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| Balance - courtesy Google Images (cdc.gov) |
Being a fitness trainer and competitor in the bodybuilding
world (figure category), I have learned a lot - sometimes the hard
way! To compete in my last show I lost 40 pounds! Yet, even
personal trainers can get off track and let the pounds stack on. Why does it seem so easy to gain weight and
diminish our hard earned level of fitness but so damned difficult to lose weight
and reclaim our fitness? Gaining weight just seems to be much more fun!
To compete in the “figure” world is quite extreme. To attain the desired level of leanness demanded by the sport takes a Herculean effort. I have accomplished it four times, and it's terribly challenging! It required two cardio sessions a day coupled with my personal weight lifting routine, while eating a strict diet of lean proteins, vegetables, and minimal amounts of complex carbohydrates. For many months, this routine required me to dig deep! Getting in shape and staying disciplined is not easy. Sad but true.
So I empathize with my clients as we work towards our fitness goals together! I have been at two extremes - chubby and lean. I feel like both extremes are not mentally or physically rewarding. I want to live in balance and I'm sure that is the desired goal for most of us! To be more in balance, we should strive to eat healthy at least 80% of the time, and “live it up” the other 20%. Enjoy a dinner out and a glass of wine with friends. Each week work to maintain a consistent weight lifting routine coupled with daily cardio sessions.
My goal is to lead a more balanced life; to be fit and not too far from my goal weight. I feel we all have a target weight where we look and feel our best – emphasis here on feeling good! To achieve this, try to maintain a consistent cardio regime with resistance training 3 to 4 days a week. Always give yourself a rest day! Eat a balanced diet (lots of fresh vegetables and lean proteins) and enjoy your life too!
To compete in the “figure” world is quite extreme. To attain the desired level of leanness demanded by the sport takes a Herculean effort. I have accomplished it four times, and it's terribly challenging! It required two cardio sessions a day coupled with my personal weight lifting routine, while eating a strict diet of lean proteins, vegetables, and minimal amounts of complex carbohydrates. For many months, this routine required me to dig deep! Getting in shape and staying disciplined is not easy. Sad but true.
So I empathize with my clients as we work towards our fitness goals together! I have been at two extremes - chubby and lean. I feel like both extremes are not mentally or physically rewarding. I want to live in balance and I'm sure that is the desired goal for most of us! To be more in balance, we should strive to eat healthy at least 80% of the time, and “live it up” the other 20%. Enjoy a dinner out and a glass of wine with friends. Each week work to maintain a consistent weight lifting routine coupled with daily cardio sessions.
My goal is to lead a more balanced life; to be fit and not too far from my goal weight. I feel we all have a target weight where we look and feel our best – emphasis here on feeling good! To achieve this, try to maintain a consistent cardio regime with resistance training 3 to 4 days a week. Always give yourself a rest day! Eat a balanced diet (lots of fresh vegetables and lean proteins) and enjoy your life too!
