Hello Fitfam -
I wanted to touch base and make sure we're all on the same page about our approach towards a very important element of fitness; flexible dieting to create a healthy lifestyle.
So let me ask you a few questions to start this out- how many times have you heard these horrific "tips" about living a "healthy" lifestyle.
-Cut the CARBS!!
-No Alcohol
-No Eating Out
-Absolutely NO Sugar!
-Fats = fat stomach!
Now I'm sure you have heard not only these but probably some other hocus pocus "tips" as well. Not only are these not sustainable for any amount of time, but only the most dull, boring and unsociable people would ever wish to fulfill such feeble rules. No alcohol? Really?I'll now politely ask you to suppress the memories of those horrific "tips" for all of eternity-OK, thanks. Moving on.
The good news is it certainly doesn't have to be like that, at all. So many people start this journey thinking irrationally restrictive & trying to get a quick fix. Let's be honest shall we, how many hours into your diet usually are you craving something sweet or "against" your diet? Depriving ourselves of the foods that we love often ends in a dreadful binge of everything in sight. Then comes the guilt. How many days after this moment are you completely off of your diet and on to the next "goal". Look, I support summer 6-packs, sure!
I respect them when they were created from mindful nutrition and some sort of balanced workout routine over a progressive time period. [Unless of course you are one of those people who wake up with abs everywhere-.-] Getting a great body, losing fat and building muscle all comes down to consistency, and that means making everything you do manageable, sustainable, and part of your lifestyle. In comes Riveroak Fitness :) It all really comes down to being as honest with oneself and truly looking inward to arouse motivation. It goes like this:
-Set Goals based on realistic and attainable expectations.The more extreme you want to get with your physique, the more commitment you’ll need to have. If you’re new to your journey either wanting to lose some body-fat and get leaner or if you’ve never really trained before, then the diet you follow and the amount of time you spend training should be relative to those goals. I can totally help you with that!
-Find a nutrition plan that you can enjoy & still build lean muscle and lose weight. It really does all come down to how we fuel our bodies. Having a successful training session could be hindered and even dangerous if not fueling our bodies somewhat properly. Notice I said somewhat. I believe in an 80% mindful eating-20% pass me the cheese please rule. Mostly sticking to our diets but also recognizing there is time to play. So YES- enjoy those delicious donuts or cookies you have been craving!! Everything is perfect and proper in moderation.
-Get the Family Involved. Whoever said fitness couldn't be a blast? And making plans for activities with the family puts everyone in a position to be productive and what better way that doing it together. Really, the question is: How can I make fitness my lifestyle?
Fitness should enrich our live's with boldness to help us feel proud and help us to be able to spread that vibe throughout our family and community. There is no need to make things complicated in a world that is well, ya know. In my experience simplicity allows so much more room for growth and expansion. Set the misconceptions aside and embrace and trust yourself enough to use these few real tips towards your new fitness journey.
"Never confuse movement with action." -Ernest Hemingway
Care to be human?