Do More…..Or….Do Less…..

“What can I do to speed up my results?” “Should I do more cardio?” “Do I need to eat less carbs.” “Which workout program is better?” So often in life the answer seems to be “DO MORE”…….but what if you actually just needed to do less? Instead of asking what you should add to your routine the real question is … What can you REMOVE from your routine that will lead to better, long lasting results? The truth is doing too much at one time can ultimately set you up for failure. We have all been there….trying that new fad diet, attempting to go balls to the wall, giving up everything at once, no cheats, ready to change overnight, here comes the new me! Well…….tell me how long that really lasted……a week?…..1 month?……3 days?………OR maybe you actually completed the program, made some changes. Now what……….can you stick to drinking 2-3 shakes a day, or giving up sugar or carbs for the rest of your life? If not, did you revert back to old habits and gain the weight right back? Why do so many people continue to jump from fad diet/new trendy workout routine and still seem to end up with the same results……failure. Tired. Frustrated. Discouraged. Beat down. Hopeless. How you eat and work out should not rule your life. It should be part of your life, but it shouldn’t take up more mental energy, or time, than necessary. Health and fitness should empower you. It should make your life more awesome. SO HOW do you to achieve results AND maintain them long-term??? The answer is simple. DO LESS. Quit searching for the new diets and workout programs. Go back to the basics. Calories in vs calories out. (Law of Thermodynamics)
  • If your goal is to lose weight, then you need be at a deficit, burn more calories than you consume.
  • If your goal is to gain weight or muscle, then you need to be at a surplus, consume more calories than you burn.
  • If your goal is to maintain, then you need to consume the same amount of calories that you burn.
When it comes to nutrition just stick to flexible, simple changes that can turn into everyday lifestyle habits. Anyone can “go on a diet” for a short period of time, but long-lasting changes are a result of habits that we can actually maintain. Start slow and make small changes. Instead of the double bacon cheeseburger, choose the grilled chicken sandwich, and then maybe go to a grilled chicken salad. Take little steps and turn them into a daily routine so you don’t feel like you are “dieting”. Eventually the small changes will just turn into your daily routine and you will no longer be controlled by the dreaded “dieting mentality”! Here are some basic steps to start with and stick with.
  1. Clean up or toss some of your regular staples, oil, sodas, white grains, and limit processed foods.
  2. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store.
  3. Cook more meals at home.
  4. LOOK at the serving size
  5. KNOW your BMR, basal metabolic rate -the number of calories you’d burn if you stayed in bed all day. (So that you can determine how many calories you need to consume to reach your goals.
For strength training it’s about using the best exercises/workout routine (that you enjoy, and works for you) and a focus on consistently, and gradually, improving your performance. Make exercising fun and don’t let it become a chore!!
  1. Make exercising a priority (scheduled days and times)
  2. HAVE a plan. Don’t spend hours in the gym lost, write down your workout before you go and get it done!
  3. Be CONSISTENT!!
  4. Don’t be afraid to fail! Keep pushing!
  5. Get an accountability partner! (friend, spouse, trainer)
So quit trying to find the next best thing and just simplify by focusing on the few BIG things that really matter. Find YOUR healthy balance and MAKE it a LIFESTYLE!! Over time you will find a life that leads to happiness and maintainable changes!