The holidays are always a main focus/dread for people when they think of weight gain. People are always wondering how to stop the holiday weight gain and are stressed out over what are they going to eat, is it too much etc. It is very stressful and chaotic time to begin with and then you add the stress of losing all the results of your hard work.
I don’t believe people just magically lose their motivation during the holidays, you lose your momentum.
You have worked hard over the course of the year. Became better at your major lifts, lost some inches, began to eat better and form better habits.......ALL HARD WORK AND COMMITMENT!!!
So what happens during the holiday season?
Our motivation is always there....Our momentum seems to slow down due to all the other things going on.
Your time will be at a premium, your stress levels may be a little bit higher than normal, and those things can legitimately effect your momentum.
Here are 4 steps you can take to maintain your momentum:
1. Plan your workout schedule NOW.
Seriously, if at all possible don’t play it by ear during the holidays. I’m going to maintain my schedule to a T, and make sure I get every training session in during that time. I may have to do it earlier or later than normal because of family commitments, but I’m going to make it happen.
2. Pick a mini goal between now and the end of the year.
This might go back to the motivation side of things, but pick a mini goal. Is there a Santa Shuffle, or Turkey Trot you want to run, walk, or ruck? Is there a little getaway where you want to look and feel your best with your friends and family? Is there a huge weightlifting meet the week after Thanksgiving? That mini goal can help hold you accountable internally, while your gym family at Strive can hold you accountable externally.
3. Join us for our HOLIDAY ACCOUNTABILITY GROUP
Starting after Thanksgiving and running through the New Year can be the tough time. Family parties, staff parties and get together's with friends can get overwhelming. Here at Strive, we put on a HOLIDAY ACCOUNTABILITY GROUP during the season of chaos. This group is a lifeline for many people during this time to get a hold on the holidays and is a resource for healthy recipes and new habits. LEARN MORE HERE
4. Commit to a de-stressed holiday season
This is a big ask I always tell myself before the holidays that this year I won’t get stressed about family member X, or if there are enough desserts.
Repeat it with me…there are always enough desserts, there are always enough desserts- it can be our holiday mantra. Enjoy the time with your family, or the relaxation of no work that day, and let the stress roll off your back.
Try out the 4 part Momentum maintainers. Your motivation is still there, just keep rolling!
Committed to your success,
Derek
Fad diets do work, at first. And then the results slowly taper off until they rebound and you gain the weight back.
Does this sound all too familiar?
So what really is the deal with this crap??
Simple. Fad diets do the same thing, in many different ways.
This thing is tricking you into eating less and usually, not enough to sustain results.
People generally cut carbs, but what really happens is they cut overall calories. Because they are cutting carbs they end up eating less, plain and simple. More of a deficit in calories equals more weight loss.
This is all well and good for the short term.....That is until your metabolism adapts to the decrease in food..
This is when it becomes harder and harder to sustain the results....Congrats......You have hit a plateau.
So what is the general response??
I am going to eat less (because clearly I am eating more than I was when I started to lose weight)....And I am going to increase my cardio...
Repeat after me....This is a mistake....
So what is the answer?
BALANCE.
You shouldn’t have a diet dominant in any specific nutrient and by that I do not mean that something shouldn’t have a larger percentage of your calories, because I do believe protein should have the biggest percentage.
My usually recommendation for starting is a 40/30/30 or 40/25/35 split (protein/carbs/fat). This gives you a good balance.
But back to the fad diet subject…
These low-calorie diets aren’t healthy for many reasons. But the main ones are that our body needs calories to function. Calories are the human body’s fuel source, for every single activity and function we make.
So yeah, these fad diets do work… at first. They give you a caloric deficit which allows you to lose weight, but this usually only lasts 4-6 weeks.....Insert a typical lose 20 lbs in 6 weeks challenge
Look at the diet titles that have timelines… Its usually a 30 day slim down, 28 day rapid fat loss, 2 months to shredded, and so on. They all stop, at most, by the 6 week marker.
Don't get me wrong, here at STRIVE FITNESS AND PERFORMANCE, we have our fair share of 6 week, 8 week and 30 day challenges....but we tell you right from the start, this is the beginning.
