It may be true, but ladies, it's how you deal with the truth that matters.
Spoiler alert: Everyone is going in the same direction, so don't get caught up in what the 20 somethings are doing and how they look. You had your chance and now it’s time to move on to bigger and better things. Have a little humor, go hiking, biking, climbing, running, swimming, do yoga, study martial arts – something physical; and learn to love all your parts for better or worse. Your body belongs to you and no one else, so fucking give it some love.
It’s about obtaining and maintaining a healthy mind and body, even when your shit starts to sag. And it will sag. You’ll be happier, more confident and have more energy for your kids, husband, work, or whatever.
Flavorful food that provides nutrition and fuel to your body combined with the right exercise regimen are the key in my opinion. Develop healthy (not fad) habits that work for your lifestyle. Things like weight gain don’t happen overnight, that’s why it’s important to learn, adopt and stick to healthy habits while listening to what your body is telling you.
Maybe you’re bloated from medication, too much salt or your period. Fine. But maybe the truth is that you have poor eating habits, little or no restraint, and you are slowly but surely gaining weight. Sometimes shit just happens. So if shit happened to you and you want to fix it – fix it. Consult a doctor if you need to and get started.
Remember that it takes weeks, months, even years of bad habits for the weight to add up and it’s not going away overnight either, so please stay away from a quick fix. What you need to fix are your bad habits. That’s all on you. Stop rolling through the drive thru and commit a little extra time to prepping easy well- balanced meals. Do this ahead of time if you need to. Your good habits will not go unnoticed by your kids, so take this opportunity to set a good example. When my kids see me eating healthy and loving it they are more likely to want to taste it.
Remember that eating well and getting in shape will boost your energy and your confidence, but first you need a commitment from yourself and solid support system. You don’t want to be hanging around with people who try to block the path to your goal. Stay away from those pub crawling out-of-shape whiners who want to bring you down and keep you like one of them. Brisk walking at the mall will not a beach body make.
Place yourself in a supportive environment filled with people who really want you to dominate this challenge. It’s difficult to succeed at anything when there are forces constantly trying to undermine your confidence. Stay focused and make sure your workouts are meaningful. Working out should make your sweaty or whine -- or both if you’re really working hard.
When it comes to food, it’s important to have a basic understanding of portions and how many calories you are really consuming vs how calories you actually need. For example, my body can tolerate more carbs than the average woman because I train a lot and probably genetics, but the minute I stop or slow down training I make sure to reduce my intake. The metabolism will not stay ramped up when you’re not in beast mode.
When I was training for my first black belt I was working full time, training daily for several hours and taking care of my two little boys and my husband. Eating at least 3000-4000 calories a day and looking ripped was nice, but the reality was that I couldn’t maintain that lifestyle for a long period of time. After I earned my new rank, my training slowed down, so I could spend more time with the family. Soon my weight began to increase because my output was not the same as it had been and my body was trying to tell me to lighten up. I was frustrated because I really like to eat, but with some simple adjustments I was back to my happy place.
Check out the link below outlining the exercises for burning the most calories. Make sure to incorporate these into your workout routines. Things like burpees, lunges, and plank are among some of the best exercises to make you sweaty and keep you fit.
http://news.health.com/2013/08/30/5-exercises-that-burn-the-most-calories/
According to www.health.com the average human burns about 10 calories per minute doing burpees. Assuming 10-20 burpees a minute, you can trade 1 dill pickle spear for those 10 calories. Now it’s a party. 5 minutes of burpees may burn approximately 50 calories.
My husband believes this is not a fair trade and quickly came to the conclusion that burpees aren’t worth it. Blasphemy! Keep doing those burpees ladies, they’re good for you. Why? A full body strength training exercise, the burpee gives you the most bang for your buck because it works your arms, chest, legs, glutes, and abs. I'm sweating just thinking about it.
Just when you start to get on track here comes snack time. That pivotal point in the day when we all can fall off the wagon into a bag of kettle cooked potato chips. Don’t. Check out this list of snack foods that have 50 calories or less. Remember 5 minutes of burpees.....
http://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/nutrition/a30/50-best-snacks-under-50-calories/
When you’re starting out, be rigid about your calorie intake and strict with the exercise schedule. Remember, if you’re feeling weak just drink a glass of water or seltzer to stave off the urge to snack unnecessarily. Don’t indulge in that piece of cake at your co-worker’s birthday party. Nibble on the veggie platter. Never go to the grocery store hungry. Plan ahead, make a list and shop smart. Avoid eating out for at least a week, so you can start to solidify your new good habits. If you have to eat out, be strong and continue to follow the guidelines you have set for yourself.
When you work out, give it everything you have and then give more. You can do it! Why? Because you're a battlemom!
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