New year, new you. Right?! NAHT, if you don’t maintain your diet and you fall off the exercise bandwagon! Did you know that Americans spend many tens of billions every year in the hope of keeping resolutions to lose weight, get fit, quit smoking, fix their finances, organize their closets, etc? Last year we spent $62 billion on health club memberships, weight-loss programs, exercise tapes, and diet soda. (www.nytimes.com)
Do you make the same resolution every year, to loose weight and get fit? Do you sign-up for a gym membership the first week in January every year, go to the gym consistently for a month, maybe two, see some results but not enough and so give up? What you need to understand is that getting fit and losing weight isn’t about trying today’s fad diet and using the elliptical for 30 minutes; it’s about committing to a newer, healthier lifestyle and maintaining it forever.
If you’ve failed to reach your resolutions in the past, it’s most likely because you are lacking the following 3 things:
MOTIVATION
Figure out what it is you are trying to achieve by eating healthier and exercising. Whether you are looking to lose weight, prepare for that new swim suit, lower your cholesterol or increase your athletic performance; set specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely goals (S.M.A.R.T goals) for yourself! This will give you something to work toward and hold you accountable for slacking off.
Click here for more information on setting S.M.A.R.T goals
EDUCATION
Most people just don’t know how to exercise! Take a walk around your gym and see for yourself. You’ll find anything from the “Cardio Club” (the people that pay a gym membership only to use a treadmill or elliptical 1-2 days a week) to the guy that looks like he knows what he’s doing but he’s actually just reading the “how to” stickers on the machines. If you are really interested in learning how to exercise properly I suggest that you either try taking a group exercise class at your gym, join an indoor or outdoor bootcamp, or try working 1-on-1 with a personal trainer.
DEDICATION
Definition: “To commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action”. See that? “To commit”. Commit to achieving your fitness goals!
My resolution is to lead you in the right direction to achieve your weight-loss goals in the new year. But, it’s going to take a lot of commitment and effort; are you ready? If so, read on.
If you’ve decided to keep reading- GOOD FOR YOU! Below, I have created a simple guide to losing the weight and keeping it off. You’re welcome. :)
Before you even think about what you should or should not be eating, you need to FIRST figure out how many calories your body needs to maintain your current weight. Click HERE to calculate “your number”.
Got it? Okay, lets move on! Let’s say “my number” comes out to 2,000. This number represents my daily calorie allowance. Out of these 2,000 calories...
*It is highly recommended to also consume 28g (female), 33g (male) of FIBER per day.
Now that we have the exact calculations we need to consume each day, we can learn how to start dropping some weight. So, how do you lose weight? It’s simple! What you need to start doing is exercising 3 - 6 days per week (obviously, the more you exercise the quicker you will see and feel results) for at least 30 minutes. This means taking a group exercise class, yoga, resistance training, running, rowing, biking, etc. You need to be active in order to see and feel the results you are looking for. Why is exercise important to weight loss? When you are exercising your body burns calories. When your body burns calories you lose weight! Simple enough? Thought so. Besides, we want to burn that fat and increase muscle tone! Unfortunately, just eating “your number” will not provide these kind of results.
So, if I am eating 2,000 calories a day and I burn 300-500+ calories per day (the more you burn the better) for a week, I could lose 2 - 4+ lbs in that one week alone! Imagine a month? Or two? Or more!? On the days that I am unable to make it to the gym I will simply eat 300-500 calories less that day to substitute for the lack of exercise. If you are exercising at a high intensity (TPF bootcamp, crossfitting, plyometrics, etc.) allow yourself to consume 150-200 more calories that day.
WHAT SHOULD I BE EATING?
You need to make sure that these carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and fibers that you are consuming come from whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and “good fats” (monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, and omega-3’s). Try to stay away from anything that has been processed (in a box, can, or any other form of packaging), has added sugar (juices, candy, soda, chocolate, sweets, etc.), is fried, contains alcohol, and limit eating out. It’s okay to treat yourself with some of these “bad foods”, just don’t do it all the time! Enjoy these foods in moderation (1-2 meals or snacks a week). The last thing we want is for you to be miserable and completely cutting out foods that you enjoy eating. Simply control yourself and don’t make it a bad habit. Also, drink tons of water! It helps curb your appetite, and keeps your body hydrated. Be ware of those sugary coffee’s you get every morning from Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts, too! They usually contain a boat load of added sugars or syrups adding a lot more calories to your coffee then you think!
