Update on My Diet and Exercise Program
There is an old fitness saying, "Exercise is 90% diet." This pretty much sums up how my plans have been going of late. I was doing fairly well on the 3-part program, until a week of hormonal PMS set off one of the longest running chocolate binges I've ever experienced. I'm talking a large chocolate bar (about 700 calories) every day for 8-9 days. I just couldn't stop; I NEEDED chocolate. Thankfully that's over, but when I finally ventured near the scale again I was aghast to have finally tipped the fat percentage over thirty. Anything over 30% body fat is considered overweight. 20-30% is normal/average for a woman. Under 20% is fit.
Crud, officially overweight. So much for the diet and exercise.
Actually, I'm really happy with the program because it is very easy to jump back without feeling too bad about it. So even if I cheat here and there, I don't feel like I have to start over. I am going to have to adjust and ramp up the fitness level and, of course, stop eating all the junk. The past few days I have been concentrating on getting all my water (3 pints), taking my vitamins, and eating a good amount of fiber. I've managed to limit the fatty and junk foods and have since watched three pounds melt away in a matter of days. I'm thinking water weight might have accounted for some of the weight gain, so I also cut my salt. I started the diet at 28% body fat, fought down to 26%, rocketed up to 30% with an all-day, all week chocolate binge, and am now sliding back down the scale. Currently I'm at 29% body fat.
Even though I didn't lose weight or get skinnier after a month on the program, I certainly feel more fit. I think the light exercise has prepped me for the next stage of the program, where I really start to workout. Exercise and proper vitamins, etc, have certainly helped my condition (which may or may not be fibromyalgia).
So the officially three-part program goes as follows:
Day 1: A long walk (I'm hoping to start walking with my group again soon, which is 4 miles on Saturday).
Day 2: Sprints or some kind of intense cardio (I am adding an upper body workout to this day).
Day 3: Abs Workout -- I may start substituting indoor rock climbing on this day
Day 4 (repeat day 1): Will be restarting the 5K 'donut run/walk' I used to do.
Day 5 (repeat day 2): Intense cardio & upper body workout.
Day 6 (repeat day 3): Abs Workout
Day 7: REST, I may also use this day to 'clease' my diet with lots of fruits, veggies, and fiber -- basically eating vegetarian one day a week.
There is no easy solution to fitness, just diet and exercise. If you want to lose weight, you have to make permanent changes to what you eat. If you want to get into shape, you have to move your butt. To get fit, you have to do both of those things, and it won't happen quickly. So make choices you know you can live with and DON'T GIVE UP!
Crud, officially overweight. So much for the diet and exercise.
Actually, I'm really happy with the program because it is very easy to jump back without feeling too bad about it. So even if I cheat here and there, I don't feel like I have to start over. I am going to have to adjust and ramp up the fitness level and, of course, stop eating all the junk. The past few days I have been concentrating on getting all my water (3 pints), taking my vitamins, and eating a good amount of fiber. I've managed to limit the fatty and junk foods and have since watched three pounds melt away in a matter of days. I'm thinking water weight might have accounted for some of the weight gain, so I also cut my salt. I started the diet at 28% body fat, fought down to 26%, rocketed up to 30% with an all-day, all week chocolate binge, and am now sliding back down the scale. Currently I'm at 29% body fat.
Even though I didn't lose weight or get skinnier after a month on the program, I certainly feel more fit. I think the light exercise has prepped me for the next stage of the program, where I really start to workout. Exercise and proper vitamins, etc, have certainly helped my condition (which may or may not be fibromyalgia).
So the officially three-part program goes as follows:
Day 1: A long walk (I'm hoping to start walking with my group again soon, which is 4 miles on Saturday).
Day 2: Sprints or some kind of intense cardio (I am adding an upper body workout to this day).
Day 3: Abs Workout -- I may start substituting indoor rock climbing on this day
Day 4 (repeat day 1): Will be restarting the 5K 'donut run/walk' I used to do.
Day 5 (repeat day 2): Intense cardio & upper body workout.
Day 6 (repeat day 3): Abs Workout
Day 7: REST, I may also use this day to 'clease' my diet with lots of fruits, veggies, and fiber -- basically eating vegetarian one day a week.
There is no easy solution to fitness, just diet and exercise. If you want to lose weight, you have to make permanent changes to what you eat. If you want to get into shape, you have to move your butt. To get fit, you have to do both of those things, and it won't happen quickly. So make choices you know you can live with and DON'T GIVE UP!