What It Takes Maintain Your Weight
It's funny, last year I learned a lot about maintenance. I was in maintenance most of the year and a few of my clients were in maintenance...intentional or not. It's hard both physically and mentally because people start a diet with an "end" in mind. They are going to work hard, eat less, and get the weight off with the idea that one day they will hit the perfect weight and be able to eat like everyone else.
Screeeech...there are few things wrong with this picture as beautiful as it is. Let's discuss...
As soon as I hit maintenance I'll be able to eat like everyone else and relax my exercise schedule.
Yeah right. You start eating like everyone else and you'll start looking like them, too. The lifestyle you learn during your weight loss phase will not change. You'll just get to eat a little more. I eat the same foods (even better foods really) than I did while losing my weight. The big difference for me is that I went from eating around 1600 calories a day to 1900-2100 calories a day. That means I added a little more chicken, a little more oatmeal, and maybe an extra piece of fruit. On a crazy day I use more dressing than usual!
My exercise schedule when I'm not working on changing my physiqe is still five to six days a week for about 40-60 min. a day. Most people I know who work out for fun but do so to keep a nice, post-baby shape, exercise at least an hour of tough stuff four days a week. Their workout schedule usually drops by about 10 min. per session or one day a week if they were exercising aggressively.
The big mistake people make is thinking losing weight has a beginning and an end. There is no end to eating healthy and moving. We're supposed to do those things. That's how you stay in good shape. It's when you stop or don't do enough of it that you run into problems.
I want you to turn on the magic for me because I can't lose the last X amount of pounds.
This is the toughest one of all. I have lots of girls attracted to my site who already exercise a good amount four or more days a week, eat pretty good, and just need to get into their best shape. Often they will see a little improvement because my schedules are tough and different but it's not the magic bullet they envisioned. Not that I am the model of perfection, but they want to look like me without exercising and eating like me.
The thing is that when you are trying to blast off the last little bit of stubborn fat, let's say 10-20 lbs, or you are trying to reshape some of the areas of your body, you have to work it just like a girl who's looking at losing 50lbs. You may even have to work harder because your body is already used to dieting and exercising.
A lot of women come to me chronically underfed, too, for their lifestyle. We have to first re-feed for awhile just to get the body ready for some fat burning. If they are used to eating 1200 calories a day we can't cut there. We have to up those cals to a slight deficit and then wait a couple of months before we can monkey around with slowly lowering cals again.
For exercise, these women typically workout hard. They have for a long time and can't believe they may have to turn it up a notch or three! To truly lose fat you need to workout about five days a week for 60+ min. a day or six days a week for 45-60 min. a day. There might be some people who can do less but the vast majority of women need to understand that it takes a lot of dedication to eat good foods, lift weights, get your cardio in, and put in the time.
This isn't to say you can't get in better shape doing less, it's just not going to happen in dramatic fashion unless you are willing to get creative and make time for exercise.
My challenge to all of you is to look at your eating and your exercising, and then look at your goals. Do they match up? If they don't, one thing is for sure; you have to change something. It's either your goal or the way you are trying to get there. Honestly, changing either is fine. Sometimes we "think" we have a certain goal and when we evaluate our entire life we figure out that we need new goals. Looking hot is not always as important as family time, friends, and a social life. Nothing wrong with that at all. This is about lifestyles and each of us finding one we are willing to commit to...whatever that lifestyle may be.
Links on finding ways to squeeze in exercise:
http://exercise.about.com/cs/fittingitin/a/timetoexercise.htm
http://exercise.about.com/cs/exerciseworkouts/l/blshortwkouts.htm
http://exercise.about.com/cs/cardioworkouts/a/10minute.htm
http://exercise.about.com/od/cardioworkouts/l/aaburncalories.htm
http://www.cookinglight.com/cooking/hl/fitness/package/0,14343,1116702,00.html