Over the past year, I feel like I've transformed my life. On Thanksgiving, I was thinking about how far Ernie and I have come since one year ago. I've talked before about how 2014 was a life changing year for us. Around this time last year, we would just have gone to a funeral for an important family member for the third time in three months. It was after last Christmas I decided that I needed a change and that's where this journey began.
I've learned a lot over the last ten months. I've learned how to lift weights, tweak and change my diet, and I've changed my overall look on fitness and well being. I hope to continue to learn and grow in my journey and keep improving upon myself.
Here are some of the lessons I've learned thus far into my fitness journey.
1. It is a slow and lifelong progress
I've come to realize that fitness isn't just something that you can do for a while then quit when you hit your goals and never have to do it again. Fitness and health is 24/7 job. It's something that you have to continue on for life if you want to continue seeing results. Muscle growth is like watching a tree grow. It takes a long time and is continually growing provided that it receives the care and attention it needs. Patience is indeed a virtue when working on muscle growth and changing your lifestyle.
2. You need to change your diet!
I used to think that I could eat anything I wanted, as long as I worked out. It may have been true for a younger, better metabolism "me"; but not now. I realize now that diet is crucial for muscle growth and fat loss. Eating and eating the right type of foods is very important for fat loss and muscle building. If I don't eat enough food, I won't see any muscle growth because my body can't feed itself, let alone grow. If I don't eat the right foods, I won't have the right balance of protein for growth or carbs for energy or fats for metabolism. I've found that I can eat a lot of food so I'm not hungry, but only if its the right foods. Therefore, I eat a lot of veggies and I do calculate the amount of protein and carbs every day to ensure I am getting enough for muscle growth and energy. It wasn't until I actively took steps to change my diet that I started to notice real changes. Turns out its the diet combined with the working out that makes the real change, not just the working out alone. I've heard the quote several times that "muscles are built in the kitchen" and it has proven to be true!
3. You can have your cake and eat it too... in moderation
Its no secret that I am a bit of a foodie. I love to cook, and eat, especially anything with cheese, chocolate, bread, etc. I've found that I don't have to completely swear these foods off and I can have them in moderation. "Treat" meals, weekends, vacations happen and they are a part of all of our lives. However what really matters is that right after the treats, you get right back on track with regular diet and exercise. I find that I appreciate things like pizza and cake a lot more now because I don't have it as often. One slice of cake or a piece of pizza won't make you fat and ruin your progress; just like eating one salad is not going to make fit all of a sudden.
4. Rest is crucial.
This is one thing that I never realized how important it really is, until I started on this journey. I used to believe that you could work out hard 7 days a week and you'd get farther ahead than taking a day off. However, I've read studies and articles that talk about how important rest is for muscle growth. I've heard the quote "muscles are worked in the gym, fed in the kitchen and built in bed". Rest is so important because that's when muscles grow! I've read that continual hardcore training and no rest can actually lead to muscle fatigue and breakdown which will hinder progress. Sleep is also crucial. The science behind it is the Growth Hormone (GH) is at its peak during sleep, which is why sleep is so important when trying to gain muscle. Sleep is also so important because if you live an active lifestyle, you need energy and adequate sleep for the energy. If you don't sleep enough then you don't have enough energy which means you half ass or don't do your workouts which turns into a vicious cycle. Sleep is for the great!
5. You will hit plateaus.
I've learned a lot over the last ten months. I've learned how to lift weights, tweak and change my diet, and I've changed my overall look on fitness and well being. I hope to continue to learn and grow in my journey and keep improving upon myself.
Here are some of the lessons I've learned thus far into my fitness journey.
1. It is a slow and lifelong progress
I've come to realize that fitness isn't just something that you can do for a while then quit when you hit your goals and never have to do it again. Fitness and health is 24/7 job. It's something that you have to continue on for life if you want to continue seeing results. Muscle growth is like watching a tree grow. It takes a long time and is continually growing provided that it receives the care and attention it needs. Patience is indeed a virtue when working on muscle growth and changing your lifestyle.
2. You need to change your diet!
I used to think that I could eat anything I wanted, as long as I worked out. It may have been true for a younger, better metabolism "me"; but not now. I realize now that diet is crucial for muscle growth and fat loss. Eating and eating the right type of foods is very important for fat loss and muscle building. If I don't eat enough food, I won't see any muscle growth because my body can't feed itself, let alone grow. If I don't eat the right foods, I won't have the right balance of protein for growth or carbs for energy or fats for metabolism. I've found that I can eat a lot of food so I'm not hungry, but only if its the right foods. Therefore, I eat a lot of veggies and I do calculate the amount of protein and carbs every day to ensure I am getting enough for muscle growth and energy. It wasn't until I actively took steps to change my diet that I started to notice real changes. Turns out its the diet combined with the working out that makes the real change, not just the working out alone. I've heard the quote several times that "muscles are built in the kitchen" and it has proven to be true!
