we are getting everyone measured here in baltimore in the next day or so. i would suggest all of you participating elsewhere take some good measurements as well. we used a scale, a measuring tape and a body fat analyzer. we measured our neck, chest, both arms, waist, hips, both legs and both calves with the tape measure and recorded it as our "start". it is nice to use the tape measure because sometimes when the scale doesn't move, the tape measure may be the best motivator.
when you begin a program that is high intensity like this one may be to some people. you often send your body into a little bit of shock and as a natural reaction it will preserve everything because as far as it is concerned....you've gone to war. it will store all that it thinks it might need as it is preparing for famine and severe energy loss. our bodies are still very primitive in that sense.
that is why when people start working out, they get frustrated that the numbers aren't dropping and ultimately drop out before they get any results. the problem is that each person has a different threshold. each body reacts differently to the pressures being put upon it. as we have all witnessed on biggest loser, even if we eat the same and workout just as hard, hormones, body makeup and of course, genetics play a vital role in all these facets.
for this reason, it is great to have several forms of measure....with how your clothes fit and how you feel being the top priority. body fat % is far more important than a scale as gaining more muscle will definitely make the scale tip heavy. i always tell my clients, "at my lowest body fat %...when i came closest to having a six pack...i weighed ten lbs more than i do now. so the scale should definitely not be your only form of measure. it would be worth it to look up how much body fat % scales cost these days, because i am pretty sure in recent years they have come down.
problem with body fat %....the best time to take a good measure is right out of bed. water and food consumption can affect the reading as well as, water retention and a few other things, so the closest we can ever get on the models we typically use is +/- 3%. so again...don't get so focused on the numbers that you are making yourself crazy.
please make sure you get measured this week if you haven't. take some photos if you'd like.
i hope everyone is finding healthy awesome sugar-less alternatives to their daily diet.
any ideas, recipes, and questions?....bring it on.
the concept
starts november 1st!
what's a two-a-day....that means if you work out hard in the morning, you do a light work out later in the day. so, if you weight train in the morning, i would suggest a 20 or 25 minute cardio of your choice in the evening. or, vice versa. weights and cardio in the morning...yoga at night. whatever. workout ideas will be posted on the regular.
the second workout doesn't have to be crazy. it will just get you moving, get your metabolism revved and keep you from dipping into the candy bowl or the pie tin into the night.
the design...very flexible...workout 5 days a week, with 3 days doubled up. weekends off.
or...
workout everyday and double up once.
or...
any combination...you decide.
a calendar will be provided to keep you on track.
the 2nd component. FOOD!
every week we will have a goal. for instance...one week it might be no sugar, one week no alcohol, one week no eating out. don't be scared....it's feasible and you'll be surprised how much you'll learn about your eating habits and what's actually on your plate.
3rd component. online access and bonus workouts.
this blogspot address will be ours for the challenge. you'll have access to me and each other through this domain. you can bitch and complain or celebrate triumph all in one spot. here will also be our communication board about our upcoming goals and workout ideas.
bonus workouts will be available as well. sunday mornings might be a great time for makeup sessions. all of that can be arranged through our domain.
lastly, weekly weigh-ins and measurements.
measurements are an effective way to give you an idea of your progress...although the way your clothes fit is sometimes the best, and more importantly the way you feel. measurements are also a great tool to see what might be going on if we're not seeing changes. i.e. there might be something else inhibiting weight loss...diet, hormones, thyroid, etc.
we will be using the body fat scale for measurement, as well as tape measure so there will be several ways to track progress.
i look forward to taking the challenge with you.
all my best,
kat
kat@mvfit.com
This has already been awesome, having a solid reason to pass by all the leftover candy at work is really really helpful!
ReplyDeletei used to hate it when everybody brought all there junk to work. it's one thing not to buy it or have it in your home....it's another thing to have it placed right under your nose to taunt you.
ReplyDeletei always find that being prepared helps. if you're hungry and you have nothing, it is really difficult to resist. if you have something of your own even if it may seem to pale in comparison at first, you will be grateful afterwords that you stuck with guns and went the healthy route.