Post Cheat Day

If you're trying to lean up for Spring/Summer here in Lago Vista, Texas, the weather has been especially accommodating for you to get outside and walk, jog, run, sprint, etc.

I certainly have been taking advantage of it this week (read my recent blog posts).

When I think of getting lean, I like to break things up into phases.

I've just started phase 1 which is cleaning up my diet post Holidays and post football season.

So phase 1 involves eating 5-6 meals a day, all clean meals except for perhaps dinner.

I like to ease into phase 1.

So far, I've dropped 7 lbs just by getting outside and adding more cardio to my daily routine and by entering phase 1 of my "get leaner" program.

All in less than one week!

The weight loss is mainly water loss (bloat) that has been hanging around as a result of my holiday/NFL football watching nutrition phase.

I've gone from 194lbs since Jan 22nd to 187lbs on Jan 24th.

Lots of water weight and sodium retention.

I had a cheat meal last night (Friday).

After my workout, I came home had a whey protein drink.

60 minutes later, I had a salad with grilled chicken.

Here comes the "Cheat".

I had a piece of red velvet cake and a pint of Blue Bell ice cream.

Ugh.

This morning, I probably gained a few pounds (I don't bother with the scale after a cheat meal).

I drank water, had coffee then did a light workout in my garage gym (pics coming soon) on the concept rower, pull ups, push ups, dips and was done.

I burned around 200 calories and used up some of the excess glycogen (carbs) floating around my system.

Now, as I type this, I'm drinking a ton of water (up to 2 gallons through out the day) and will eat clean for the remainder of the day and until Wednesday of next week.

As mentioned, this is Phase 1 of my program.

Workout was:
2000 meter row
10 wide pull ups
5 parallel pullups
5 fat bar pullups
3 skinny bar pullups
10 dips
10 parallel bar push ups

- Scott

Mindful vs Mindless Holiday Eating

I like to eat just like the next person.

Especially during the Holidays.

There's food all around, Holiday movies to watch, football games to get lost in, long lost relatives to visit with and children to make cookies with.

But...

The excess calories add up fast, don't they?

It's called "mindless eating".

So here are 3 tips to help you keep your weight in check during the "most wonderful time of the year"!

1) Stick to a schedule.

If you overeat the evening before, don't say to yourself that you'll fast all day to make up for it.

It probably won't work.

You'll just find a reason to do the same thing again in the evening when the food and drink start appearing.

So stick to a schedule.

Eat a light breakfast (I have slow digesting oats, flax seed, irish oats mixed together).

2 - 3 hours later eat some protein (I have egg whites with a couple of egg yolks).

2-3 hours later eat your next meal (and repeat until 8pm or so).

2) Drink lots of water.

You've probably heard this one before and it's true.

Set out a big container of water and try to drink all of it throughout the day until it's empty.

I use a 1 gallon container.

note - don't drink too much liquid during your meals so you don't interfere with the digestive process.

3) Exercise

Do something. Play with the kids. Take a walk before breakfast. Go to the gym and run on the treadmill.

Go to boot camp class.

Do "every minute on the minute" (workout you can do at home).



By following these 3 tips, you'll feel great throughout the Holidays while you enjoy eating a little more than you normally might.

A fitness lifestyle is not about refraining from food and drink.

It's about making smart decisions, having a plan, acting on those plans and feeling great!