Yesterday I was starving and wanted something quick and easy for lunch. My mom sat in the kitchen laughing at me because nothing in Jillian's book is simple. She looked at me and said, "you are way too consumed with these rules. You have to makes this plan work for you, or when it's done your just going to reverse everything you've accomplished." Goodness gracious my mom is smart, huh? I'm glad God gave me her to balance out my madness. I've decided that I'm in college, I don't have time to cook all 3 meals of the day. I need to think of more simple and practical ways. Plus, I'm all about simplicity! :) So now I'm am structuring my plan around eating things I know are good for me, balancing out my protein, carbs and fat. I'll also keep track of calories. How many calories are you supposed to have in day? Well, that depends on the person. For me to lose weight and gain muscle mass, I need about 1500-1600 calories a day. No more than 1600! The average woman probably only needs 1500 calories a day to reach her fitness goals. Once you get the desired results, you bump the calories up a bit more to retain what you have. So, I'd say a safe bet would be between 1650-1700 calories to maintain. They must be smart calories, though! A piece of bread does not count as a good carb (unless it is Ezekiel bread, of course, but I'm not gonna lie, it doesn't have the greatest taste)! Your ideal carbs should be complex carbs such as: sweet potato, brown rice etc. As far as protein goes, be smart with it! No fatty meats! Use lean fish, chicken and very lean red meat. Limit your red meat intake ladies!
Men work a lot different with protein, but I'm not going to sit here and act like I know how protein works with men, sorry guys, I just don't know. I do know, men, if you're trying to build muscle mass, the amount of protein you need in a day is anywhere from .75-1.00 grams of protein per pound of body weight. So, if you weight 180 pounds, you can pack on some muscle with 180 GOOD GRAMS of protein a day.
The circuit training is going pretty well. I absolutely hate it, though. I'd much rather do an hour of cardio and 45 minutes worth of weights a day. This whole "going to the gym for circuit training but not laying a finger on one weight" is killing me! So, I've once again changed it up to make it work for me. Some days are spin classes, other days are Jillian's circuits and more times than not, I do weight training routines that my personal trainer designed for me last summer. I ran into her at the gym today for the first time in a year. Her name is Sandra. She's about 50 years old and is in KILLER SHAPE. I mean, I'm 19 and I want to look like this woman. She is incredible!! So, I know I can't go wrong with the routines that she has given me.
The important thing about fitness is making it work for you. No one should ever dread going to the gym. Make sure you find something that you like and that it works for you. I'm not saying go and take it easy. It takes a lot of hard work to be successful, but there are fun ways to incorporate the hard work. My favorite is 30 minutes of cardio, weights then 15-30 more minutes of cardio. That's just how I was taught and it's what I enjoy. Make sure it works for you! If not, you'll never be successful because you're constantly consumed with rules that you really do not want to follow. I recommend buying a book (Body for Life and Body for Life for Women is my favorite) read the book and use their rules as "guidelines." You don't have to do everything they say. Just change it up to where you can make it work throughout you daily life. Even if it takes you a while to get the routine and nutrition perfect, it's ok! Don't give up! If you're truly making an effort and want to be better, the results will come! I promise! The important thing is to make wise choices and be good to your body!
"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
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