“Big rocks first!”
We have arrived at the traditional time of year where everyone desperately seeks leanness. And so, many a diet are put to the test, and many a diet fail before the January thaw.
Some of them work for a time, they eventually fail. This leaves the January dieter feeling inadequate and guilt ridden.
Are some rules more important than thers when it comes to leanness without sacrificing muscle?
In a word, yes.
What if…… you could sort out the successful habits from the less significant minor rules?
This is where ‘majoring in the majors, and minoring in the minors’ comes in.
The major rules: make these a habits a non-negotiable for life:
- Eat Protein: 1g per pound of ideal body weight.
- Commit to two servings of Veggies minimum, mid day, every day. Have five or more servings every day.
- Resistance Train: consistently every week. Three times per week is ideal.
- HIIT: (High Intensity Interval Cardio) over steady state cardio twice per week. High intensity means 90% effort or better for 20 seconds, followed by a significant rest period (80 to 100 seconds) to allow adequate recovery to perform at 90% or more effort every interval.
- Portion control: Eat in a slight calorie deficit if you are trying to lean out. Calorie deficit means 85-90% of baseline. Any less and muscle will be lost leading to a decrease in metabolic rate. If you don’t know your baseline calories, a decent estimate is Body Weight x 12 for moderately active people. If you are not active use 11.
Minor rules:
1. Drink H2O: aim for Gallon per day
- Carbs and Protein: Eat an easily digested (low in fat) meal before and after workouts. The energy in your system will make your total calorie burn significantly greater than training on empty.
- Fiber 25-35g/day
No matter what your approach is, these habits can be applied to any diet plan, because they have been proven to spare lean mass while shedding fat.
They key is to be consistent and patient. This is not a fad diet, it is a lifestyle approach.
If you are unsure of how to progress, inquire with me about Health Coaching. As a Mom who raised four children while maintaining exceptional health and fitness, I am giving back and sharing my real life tested strategies. I avoided the 10 pound weight gain per decade, and am proud to say
I am more fit in my 50’s than I was in my 20’s.
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