I remember when I first began lifting weights. It was during my senior year of high school and I had begun a weight training class. One day I came to the two coaches that were teaching my class and asked them why I couldn't achieve definition in my abs. I had a flat stomach, yes, but I wanted the six-pack.
As I look back on it, it is odd to me that they didn't know what to tell me, other than those things I was already doing. We were doing tons of great abdominal exercises in class. If that wasn't creating the abs I wanted then they didn't know what the problem was.
Many personal trainers are the type that these coaches were. They can teach you how to work out, but they can't teach you about the component that, in my opinion, goes hand in hand with weight training....proper nutrition. Both are extremely important in creating or maintaining the body you want.
Since those weight training days I have learned that when trying to gain muscle and/or definition in a particular area we need to make sure that our diet is feeding and fueling our muscles and bodies so that it can grow and develop, which is ultimately what is happening when you form six-pack abs.
Read some of my past blog posts and you will know exactly what you need to do if this is your goal. Eat regular meals throughout the day. No skipping a meal or two to thin your middle!
Get plenty of protein. Protein is fuel for growing muscles!
Also, get healthy portions of complex carbohydrates, such as vegetables, couscous, and brown rice.
When we were young if we had denied ourselves of proper nutrition we would have stopped growing and thriving. It is the same for muscles if we are trying to build definition in them. Deprive them and they will not grow and thrive!
If you are eating well and working your abs a few times a week or every other day and are still not seeing the results you want, try changing up your ab routine or adding weight to your crunches.
Good luck!
Amanda
Friday, January 30, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Here's the Real Deal
In an effort to lose weight and do it quickly, perhaps in time for an upcoming event, many women restrict their calories severely or go on a crazy diet (like the nothing-but-cabbage-soup-diet or the absolutely-no-carbs-ever diet). Knowing full well (because they were warned by their personal trainer!) that this is NOT the way to go, they do it anyway. A few months pass and these women are exactly where they were before. Nothing has changed. They haven't lost any weight, or if they did it has all been gained back. They haven't toned up. They haven't even kept up their committment to four days in the gym. Why? Because basically, they were crash dieting, and just like cramming at 2 a.m. for tomorrow's exam, that never sticks. It may seem to help for a week when you immediately lose five pounds, but in the long run, it just does not work.
The reason restricting calories in an unhealthy way does not work is because when your body is not fed the calories that it needs to run efficiently, your metabolism begins to slow down in an attempt to run on less fuel. It's just like how I can set my laptop to a dim mode, where it uses less energy so that the battery power can last longer. It's slowing itself down because it knows it only has a small amount of energy to use in order to function fully.
Furthermore, when you're not taking in the calories that your body needs your muscles will begin to break down. While you may see the scale number dipping lower, it could actually be a negative thing in the long run. It could be MUSCLE you are losing and not fat. We don't want to lose our muscle mass (which for women, is small enough as it is which is why we tend to carry more fat) because (drum roll!) this is what drives our metabolism up! The more lean muscle mass we have, the higher our metabolism will be. The more muscle we have, the more calories our body will burn for us when we are simply sitting at rest. So, don't get too excited when you see the numbers going down but you also know you're not doing it the right and healthy way. You could just be hurting yourself, or even making your situation worse.
I know it's difficult to hang in there when it seems like you have so much weight you want to lose. But small, consistent, and deliberate steps will end you at a place you really want and need to be. The easy-looking shortcut almost never will.
P.S.~ I know my posts have been fewer and farther between in recent months. I began a new job which has demanded more of my time and also picked up classes again in an effort to finally GRADUATE! But my aim for this year is to provide all of you with useful and encouraging information so that you can meet your goals and inspire your children. We can do it together! Feel free to contact me if you need any further support!
Amanda
The reason restricting calories in an unhealthy way does not work is because when your body is not fed the calories that it needs to run efficiently, your metabolism begins to slow down in an attempt to run on less fuel. It's just like how I can set my laptop to a dim mode, where it uses less energy so that the battery power can last longer. It's slowing itself down because it knows it only has a small amount of energy to use in order to function fully.
