I have been incredibly blessed being able to help people get started on some pretty incredible workout programs. P90X, Insanity, Turbofire, and Power 90 are just some of the many workout programs Beachbody offers to get people into the best shape of their lives. Yikes, I’m starting to sound like an infomercial. :)
What I have noticed, and it is pretty overwhelming, is that most people will not commit to eating correctly. They think that if they do their workout program consistently they are going to lose the fat and gain the muscle. Most of them experience awesome results at the beginning, but then the results taper off pretty fast. In fact, I have noticed that many of the people gain the weight back once the 90 days is over. It’s hard to watch.
In my opinion, tackling a ridiculously difficult workout program and not committing to eating right is like a football team trying to score a touchdown without having the football. It is impossible. Eating right is not 50% of the battle, but more like 80% of the battle. Here is why:
First, eating right is going to help you consistently lose body fat, even when you are not exercising. A diet free of fast food, processed food, sugar, and fried food will allow your metabolism to burn fat consistently-not just the first few weeks of Insanity. These foods are poisons that slow your metabolism and keep you from losing body fat. Worse yet, they are making you sick. Whole grains, raw vegetables, fruits, and lean proteins allow the body to work the right way.
Secondly, eating right will make you FEEL better. Most people purchase P90X to look better, and rightly so. But when they commit to the meal plan, they feel like a million dollars. I can speak from experience on this. Whenever I eat sugar or fried foods I feel terrible shortly afterwards. Whenever I stay away from those foods, I feel great, have a ton of energy, and never get that 2:30 feeling (you know, mid afternoon rolls around and you feel like taking a nap).
Lastly, you HAVE to eat right to get through difficult workouts. If you are eating well, you are fueling your body for your workout. 75 minutes of P90X or 50 minutes of Insanity takes a lot of energy. If you don’t eat the right foods, you simply won’t be able to finish. Well, you may finish, but you won’t get the workout you wanted.
So, let’s say you buy into what I just wrote. What now? Well, here are some tips. Modify if you like, but if you live by these principles, you will see great results not only 90 days from now, but for many years to come.
- As much as possible, stop eating out. Restaurant food is full of unwanted calories. While something may look or taste healthy, most times it is full of oils, fats, and for me the dreaded sodium. There are healthy options out there, don’t get me wrong. But most of them will keep you from reaching your fitness goals. If you are money conscious, another benefit is that you will be saving money. It is way less expensive to eat at home.
- Avoid fast food at all costs. There are reasons why 70% of our country is overweight. One of the main reasons is the lack of quality in fast food and how easy it is to obtain it. It’s a 99 cent taco. Do you really expect the meat to be real?
- Learn to make your own foods. What I have learned being married to Sandra is healthy, nutrient-dense homemade food simply tastes better then something bought at a restaurant. There are tons of options on the internet that will teach you how to cook, what to cook, and how to package it for future use. Learn to bulk cook. It is actually very easy and makes this lifestyle changes SOOO much more convenient.
- Throw out the poisons. I admit that if there were Caramel Delights in my pantry, chances are I would devour them before the end of the night. So we simply don’t keep things that challenge us in the house.
- Get the family involved. Getting your family to buy in to what you are doing will make this so much easier and so much more rewarding. My kids prefer to eat in. That is something that I never would have believed two years ago.
- Pack your own snacks. Proper nutrition involves eating 5-6 times a day. 2-3 of those are snacks. You don’t want your snacks coming out of a vending machine or from a convenience store. Pack snacks such as almonds, fruits, or protein bars.
- Incorporate Shakeology into your daily meal plan. Packed with more vitamins and minerals than six trips to a salad bar, it is also low in calories and it tastes great. I have it every morning for breakfast. I blend it with skim milk, almonds, chia, blueberries, cinnamon, and ice. My body craves it. It is simply the most effective meal replacement around.
As I wrote earlier, life is not a 90 day program. Find foods that will make you healthier now and find a meal plan you can stay on for a lifetime.
Bill