Do you make the same resolution every year, to loose weight and get fit? Do you sign-up for a gym membership the first week in January every year, go to the gym consistently for a month, maybe two, see some results but not enough and so give up? What you need to understand is that getting fit and losing weight isn’t about trying today’s fad diet and using the elliptical for 30 minutes; it’s about committing to a newer, healthier lifestyle and maintaining it forever.
If you’ve failed to reach your resolutions in the past, it’s most likely because you are lacking the following 3 things:
MOTIVATION
Figure out what it is you are trying to achieve by eating healthier and exercising. Whether you are looking to lose weight, prepare for that new swim suit, lower your cholesterol or increase your athletic performance; set specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely goals (S.M.A.R.T goals) for yourself! This will give you something to work toward and hold you accountable for slacking off.
Click here for more information on setting S.M.A.R.T goals
EDUCATION
Most people just don’t know how to exercise! Take a walk around your gym and see for yourself. You’ll find anything from the “Cardio Club” (the people that pay a gym membership only to use a treadmill or elliptical 1-2 days a week) to the guy that looks like he knows what he’s doing but he’s actually just reading the “how to” stickers on the machines. If you are really interested in learning how to exercise properly I suggest that you either try taking a group exercise class at your gym, join an indoor or outdoor bootcamp, or try working 1-on-1 with a personal trainer.
DEDICATION
Definition: “To commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action”. See that? “To commit”. Commit to achieving your fitness goals!
My resolution is to lead you in the right direction to achieve your weight-loss goals in the new year. But, it’s going to take a lot of commitment and effort; are you ready? If so, read on.
If you’ve decided to keep reading- GOOD FOR YOU! Below, I have created a simple guide to losing the weight and keeping it off. You’re welcome. :)
Before you even think about what you should or should not be eating, you need to FIRST figure out how many calories your body needs to maintain your current weight. Click HERE to calculate “your number”.
Got it? Okay, lets move on! Let’s say “my number” comes out to 2,000. This number represents my daily calorie allowance. Out of these 2,000 calories...
40% should come from CARBOHYDRATES. This equals... (based on 2,000 calorie diet)
800 calories of carbohydrate
.40 x 2,000 (“your number”) = 800
200 grams of carbs.
800 / 4 = 200
35% should come from PROTEINS. This equals...
700 calories of protein.
.35 x 2,000 (“your number”) = 700
175 grams of protein.
700 / 4 = 175
25% should come from FATS. This equals...
500 calories of fat.
.25 x 2,000 (“your number”) = 500
55 grams of fat.
500 / 9 = 55
*It is highly recommended to also consume 28g (female), 33g (male) of FIBER per day.
Now that we have the exact calculations we need to consume each day, we can learn how to start dropping some weight. So, how do you lose weight? It’s simple! What you need to start doing is exercising 3 - 6 days per week (obviously, the more you exercise the quicker you will see and feel results) for at least 30 minutes. This means taking a group exercise class, yoga, resistance training, running, rowing, biking, etc. You need to be active in order to see and feel the results you are looking for. Why is exercise important to weight loss? When you are exercising your body burns calories. When your body burns calories you lose weight! Simple enough? Thought so. Besides, we want to burn that fat and increase muscle tone! Unfortunately, just eating “your number” will not provide these kind of results.
So, if I am eating 2,000 calories a day and I burn 300-500+ calories per day (the more you burn the better) for a week, I could lose 2 - 4+ lbs in that one week alone! Imagine a month? Or two? Or more!? On the days that I am unable to make it to the gym I will simply eat 300-500 calories less that day to substitute for the lack of exercise. If you are exercising at a high intensity (TPF bootcamp, crossfitting, plyometrics, etc.) allow yourself to consume 150-200 more calories that day.
WHAT SHOULD I BE EATING?
You need to make sure that these carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and fibers that you are consuming come from whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and “good fats” (monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, and omega-3’s). Try to stay away from anything that has been processed (in a box, can, or any other form of packaging), has added sugar (juices, candy, soda, chocolate, sweets, etc.), is fried, contains alcohol, and limit eating out. It’s okay to treat yourself with some of these “bad foods”, just don’t do it all the time! Enjoy these foods in moderation (1-2 meals or snacks a week). The last thing we want is for you to be miserable and completely cutting out foods that you enjoy eating. Simply control yourself and don’t make it a bad habit. Also, drink tons of water! It helps curb your appetite, and keeps your body hydrated. Be ware of those sugary coffee’s you get every morning from Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts, too! They usually contain a boat load of added sugars or syrups adding a lot more calories to your coffee then you think!
If you would like a copy of the TPF Power Food List, please email me at anthony.ortiz@topperformancefitness.com and I would be more than happy to help you.
Good luck on your new fitness journey!
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