Developing awareness of how you feel after finishing a meal is an important lean eating skill; not only to help measure your nutritional intake, but also to promote good eating behaviour.
Here’s a simple test to help you gauge if you’re eating the right amount for healthy and sustained fat loss.
Something first drew you to strength-training as an activity.
Perhaps it was to lose weight and to feel more attractive. Maybe it was to gain body mass and a V-shape. It could even have been motivated by your doctor’s orders.
Regardless of the initial reason, I bet that the most valuable, yet subtle result you have experienced from weight-lifting has been an increase in your “functional strength“.
Weight lifting for athletic performance, and weight lifting for bodybuilding, are 2 very different goals, and each requires a different approach to your strength-training workout.
Here’s a great article that explains why – for men AND women.
(don’t let the photos of big muscle dudes scare you… there’s great science in the article!)
Last month I advised that you use January to establish a regular habit of eating breakfast. I hope that you found the information I shared to be useful for that purpose.
And now that it’s February, time to establish and entrench another nutritional behaviour… admittedly, one that often makes my clients wince.
“EAT YOUR VEGETABLES!”
OK, I admit that eating vegetables (1 cup raw; or 1/2 cup cooked) in each of your planned meals takes some getting used to – and takes more discipline than eating breakfast each day – so this month I’ll be sharing lots of ways for you to insert vegetables into your regular diet – conveniently.
Even breakfast.
Stay Lean. Stay Strong. Stay tuned!
Doug
In your mind you have pictured yourself in better shape… not “fitness model” shape… but in better shape.
If you’re a casual Do-It-Yourself’er, you’ve likely “Googled” all about exercise, skimmed a few issues of Mens’ Health, and probably have friends who have reached the success you want.
What about your results?
In today’s busy life, and for lots of busy people in it, coaching has become the key ingredient to success – not only to learning more about fitness & nutrition in general, but to real body tranformation in particular.
Doug
After retirement, your chances of experiencing reduced health actually increases if you don’t take appropriate measures now. http://makehealthlast.ca/
Think about life in the 21st century, and all the crazy parts of it that make up your day.
Is it any wonder that our reptilian need for comfort (the “default”) so easily over-rides our logical desire to do something we know is more healthy?
Particularly when it means purposely putting ourselves in a place that requires:
It takes practice, time and patience to successfully create a life-long fitness and nutrition habit.
Small steps. One day at a time. Looking forward.
You can do it.
Doug
New graduates holding some form of sports certification typically hunger to become prized, elite strength coaches – “to the Dream Team”… to the “Bodybuilding supermen/women”… to the “UFC cage stars”. Fame and glory.
In the end, some will. But most won’t.
Take heart though, because I know for certain that an experienced Personal Trainer can be far more knowledgeable than most strength coaches every become.
Why?
An elite strength coach typically works about 8+ hours each week with one or more genetically gifted, young individuals who often train and practice full time for one specialized activity. No other job. No other responsibilities.
On the other hand, a Personal Trainer may only get 2-3 hours per week with men and women of various sizes, various ages and various fitness levels. Most are “athletically challenged”, and most have a full time job, competing priorities, and a host of other stresses in their lives.
Getting these people to the results they seek requires MORE ability. MORE understanding. MORE adaptation. MORE empathy. MORE inspiration. MORE knowledge.
And believe me, when that client – the normal, everyday, on-the-go, what’s-for-dinner, late-for-work - guy or gal finally exceeds their fitness goal and starts to believe in themselves and their small corner of a fit & healthy world again, it will knock your socks off.
It will provide you with a much longer-lasting feeling of personal accomplishment than any winning sports team or any individual athlete ever will.
Mark my words.
Doug