In part 1, Keep Life Simple-Keep Fitness Simple, we talked about the basic principles of weight training. Proper form.
Switch your workout plan every 4-6 weeks. More often if you are an experienced weight trainer.
The basic Keep Life Simple exercises are; bench press, lat pull downs, lunges, squats and crunches
No more than 60 seconds rest between sets unless youre a power lifter.
Use enough weight. In general 8-10 reps to build muscle. For toning 12-15 reps. Youre already doing everything right so whats the problem? Wheres my six pack of abs? Could it be what youre eating? Did you know that about 80% of the results you want to see in your body have to do with the food you eat? Sure, the muscle is there but, we need to eat properly so that we can reveal the muscle that you have worked so hard for. Lets see; should I try the Grapefruit Diet, The Atikins Diet, The South Beach Diet, The Cabbage Soup Diet, The Zone? Should I go high protein, high carbs, no carbs, only eat low glycemic index? Do you see how complicated we can make eating just with the few diets Ive listed? Personally, Im waiting for the potato chips, chocolate chip cookie and ice cream diet! Believe it or not eating is easier than you think. God created a wonderful variety of fresh foods for us to eat. In general if it comes in a box, dont buy it. If it flies, swims, grows on a tree or in the ground, thats what you should be eating. Heres how really simple this is. Im going to give you a chart of foods you should never eat and a chart of foods you should always eat. It doesnt get any easier than that! 12 worst fat-storing foods you should never eat 12 foods you should eat all the time
Ice cream Oatmeal (or other whole grain cooked cereals) Fried foods Yams or sweet potatoes Doughnuts and pastries Potatoes, white or red Candy, chocolate and sweets Brown rice Soda Whole wheat bread and 100% whole grain products Fruit drinks and other sugar sweetened beverages Vegetables Potato chips Fresh fruit Bacon and sausage Low fat and non fat dairy products White bread Chicken and turkey Hot dogs, burgers Egg whites or egg beaters Cookies Lean red meat (top round, extra lean sirloin) Sugary breakfast cereals Fish and shellfish Some of you like to have a lot of choices of what to eat and others, well, too many choices become dangerous. It doesnt look like you have a lot of things to choose from but, think of how many types of fruits and vegetables there are. Keep it simple and you cant go wrong. There is so much information out of nutrition and what a portion is but just in case youre not sure, heres the deal; Three ounces of meat is about the size of the palm of your hand. A serving of fruits, vegetables, rice, etc is about a half cup. Thats about the size of what you can hold in a cupped hand. If you go to a fast food restaurant and they ask you would you like to supersize your meal? Just say NO! If you are a 350 pound linebacker, or a competitive athlete, those figures are going to vary but, for the general population those figures are going to work. How do you tell if youre eating the right amount of food? Again, keep it simple! How your body looks and how your clothes fit are still 2 of the best ways to see whats working for you. You can also measure body fat, weigh and take measurements. You know that were going to have to bring up the w word. Yes, water. Water is often over-looked as a nutrient. People who do not drink enough water often feel lethargic; have headaches, muscle aches and cramps. Many people do not know how much water they really need during a day. How much water you need depends on your activity level, how many foods that you eat that are high in water content and if you drink alcohol, caffeine and your body weight. A good rule of thumb is the traditional 64 ounces per day. Thats 8-8 oz. glasses of water. Personally, I like to get in 70% ounces to pound in body weight. If a person weighs 130 pounds, 70% of 130 pounds would be 91 ounces. If you are very active or drink a lot of coffee, you will need more water. Coffee and alcohol do not count as fluids in your diet. I actually had a client ask me if the water in his scotch and water counted toward his fluids for the day. The answer is.NO!!!! Water is one of the most important elements of the human body. It makes up approximately 70% of our muscles, and about 75% of our brains. It is also an essential part of a healthy diet and plays a vital role in the proper functioning of the body. Some of water's many benefits Transports essential nutrients throughout the body and rids the body of waste
Acts as a lubricant for the body, moistening eyes, mouth, nose, and skin
Helps maintain adequate blood volume
Helps regulate body temperature, especially in warm weather
Helps prevent constipation
Helps medications to work
Helps prevent urinary tract infections
Acts as an appetite suppressant
Is calorie-free
Boosts metabolism when drunk cold (we burn 2 calories per glass as we warm it up to body temperature) Be sure to reward your body with healthy food. After all, your body is the Temple of God, not a wood shed. The third and final series to Keep Life Simple is motivation and visualization. You wont want to miss this! |