3. You can have your cake and eat it too... in moderation
Its no secret that I am a bit of a foodie. I love to cook, and eat, especially anything with cheese, chocolate, bread, etc. I've found that I don't have to completely swear these foods off and I can have them in moderation. "Treat" meals, weekends, vacations happen and they are a part of all of our lives. However what really matters is that right after the treats, you get right back on track with regular diet and exercise. I find that I appreciate things like pizza and cake a lot more now because I don't have it as often. One slice of cake or a piece of pizza won't make you fat and ruin your progress; just like eating one salad is not going to make fit all of a sudden.
4. Rest is crucial.
This is one thing that I never realized how important it really is, until I started on this journey. I used to believe that you could work out hard 7 days a week and you'd get farther ahead than taking a day off. However, I've read studies and articles that talk about how important rest is for muscle growth. I've heard the quote "muscles are worked in the gym, fed in the kitchen and built in bed". Rest is so important because that's when muscles grow! I've read that continual hardcore training and no rest can actually lead to muscle fatigue and breakdown which will hinder progress. Sleep is also crucial. The science behind it is the Growth Hormone (GH) is at its peak during sleep, which is why sleep is so important when trying to gain muscle. Sleep is also so important because if you live an active lifestyle, you need energy and adequate sleep for the energy. If you don't sleep enough then you don't have enough energy which means you half ass or don't do your workouts which turns into a vicious cycle. Sleep is for the great!
5. You will hit plateaus.
This one isn't the greatest news but it's the truth. I found that I lost weight and inches quickly at first then I tapered off for a while. It's important when you reach this point not to get discouraged and give up. Plateaus happen to everyone, it does require some adjusting to break through them. Personally, I adjusted my diet and increased my weights. I feel like I'm actually starting to reach a plateau right now to be honest, so I know to keep pushing on and I will break through it eventually.
6. The scale lies!
This is more of a psychological lesson than anything else. Between January and June of this year I lost about ten pounds. But since June I actually haven't lost any weight on the scale but my size has changed since then. Jeans that I bought in June are too big for me now, so I must be making some sort of progress.
Also, I know for women, hormones play a big role in how we feel day by day. One day I can see my abs and I'm thinking "whoo! Progress" and another day I'm feeling bloated and look like I've gained 10 lbs or even the scale says I've gained five pounds since yesterday. Did I really gain all that weight? No, its most likely water weight but still it can be hard to see through that when a number is staring you in the face. Remember, even if the scale doesn't change much or at all, you're still losing weight, don't get discouraged. Go by the feel of your pants, are they looser? Do you feel little pops of muscle that weren't there before? Do you feel happier and more energetic? If yes, then you're making progress! Just keep going and don't focus so much on the number on the scale!
I've learned a lot on my journey thus far, but I still feel like I have a long way to go. It can get very discouraging at times when I feel like I'm not making any progress or I'm dead tired from being on the run. There are times when all I want to do is eat a whole pizza and a chocolate cake to myself with a case of beer! But I know that my cravings and unhappy feelings will fade and if I just push through one more workout or one more day then I know eventually it will fade and I will feel happy about my progress again!
In the picture below, its a 9 week difference
from June to Sept. I am the same weight in
both of these pictures!
Also, I know for women, hormones play a big role in how we feel day by day. One day I can see my abs and I'm thinking "whoo! Progress" and another day I'm feeling bloated and look like I've gained 10 lbs or even the scale says I've gained five pounds since yesterday. Did I really gain all that weight? No, its most likely water weight but still it can be hard to see through that when a number is staring you in the face. Remember, even if the scale doesn't change much or at all, you're still losing weight, don't get discouraged. Go by the feel of your pants, are they looser? Do you feel little pops of muscle that weren't there before? Do you feel happier and more energetic? If yes, then you're making progress! Just keep going and don't focus so much on the number on the scale!
I've learned a lot on my journey thus far, but I still feel like I have a long way to go. It can get very discouraging at times when I feel like I'm not making any progress or I'm dead tired from being on the run. There are times when all I want to do is eat a whole pizza and a chocolate cake to myself with a case of beer! But I know that my cravings and unhappy feelings will fade and if I just push through one more workout or one more day then I know eventually it will fade and I will feel happy about my progress again!
In the picture below, its a 9 week difference
from June to Sept. I am the same weight in
both of these pictures!
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