It’s WEDNESDAY!!!!!!! TGIW!!!!!
Why am I so excited that it’s Wednesday you might ask? Well today marks exactly three months since I started my so-called “Diet”. I lowered my carbohydrates slightly, I increased my cardio by an additional ten minutes each day, and I gave up my weekly ice cream and cookie binges. I now do these binges bi-weekly. ;^)
According to all the posts that I’ve seen and read on Facebook and Instagram from people who are dieting I should be suffering too right? My energy levels must be non existent and I think I’m suppose to feel tired and perhaps a little irritable by now. Oh, and apparently “The Struggle is Real” when you are on a diet. This also seems to be a common quote used by many of my fellow dieters.
Well I hate to disappoint, but I actually feel pretty good and have felt pretty good the entire time I’ve been “dieting”. I feel even better now then I did prior to starting my new eating regime. My strength has increased in the gym and the waistband in my shorts feels a bit looser around my midsection as well. Oh and according to the scale I’m down a total of 27lbs since July 10th. I’m still waiting for that struggle to get real but it just hasn’t happened for me yet I guess……
The Secret
As most of our clients know, I don’t like to use the word “Diet”. I much prefer to use the word “Nutritional Plan”. As I discussed in one of my recent blogs, I find the word “diet” to be very negative as it tends to be associated with other scary words such as “Restriction”, “Pain” and “Hunger”. A diet is also something that is designed to be short term and usually only lasts a few weeks to a few months rather then something that can actually become sustainable, enjoyable and most importantly, beneficial for life. In my opinion most diets are too restrictive which leads people to either cheat, quit or rebound extremely hard once their so-called diet has been complete. This eventually leads to an increase in weight gain, and creates an unhealthy relationship with food which can sometimes end up resulting in an eating disorder for many people. Believe me, I have worked with more then enough fitness competitors over the years and have witnessed this vicious cycle repeat itself first hand, far too many times again and again.
A nutritional plan on the other hand is a long term strategy that is a constant work in progress. A well thought out nutritional plan teaches you how to fuel your body properly for what it needs rather then what your emotions and cravings tell you it wants. A well designed plan will also allow you to enjoy a couple of deserts and treats every so often without feeling a sense of guilt or expanding your waistline drastically, if at all. Following a solid plan rather then following a destructive diet can enable a person to develop a healthy relationship with food while not feeling too deprived from restricting the foods that they enjoy.
Taking a Customized Approach
Okay, so back to my own nutritional plan. Why did I change my previous plan up? Why was I trying to get leaner? Why was I reducing my carbs while increasing my cardio?
My Answer: Who cares?
My reason is my reason. Just like your reason is your reason. The reason that you make a lifestyle change is usually only important to you. I don’t think that you’ll find a single person who is going to lose a minute of sleep worrying whether or not you lost a pound last week.
Get my point?
Fine. So what’s my nutritional plan that I’m following that seems to be working so well?
Again, Who Cares?
My current plan is a plan that I designed for myself based on my training goals, my lifestyle, my level of fitness, and my workout regimen. I didn’t copy some generic diet plan that I found online written by some guy who has never met, spoke or interacted with me and therefore has no idea as to how to customize a plan that’s been tailored towards my physique, my genetics and my goals. I didn’t listen to the massive muscle bound meat head at the local gym who is obviously on copious amounts of anabolic steroids for advice on my daily macronutrient requirements. And no, I didn’t “plug” my calories into some online app like MyFitnessPal or a Calorie Counter to figure out how many calories are in a Starbucks pastry or how I could “fit” a bunch of empty calories into my own nutritional plan. Instead, I simply personalized my plan for myself, just as I do for each individual client who works with me on their own nutritional plan.
Generic Diet Plans Don’t Work in the Long Term!
There, I said it. Feel free to report me to Atkins, Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again and I’m sure I’ll continue to say it for decades to come – You need to find what works for YOU and YOUR body. Or at least hire a reputable and credible professional who you know of and trust to help create an effective nutritional plan designed specifically for you.
I’ve leaned out fairly quickly for many shows over the years without the use of fat burners or any other performance enhancing drugs. I’ve lost weight without doing hours upon hours of endless cardio each day. I’ve never once starved myself to lose a pound and I’ve also never gone more then a week without indulging in a cheat meal. In my opinion, when 95% of your daily food intake is clean, there’s no reason to make drastic changes such as starving yourself, or becoming obsessed with calories, or even resorting to weight loss pills and other pharmaceutical drugs. These changes are not sustainable for life and therefore the person who makes them is doomed to fail and cause even more damage to themselves before he or she even begins.
If you are currently in the process of trying to make a lifestyle change with your daily eating habits and are finding it to be difficult, don’t give up. If you want it bad enough, you can and will achieve your ultimate goal(s).
Most of us have heard that it takes 21 Days to Develop a Good Habit. I would suggest that it takes just as long to break poor habits that have been developed over the years as well. Therefore rather then trying to change everything all at once, I recommend to our clients that they try to make smaller changes more gradually.
For example, instead of using cream in your coffee try using skim milk. Rather then ordering white rice sushi, opt for the brown rice option, it’s much healthier for you and will actually leave you feeling more full and satisfied. Instead of having bacon with your eggs, save yourself and your arteries some calories by substituting the fried pork bacon for some baked turkey bacon. Changes like this might seem challenging at first, but eventually with time, your body and mind will adjust.
Remember to be patient and make it a point every single day to move two steps forward and take no steps back. This way if you do happen to slip up on the odd occasion, and have to take one step back, you’re still a few steps further ahead then you were yesterday.
Yours in Good Health,
Nick Cosgrove
President
Forever Fit