So I've been intermittently going to the gym the past couple of weeks. You know the assessment you get done when you first sign up at a gym? I've been trying to listen to a little of what she said and trying to stick to what she suggests (as far as the gym...really going to kick it into high gear this week though). She said I should do 5 minute warm up on some kind of cardio machine, then do strength training (with no more added weight then 5 lbs, and no machines), and finally do the fat burner cycle on any cardio machine (do it to the point of burning 300 calories).
So with that suggestion, I've done the 5 minute warm up on the stair stepper, the 15-20 minute strength training (with 2.5 - 5 lb weights), and about 30-60 minutes (without the cool down) fat burner cycle on the treadmill. I've gone a few times, the first time I went up about 3 lbs and then dropped about 2 lb. The I went to the gym yesterday, did all of the above and I've gained 1 lb from the last time. It is frustrating. I know I'm slowly building more muscle, but even more slowly losing the fat.
So the food portion, I was told to not carb cycle. I was told that she never met anyone who successfully got rid of the weight and kept it off. In my opinion, anyone who sees the carb cycle as a diet, sees results and goes back to the way they ate before...will gain the weight back. It's the same thing for any kind of diet. The way to see any form of food intake change, as in no processed and less sugar, is as a lifestyle change.
I've been really bad with this. As in starting something, but seeing it as a diet. This is what I'm guilty of doing on more then one occasion: Don't see the results I want, Stop, Go back to the way I ate before. A diet is just that. It's something that is a "quick fix," it is not sustainable. If you view the change in your food habits as a lifestyle change, the doors that open are amazing. So you can take carb cycling, and make it a life style change. I've seen people succeed with it.
I also have to say, carb cycling isn't for everyone. What is for everyone, is changing the food habits. Do what you can to remove the processed stuff. Do what you can to add in more natural foods into your daily food intake. Eat more veggies. Drink more water. Just the staples.
I'm so bad at this. I'm working on it everyday. I struggle with it. I know that I can get through it and I can get better. I know I can do my workouts, eat right, and drink my water. I have to keep it in my mind. I need to constantly remind myself that I'm worth it. Even though the scale is not showing what I want it to reflect, I'm still becoming a healthier me. I want to show my daughter that persistentency, strength, and the knowledge that you are worth fighting for is one of the key's to being a positive and happy person. Proving this to her, and to myself, is a lesson I am willing to teach her everyday for the rest of our lives.
