------------------------------------
JL
This is a recent study:
Meckling KA, Sherfey R A randomized trial of a hypocaloric high-protein diet, with and without exercise, on weight loss, fitness, and markers of the Metabolic Syndrome in overweight and obese women. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2007 Aug;32(4):743-752.
The subjects were divided into two main groups - high carb (3:1 carb:protein) and low carb (1:1 carb: protein) and then subdivided into exercise (three times per week) and non exercise groups within each diet group.
Weight loss after 12 weeks was as follows: 4.6lbs for high carb no exercise group 8.8lbs for high carb with exercise group 10.1lbs for the high protein-low carb -no exercise group and 15.5 lbs for the high protein, low carb with exercise group.
"What's really interesting is that the high protein, low carb group was superior for weight loss over high carb with exercise. And it was 75% superior when combined with exercise."
(Alwyn Cosgrove)
---------------------------------------------
JL
Stop Guessing and Start Recording!
All good things start with a plan.
Knowing where to go.
So what if was to say to you that you can get results in twice as quick with a simple A5 notebook?
My old mentor use to say "if you are not assessing you are guessing". Wondered why you haven't lost the lovehandles yet - more than likely it is because you haven't progressed.
Make sure that you record what you do in the gym every workout. It saves time, allows you to see progression, allows you to view previous lifts, distances, times etc so that you can work to better them.
You see we work by the principle of progressive overload - force the body to change, adapt and progress. It may mean lifting more weight from session to the next, covering more km on the treadmill - whatever your niche.
The bottom line is this - record everything. It will save alot of time.
Knowing where to go.
So what if was to say to you that you can get results in twice as quick with a simple A5 notebook?
My old mentor use to say "if you are not assessing you are guessing". Wondered why you haven't lost the lovehandles yet - more than likely it is because you haven't progressed.
Make sure that you record what you do in the gym every workout. It saves time, allows you to see progression, allows you to view previous lifts, distances, times etc so that you can work to better them.
You see we work by the principle of progressive overload - force the body to change, adapt and progress. It may mean lifting more weight from session to the next, covering more km on the treadmill - whatever your niche.
The bottom line is this - record everything. It will save alot of time.
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