Last week I posted guest blog on best exercises to do to get a boxers physique
At this time of year (and especially after an Easter Egg binge) many of us are starting to panic about getting in shape for summer
Exercise is just one small part of it. If you really want to drop body fat you’ve got to get your diet right.
Here’s a few tips today to reset habits and mkick start your summer body
Mindset
Before you even think about what to eat, you need to get in the right mindset. You need to have a clear goal and a strong emotional attachment to your goal. Saying you want to lose a stone is not usually enough. It might get you motivated but it won’t keep you on track when you’re having a rough day. I say to my clients, what the reason behind your goal. Every goal is a search for a feeling so how do you want to feel? What will change for you when you are a stone lighter? What will you be doing, saying, feeling?
Preparation
Now your in the right mindset, the next step is to make sure you are prepared. Get rid of any processed food and unhealthy snacks. You’ll only be tempted to eat them. Not sure what’s processed? Here’s a hint – anything that contains more than one ingredient is processed in some way. Foods that have a long list of ingredients and long shelf life are highly processed. Try to stick to foods that have one of two ingredients. In today’s culture of convenience, it’s hard to avoid processed food completely. Follow the 80/20 rule. If the bulk of your diet comes from natural food (meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, nuts) then the body can handle 20% food that’s not quite so pure!
Consistent exercise
Get consistent with your training. Be realistic about what you can fit in. Trying to overdo it and train 6 days a week when you are unconditioned is a clear road to failure. Whether it’s starting at 2 or 3 x a week, find a routine that you can be consistent with first, THEN look at increasing time, weight, intensity…… another hint – the best exercise programme is the one you actually do. The only way you will do something consistently is if you enjoy it. Find something that’s going to be fun!
Sleep
Most people completely underestimate how sleep impacts on fat loss. When you sleep your body repairs itself. All the hormones and chemical reactions that we need for fat loss happen during the recovery phrase – exercise itself is just a stimulus for the body to adapt. If we don’t allow ourselves to sleep enough the results we get are compromised. Also our bodies are also programmed to work around the circadian cycle. E.g. to sleep and repair when it gets dark and wake up when it’s light. Try to go to bed an hour earlier and have a curfew on any lights including phones, laptops and TV at least an hour before bed
Reduce your carbs
I’m not a fan of cutting out any food groups but in western culture we are often over reliant on carbs especially refined carbs like bread, pasta, cakes and pastries. Eating a diet high in these foods affects our insulin sensitivity. What this means is it can make out body more prone to storing the excess sugar in our fat cells. If you’ve been used to eating a diet high in carbs (or beige foods as I like to call it!) it means your body always has glucose available to burn. Glucose is the body’s preferred energy source so that means while it has steady supply, it won’t burn fat. Cutting your carbs initially will help you re-train your body to get energy from fat stores. It doesn’t have to be forever, you can re-introduce when your body is working more efficiently
Support
Whatever programme you choose to follow, make sure you feel fully supported. The brain is constantly seeking safety and connection, the more supported you feel the happier your brain will be and a happy brain will keep you on track to getting results. There are a million methods and programmes out there. Chose one that’s right for you and that comes with the level of support you require. I’m generally a fan of group training programmes as I know that the camaraderie and also the competitive element works for me. Some people might work better to a one to one approach
Also tell your friends and family what you are doing and explain to them what support you need. If you are not clear on that yourself, it’s difficult for other people to understand how they can best support you
DON’T eat every 4 hours
Ok I know this may sound contradictory to what you might have previous heard about fat loss. You may have heard that if you skip a meal you’ll go into starvation mode. Now let’s think about that, most of us have usually consumed enough calories and have enough fat stores to keep us going for some time. And eating fewer meals will give your digestive system a well earned break. It’s all about re-training yourself. If you are used to eating frequently see if you can go an extra hour without eating and gradually cut down your meals to 3 a day. Try to have a 12 hour break overnight too, if your last meal is at 7pm, make sure you don’t eat before 7am the next day.
My last tip is have the odd treat from time to time and make sure you enjoy it. The journey to fitness and fat loss shouldn’t be a punishment!
If you need help with any of the above our next Make the Weight programme starts on 8th May
https://12rounds.wufoo.com/forms/zxfy7670viqdhm/
Consistent programmed training in a small supportive group along with nutrition and mindset support. Simples
Kat
Ps. Here’s a picture of Claira, who’s just completed the programme. She has a new problem now, she has to buy new clothes!