Furthermore, when you're not taking in the calories that your body needs your muscles will begin to break down. While you may see the scale number dipping lower, it could actually be a negative thing in the long run. It could be MUSCLE you are losing and not fat. We don't want to lose our muscle mass (which for women, is small enough as it is which is why we tend to carry more fat) because (drum roll!) this is what drives our metabolism up! The more lean muscle mass we have, the higher our metabolism will be. The more muscle we have, the more calories our body will burn for us when we are simply sitting at rest. So, don't get too excited when you see the numbers going down but you also know you're not doing it the right and healthy way. You could just be hurting yourself, or even making your situation worse.
I know it's difficult to hang in there when it seems like you have so much weight you want to lose. But small, consistent, and deliberate steps will end you at a place you really want and need to be. The easy-looking shortcut almost never will.
P.S.~ I know my posts have been fewer and farther between in recent months. I began a new job which has demanded more of my time and also picked up classes again in an effort to finally GRADUATE! But my aim for this year is to provide all of you with useful and encouraging information so that you can meet your goals and inspire your children. We can do it together! Feel free to contact me if you need any further support!
Amanda
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Find Your Cheering Section
How often do we moms do our everyday tasks, or even those things that are really, really important to us, with little or no recognition for them? I'm guessing that if your life is similar to mine, it's pretty often. Some of you may work full-time and be blessed with the recognition that comes along with that, in the form of a paycheck, praise from a boss or co-worker, or being able to look at your completed work and know that others in your office or workplace realize that YOU did that. You made that happen.
At home, it can be a little different. Moms who stay at home unfortunately don't receive a paycheck for the laundry and the toilet cleaning and the booty cleaning and the rug scrubbing and the decorating and the whining and the almost nonexistent time you have for yourself. We also usually don't hear, "Wow, mom! You are so awesome! What would I do without you? You're so great at getting all of this done and all of us taken care of! You really are a great mother who is teaching us all the right things and preparing us wonderfully for what is to come in our lives!" I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that most moms probably do not get that, and if they do, it's not often enough! But the thing is...we need that!
As I started up the vaccuum cleaner this morning my three-year-old actually started cheering for me. "Go, Mama, Go! Go, Mama, Go!" I didn't know where that came from and I didn't care. It was so sweet and it was as though his simple preschool mind knew that giving mom a little affirmation would go a long way.
It's the same in any and all areas of your life. It helps to have someone cheering you on, affirming what you are doing, and making you feel like you are making a difference and doing a great job.
Take a look at what goals you have set for yourself this year, whether your goal is to lose weight, start eating healthier foods, clean out your closet, or spend more time with your family or friends. Then find those people who inspire you and encourage you in what you do. Search for those who know your goals and want to help you meet them. Maybe it will be finding another mom who understands what you go through and is there to lift you up and help you to know that you're not alone. Maybe it will be finding a workout partner or a co-worker who has similiar resolutions. Maybe you will even decide to hire a personal trainer to keep you motivated when the going gets tough. Whatever you do and whatever your goals are, it's very important to surround yourself with those who understand and only want to see you reach the top. Find those people and stick with them.
At home, it can be a little different. Moms who stay at home unfortunately don't receive a paycheck for the laundry and the toilet cleaning and the booty cleaning and the rug scrubbing and the decorating and the whining and the almost nonexistent time you have for yourself. We also usually don't hear, "Wow, mom! You are so awesome! What would I do without you? You're so great at getting all of this done and all of us taken care of! You really are a great mother who is teaching us all the right things and preparing us wonderfully for what is to come in our lives!" I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that most moms probably do not get that, and if they do, it's not often enough! But the thing is...we need that!
As I started up the vaccuum cleaner this morning my three-year-old actually started cheering for me. "Go, Mama, Go! Go, Mama, Go!" I didn't know where that came from and I didn't care. It was so sweet and it was as though his simple preschool mind knew that giving mom a little affirmation would go a long way.
It's the same in any and all areas of your life. It helps to have someone cheering you on, affirming what you are doing, and making you feel like you are making a difference and doing a great job.
Take a look at what goals you have set for yourself this year, whether your goal is to lose weight, start eating healthier foods, clean out your closet, or spend more time with your family or friends. Then find those people who inspire you and encourage you in what you do. Search for those who know your goals and want to help you meet them. Maybe it will be finding another mom who understands what you go through and is there to lift you up and help you to know that you're not alone. Maybe it will be finding a workout partner or a co-worker who has similiar resolutions. Maybe you will even decide to hire a personal trainer to keep you motivated when the going gets tough. Whatever you do and whatever your goals are, it's very important to surround yourself with those who understand and only want to see you reach the top. Find those people and stick with them.
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