This year has seems to have flown right by without notice. Seems like I wrote the last blog yesterday. I admit that I am kind of a busy bee and there are only so many hours in a day. Yet here we are just days from the start of the holiday season. Many of us have worked hard by dieting, training and improving ourselves. After all this work, will we keep the weight we worked so hard to lose?
Most people gain the most weight during the last months of the year. Cold months arrive, the television programs that are binge worthy are released during these months. As well as winter sports entertainment like football season. We load up on soda pop, alcohol and Doritos among many other comfort junk foods. Once we start buying junk foods and keeping them in accessible areas of our homes, the path to gaining or regaining fat is easily paved. So what should we do to keep weight off? Should we deprive ourselves of some guilty pleasures? We will look at options according to our weight loss goals.
First of all, if we are serious about losing weight and keep it off, we must make the sacrifices needed to do so. Especially if we may have health problems that are related to obesity. We must be adults and accept that being overweight will bring health problems sooner or later. And though many preach that being overweight is acceptable in the western countries, deep down we know that is not true. I have seen many new faces all year long in the gyms I train at. This is no coincidence. Many people are waking up to the importance that living a healthy lifestyle is key to enjoying life to it’s fullest. Now let us not be negative about enjoying our holidays and the delightful delicious treats and gatherings.
There are many paths to losing weight and keeping the pounds off. One thing that is a must when it comes to losing weight is that we must be in a calorie deficit. We must consume less calories than we burn through on a daily basis. There are also websites that have calorie and macro counters which will assist us in finding how much we should eat. We can google for information and find websites like bodybuilding.com to get the tools needed. Or you can email me any questions you may have in relation to this subject. I will gladly assist you will the needed information.
Eating clean will help us reach our goals as well. Foods that are not loaded with sugar are both satisfying and will keep our apatite at bay. As I have stated in my previous blogs, I am a fan of a ketogenic diet for my weight loss goals. Healthy fats like avocado, nuts and hard cheeses like sharp cheddar are filling and sustainable. Protein sources like chicken, yogurts with fat, beef and fish are great and an excellent choice. Dark greens are also a great source for micronutrients.
Diets that include carbohydrates work as well. Especially if your goal is to gain lean muscle mass. Choosing the right carbs will make a huge difference. Sprouted grains, brown rice and oats are excellent choices. Vegetables have some carbs but too low to bother counting. Learn to use a food scale and measure your food. Prepare your food in advance so you will not be buying fast foods or raiding the junk food in your cabinets. For those of us who enjoy weight training, Targeted keto is another option. This meal program will have us eat carbohydrates around our training hours of the day. I will write a future blog on this meal plan and share the positives, negatives and end results.
Keep moving. A body in motion, stays in motion. We do not have to be hours in a gym to keep weight off. We can walk in the morning at a moderate pace, (preferably in a fasted state) Or any type of cardio of our preference. The benefits of exercising will not only have us feeling better mentally but physically as well. Weight training is the fountain of youth. We will not get into too much detail on training programs at the moment though. I will just say that weight training and doing some minor cardio will make our bodies a fat burning furnace.
And now we have the upcoming holidays and dieting. We can enjoy the foods as long as we make it a day of enjoying the food, drinks with family and friends and we get right back to our meal plans the following day. Kind of like having a cheat meal once or even twice a week. One meal will not have us gain fat as long as we do not make it a daily habit. In all honesty, I have been known to eat until the belt on my waist had to be loosened. The following day I would continue my meal plan without any repercussions.
Fortunately, today there are so many products that are healthy choices and tasty enough to have no need for junk food options. I have had keto cereals, bars and many healthy guiltless options. Just make sure to keep to the serving size and try not to binge eat. Again, one day will not affect a meal plan as long as our goals do not have an end date to compete or any other reason for completing. Another are drinks like sodas have options with no sugar and have improved in taste. Alcohol in moderation will not affect either as long as it is not a daily routine.
The key is to put in the work and reward ourselves later by not depriving ourselves from enjoying the pleasures life has to offer. Find a meal plan you can stick to. Do not go with diet fads. You will not stick to it in the long run. Make it a lifestyle..
I’ll see you out there.
thestrategicmale.com 