“What should I do to get in shape and lose weight”? Well, the answer depends on a lot of factors. What works well for one person may not work for another. However, there are some rules that are necessary and absolute like the following:
1) Be consistent with your workouts
2) Fuel your body with healthy foods
3) Get adequate sleep
4) Rest your muscles between workouts
5) Drink plenty of water
The first rule listed above is probably the most important of all. If you aren’t consistent you simply won’t get results. You’ll feel as if you’re going in circles and in essence you’re taking two steps forward and one step back. Yeah, it’s better than doing nothing, but to really make good progress, it takes regularity. You can’t exercise regularly one week and then skip the next. I find that many people are very regular during the work week but slack off on the weekends. Maybe you exercise at your work gym and so have a hard time staying consistent on the days that you don’t work. Well, there’s no reason why you can’t change things up on the weekends. There are plenty of exercises you can do outside of the gym environment; you just need to get a little creative.
That brings us to the second rule, which is in direct correlation to the first—eat healthy, supportive foods, and do so on a regular basis. You can’t expect to get great results if you’re consuming junk food. Again, be consistent with your foods just as you are with exercise. You can’t eat great during the week and then eat fast food, high fat or sugar foods, or lots of deep fried foods on the weekend. Choose foods that are high in protein and fiber, avoid adding salt to your food, and try to stick with fresh foods as much as possible, versus processed foods which are often high in fat and sodium. I’m a big fan of moderation, and by that I mean that having a dessert once in a while (once a week) won’t hurt you, it can even serve as your reward for all your hard work and diligence. It’s having a dessert several times a week that will do you in.
Many people underestimate the importance of rule number three—sleep. If your not giving your body adequate rest through sleep, you can’t expect it to improve and progress at a reasonable rate. If you don’t sleep enough, your body will grow weak and tired and you won’t be able to maximize your workouts like you should with adequate sleep. You may experience general fatigue, sore muscles, lack of energy and decreased strength just to name a few negatives. So do yourself a favor and go to bed at a decent hour. Studies show that most people require seven to eight hours of sleep per night, and the majority of people don’t get it.
The next point to follow is allowing you muscles enough rest between workouts. Often time, people think if some is good, more is better. But that rule definitely does not apply to weight training. With weight training, you actually get stronger in between your workouts. In other words, if you work the same muscles repeatedly without rest between workouts, you won’t experience a strength gain. As a matter of fact, you will most likely experience a strength decrease. So if you’re looking to tone up your arms, you will be waiting a long time if you’re doing bicep exercises repeatedly, day after day without rest.
Last but not least is be sure to drink enough water. Water is responsible for flushing your system of impurities. You should be consuming half of your body weight in ounces per day. In other words, if you weight 200 pounds, you should consume 100 ounces of water per day. It may sound difficult, but once you get used to it, you won’t feel like yourself without it. Get in the habit of taking a bottle of water everywhere you go, and before you know it, you’ll easily be meeting your body’s daily requirements.
Melissa Allen, CPT, BS, CES is a certified personal trainer, corrective exercise specialist and Medifast health coach, is the owner of the Optimum Condition Corrective Exercise & Performance Center, located in El Cajon, in the East County of San Diego. We specialize in customized fitness training and corrective exercise for both recreational athletes and post-rehab clients, as well as guaranteed weight loss programs or your money back. You can schedule a free consultation to help you get started. Please visit her website at OptimumCondition.org.