Will you make a HUGE change?! Absolutely! But it only carries you into the lifestyle habits and changes you must keep making to incorporate a fit lifestyle.
You see, fad diets have one main goal… MONEY. They know they can sell a one time package of their diet plan and you’ll probably BUY IT AGAIN a couple of months later when you gain some weight back because… well… it worked, didn’t it??!
So my point in this article, more like this rant, is to show you that the fads are a waste of time, money, energy and your emotions.
Don’t fall into the trap,
CREATE HABITS
EMBRACE the healthy lifestyle you actually want to achieve.
The goal of a diet, a healthy one, is to lose body fat or weight while maintaining as many calories as possible. So yeah, it’s not going to happen quick and you may not get absolutely rapid fat loss in less than a month.
But what’s more important to you?
Lose 25lbs in a month and then gain half or more back in the next month?
Lose 25lbs in 4 months and never, ever, see those 25lbs of fat again?
We all know it is the second answer, as it should be.
So here’s my advice before closing off…
Eat enough calories to FUEL your body, this means enough food to truly CRUSH workouts. This is a perfect indicator we tell our clients here at Strive. If you are dying during your workouts....You probably need to eat a little bit more.
Eat ALL types of nutrients. Proteins, carbs, and fats that are coming from natural whole sources like animal products and fresh produce.
Don’t rely on supplements, cleanses, TV ads, or any “Get Fit Quick” schemes you find for a bargain. Instead, invest some actual money in yourself and in your health, find a trustworthy gym and coach, and create excellent habits that lead to a “Lifestyle” rather than a “Result”.
Find your LIFESTYLE by thinking long term investment.
Committed to your success,
Derek
With injuries at a more higher rate than ever among Macomb County athletes, it is crucial that athletes train to get stronger and more resilient. Unfortunately, it is also becoming more confusing for athletes and parents of athletes to select the proper training regimen. Let’s look at some of the reasons why a solid strength program is needed for athletes.
Injury Reduction
Injury rates for young athletes are at a higher rate than ever.
Over 70% of ACL tears in the United States come from athletes between the ages of 13-18 years old
This increase in injury rates is due, in part, by less physical activity outside of their sport. Other factors include: thinking that a sport itself will get you into shape, and specialize in one sport too soon. Lack of implementation of proper strength and conditioning programs and cross-training methods also contributes to the injury rates.
Therefore, we need to teach young athletes how to implement an effective strength and conditioning program.
Improving Athletic Performance
Athletics at the junior high and high school level are becoming more competitive every year. There are more opportunities for young athletes to participate in sports than ever. With that comes much more demand on the athlete to succeed. I believe that every child should have the opportunity to participate in a sport. Children should NEVER be discouraged to play a sport.
There is a point where the best players will move on and play at a higher level. For some, it is trying to make the JV basketball team, or earning a scholarship to a college. Talent is usually a large determining factor, but hard work always pays off! A solid strength and conditioning program will help you become stronger, faster, powerful. You will be a better-conditioned athlete for your chosen sport. Sometimes these factors can be the difference between more playing time and continuing to the next level. If an athlete is looking to improve his or her ability to earn playing time or move up to the next level, the difference is usually hard work and a solid strength and conditioning program.
Correct Exercise Technique and Program Design
With so much information available about exercise, it can become quite overwhelming and confusing when deciding which exercise program is best for an athlete. That is where a qualified and educated strength and conditioning coach comes in.
•An athletic trainer is there to take care of injuries.
•Basketball or soccer coach is there to help improve the team and athlete’s basketball and soccer skills.
•The strength and conditioning coach is there to help the athlete become stronger, faster, powerful, and more resilient to injury.
A strength coaches’ first goal should always be to teach a young athlete proper exercise technique. There should always be a safe environment to train in.
A well-rounded program should consist of:
•Foam rolling
•Stretching
•Dynamic warm-up
•Power drills such as plyometrics, Olympic lifts, strength training, core training, and conditioning should round out a proper training program.
In summary, a good strength and conditioning program is the best form of injury prevention and improving athletic performance. Teaching our youth that there are other types of exercise outside of sports is the key to helping them stay active and lead a healthier lifestyle. This way they stay healthy enough to dominate the court or field in Macomb County.
