I hold my hands up. I bought into all the fad diets not so long ago. I found a new one, a new One True Way to get the body I wanted… I failed at that… but it’s ok… I found a new one… and so on.
I preached to people about my superior new diet(s) until they told me to shut up already, and then I preached some more. One week, fat was the enemy, then it was sugar, milk, fruit… the list goes on.
I wasted years, a heck of a lot of money, and I damaged my body severely. And I never got that superior body that my superior diet promised me.
Stop reading the new diet book, the 6 weeks 6 pack program in the daily newspaper… start listening to your body – it is the best nutrition expert you’ll ever know.
It’s not rocket science, most people know deep down what the healthiest thing to eat is, just listen to your body. There are lots of things that the majority of the population aren’t aware of however, and that’s where I want to help fill in the gaps.
Some general rules, elaborated upon:
1. Eat approximately 6 meals per day – this is a guideline, sometimes I find it easier to eat 8, even 10 meals per day as I PERSONALLY can’t eat too much in one sitting and need to space it out.
2. Eat clean – if it needs a tv advert, you should probably eat it less often.
3. Eat protein – this will help you protect/build your lean muscle mass and increase your metabolism.
4. Eat carbs – fat burns in a carb fire – you can’t train as hard as you need to if you restrict your carbs. It also helps to push protein into the muscle.
5. Eat fats (mostly mono and polyunsaturated) – they help you absorb protein correctly, they also help LOWER cholesterol and stabilise blood pressure.
4. Decide whether you actually NEED to lose WEIGHT – there are plenty of girls out there with “the perfect body” weighing in at 170lbs!! Weight is nothing. Focus on your fitness levels and body fat etc.
5. Discover your somatype (ecto/endo/mesomorph) as this will have an impact on the macronutrient balance that you need (carbs, proteins, fats) and the effect of your hormones.
6. Discover your BMR – how much you burn in 24 hours without moving a muscle – mine is 1,394 cals… without moving!! If you undereat by too much you will a. Send your body into starvation mode so it will hold on to all the fat it can, and b. Give up due to insanity!
7. Exercise about 5 times per week for 30 mins each time.
8. Don’t rely on steady-state cardio! – a. It’s gunna get boring, and b. It sends your body catabolic (eats its own muscle and saves the fat) as opposed to anabolic (vice versa).
9. Consistency – set a goal, set out a clear path to it, STICK TO IT – stop pinching your hips and looking in the mirror after one set of 15 crunches! I’ve been there, I know you’re doing it!
10. Ensure that you ENJOY your LIFESTYLE, this is not a DIET. This is a slow and steady process; change only a small amount of things at a time until it becomes second nature. You have a life to live – live it! Love it!
Need ANY help on any of the above, comment below or PM me 🙂
Like me on facebook – http://www.facebook.com/nornironfitness
– No Fads. Just Fitness.
– Rachel.
Norn Iron Fitness 