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Strong
beginnings – success through synergy
So
where to begin? Since two thirds of the population is overweight
(see “Scary Truth”) let’s address the foundations and keys to fat
loss.
Now before I get into the nuts and bolts of nutrition and training
principles it is essential we discuss the mental approach.
I am continually in contact with people who self-sabotage themselves.
They just don’t believe deep down it’s possible to change. The ‘hope’
that brings them to the point of “maybe I could achieve this goal?”
is very fragile.
And unless an absolute belief and vision is there combined with
an early feeling of achievement and progress, the dream can and
generally will quickly fade and the desire to make those better
choices becomes progressively harder.
Brian Tracy, one of the most highly regarded motivators, says in
his book ‘Maximum Achievement’ that he has found the common link
between high achievers.
All have taken the time to sit down and create a clear blueprint
for themselves and their future.
This advice is hardly new and should seem like common sense, but
it’s rarely done. There is incredible power to goal setting and
strategic planning.
Tracy goes on to say that happiness is the “progressive achievement
of a worthy ideal or goal”.
At the end of this article I have included an exercise that I thoroughly
recommend you try and invest in to help clarify your goals and create
the desire necessary to achieve them.
So let’s now focus on some basic principles to get you on the right
track quickly. As I know once you start getting results staying
on that path is easier.
Success comes from a synergy: the need for muscle, cardio in moderation
and good nutrition and lifestyle.
Let me elaborate, starting with the need for muscle. Muscle is an
active tissue and needs fuel. It’s your friend if you want to loose
body fat by increasing your metabolism (the rate your body burns
fuel).
So here comes our first road block – mostly from girls – “but I
don’t want to be big and muscle bound” you say.
- It’s
very difficult for most women to bulk up as testosterone is
a big helper.
- If
you are in the minority and prone to quick muscle gain then
there are various strategies to combat this (e.g. cardio
after the resistence session as recommend below or circuit
training).
- After
the age of approx. 30 muscles begin to atrophy (diminish) so
weight training is essential to maintain metabolism levels.
The
second key is moderate amounts of cardio. Overdoing it can lead
to a decrease in fat burning potential.
A survey conducted several years ago revealed that aerobic instructors
are on average 20 % body fat, while body pump (using resistence
weights) instructors were below 15 %. Why? It goes back to the
need for muscle.
Overdoing cardio may result in your body using the muscles as
a fuel source if there are inadequate reserves.
Decreasing your lean muscle tissue then leads to a decrease in
fat burners.
Cardio is important as it allows nutrients to be transported to
the cells via the bloodstream. When fat is released from storage
centres (adipose cells) it travels through the bloodstream to
be burned.
That is why I recommend cardio after the resistance workout. Don’t
make sessions longer than an hour so you decrease the risk of
using the muscles as fuel.
Here’s an example plan – 5 min warm-up, 40 min resistance workout,
10 min cardio (65-85% intensity), then 5 min cool down and stretch.
The third part is nutrition and life style. Often the most misunderstood
and neglected. Here are some basic initial steps:
- Eat
every 3 to 4 hours. This will increase your metabolism and keep
your blood sugar levels steady. If you eat regularly your body
thinks “hey, I don’t need to store as much of this food as body
fat, because I am getting this regularly”.
- Eat
a source of protein at every meal. Our body requires all three
macronutrients (carbs, proteins and fats) to function.
- Reduce
processed food, particularly the three evil whites: white flour,
white sugar and white salt.
- Rotate
your foods. Eat from a variety of foods to get maximum nutrients
and reduce toxicity levels – particularly with meat.
- Try
to get to bed before 10.30pm as lack of sleep and rest will
place a stress on the body and when the body is stress
it protects
itself and one way is to release hormones to store fat.
- Drink
plenty of good quality water, at least 2 litres per day. Fruit
juice doesn’t count as it’s full of sugar.
As
mentioned at the beginning of this article I have included an
exercise to help create your goals and give you a roadmap.
Please try the following:
Find a quiet place to close your eyes and think about your current
health now, think about how it feels waking up in the morning,
think about what you see in the mirror, about how you would feel
after you went for a jog around the park for 5 minutes, now project
that over a year, then 5 years, then 20. What do you see, hear
and feel at each stage and what are you able to do. What is your
quality of life?
Now take another look at some of the strategies towards health
and fitness outlined, the ‘how’ we can do this. These initial
steps are powerful stepping stones. Again close your eyes and
think what would you like to see in that mirror, how would it
feel to wake up energised in the morning, and what would it feel
to have a lasting energy throughout the day – what could you achieve?
Now put pen to paper and write down your ultimate health and fitness
goals. Stick them somewhere where you can see them everyday, and
now let’s begin the journey towards health, vitality and the body
of your dreams together. Once you have written your goals down,
it is much harder to sabotage yourself!
The aim of this month is to create simple and achievable habits.
The final point is I challenge you to being bold and begin now,
not tomorrow, after the holiday, or when you feel ready.
The journey of 1000 miles begins with 1 step.
Your
3d Coach
Craig
Burton
References
-
Chek,
P., How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy, 2004,
C.H.E.K. Institute
-
Tracey,
B., Maximum Achievement, Simon & Schuster
-
Kaplan,
P., Fitness Truth, online at www.philkaplan.com
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