So, if you have been following my blog, or someone else's advice, or even my personal instruction or classes, but are not getting results, then ask yourself these questions:
1) Are you working out effectively three times a week? In order to answer this question you first have to know what an effective workout is....If you are working out with me, then you have an effective workout, but are you doing it three times a week intensely? If you are not working out with me and your answer is that you are working out all of the time and running the treadmill into the ground, then you are not working out effectively. An effective workout does not entail hours worth of cardio or hours lifting weights. Tons of cardio are not going to get you where you want to go and neither will tons of weight lifting. To be effective, you have to balance your workouts just as you do your nutrition and your stress (i.e., your life)! An effective workout consists of 15-30 minutes full body strength resistance training (NO ISOLATION MOVES ALLOWED...in other words, STEP AWAY FROM THE MACHINES) and 15 minutes of high (that was HIGH) intensity interval training three times a week. It truly is that simple. If you are spending more than three hours a week on this, you are wasting your time and most likely hurting your progress by not allowing your muscles the time to rest, repair, and build. Sure you want to be toned...because it 1) eliminates that jiggle and 2) it increases and maintains your metabolism. If you are a woman, you don't have to worry about bulking up because you are not built that way, and because you have to work beyond what is effective to accomplish that due to your structure. We are talking toned and healthy....we are talking firm and strong! Go for the "Looking Good Naked" philosphy instead of the "Looking Good in Clothes" (hint, if you look good naked, you will look good in clothes....the converse is not always true!)!!! Greater Muscle Mass = Higher Metabolism
2) What are you eating? How much of it are you eating? If the answer is that you eat well and not that much, then that is why you are not getting results. Say what? First, if you are not tracking what you are eating, you have no clue exactly what and how much you are consuming. Not really??? Even after doing this consistently since February 2009, I still am amazed the days I don't track and then go back and plug in as to how many more or less calories I actually consumed and how that was broken down by protein/fats/carbs/fiber. Track what you eat is first and foremost. Be sure to log those cooking oils, sprays, condiments, sauces, and dressings as those add up big time! As do any bites, licks, tastes you have throughout the day (shoot of course for none but track what BLTs you do have). Second, would be that if you want to look like an unhealthy waif with lots of loose skin and be perfectly miserable by depriving yourself all of the foods your body needs, then by all means eat less than what your body actually needs to function and build muscle (again, muscle is one of the key factors of what drives your metabolism). If, however, you want to look healthy, tone, trim, and firm, then eat for crying out loud.....Eat what your body needs to function, and eat what your body needs to recover and build muscle. Eating Supportively
3) Are you getting enough recovery and sleep? This is actually as important as the workouts themselves. You need to recover adequately in between workouts because without recovery you actually are just tearing down your muscle and never allowing it to repair and build! So, you might as well just skip working out! Overworking your muscles is as bad for your progress as undereating!!! Sleep is huge for more reasons than I am willing to address here, but know that without consistent sleep (ideally, 7-8 hours) each night, your body will hinder the work you are putting into your results elsewhere, so try and go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning. I have two small children, so yes I know this is difficult.....just do your best for your sanity and your body!
1) Are you working out effectively three times a week? In order to answer this question you first have to know what an effective workout is....If you are working out with me, then you have an effective workout, but are you doing it three times a week intensely? If you are not working out with me and your answer is that you are working out all of the time and running the treadmill into the ground, then you are not working out effectively. An effective workout does not entail hours worth of cardio or hours lifting weights. Tons of cardio are not going to get you where you want to go and neither will tons of weight lifting. To be effective, you have to balance your workouts just as you do your nutrition and your stress (i.e., your life)! An effective workout consists of 15-30 minutes full body strength resistance training (NO ISOLATION MOVES ALLOWED...in other words, STEP AWAY FROM THE MACHINES) and 15 minutes of high (that was HIGH) intensity interval training three times a week. It truly is that simple. If you are spending more than three hours a week on this, you are wasting your time and most likely hurting your progress by not allowing your muscles the time to rest, repair, and build. Sure you want to be toned...because it 1) eliminates that jiggle and 2) it increases and maintains your metabolism. If you are a woman, you don't have to worry about bulking up because you are not built that way, and because you have to work beyond what is effective to accomplish that due to your structure. We are talking toned and healthy....we are talking firm and strong! Go for the "Looking Good Naked" philosphy instead of the "Looking Good in Clothes" (hint, if you look good naked, you will look good in clothes....the converse is not always true!)!!! Greater Muscle Mass = Higher Metabolism
2) What are you eating? How much of it are you eating? If the answer is that you eat well and not that much, then that is why you are not getting results. Say what? First, if you are not tracking what you are eating, you have no clue exactly what and how much you are consuming. Not really??? Even after doing this consistently since February 2009, I still am amazed the days I don't track and then go back and plug in as to how many more or less calories I actually consumed and how that was broken down by protein/fats/carbs/fiber. Track what you eat is first and foremost. Be sure to log those cooking oils, sprays, condiments, sauces, and dressings as those add up big time! As do any bites, licks, tastes you have throughout the day (shoot of course for none but track what BLTs you do have). Second, would be that if you want to look like an unhealthy waif with lots of loose skin and be perfectly miserable by depriving yourself all of the foods your body needs, then by all means eat less than what your body actually needs to function and build muscle (again, muscle is one of the key factors of what drives your metabolism). If, however, you want to look healthy, tone, trim, and firm, then eat for crying out loud.....Eat what your body needs to function, and eat what your body needs to recover and build muscle. Eating Supportively
3) Are you getting enough recovery and sleep? This is actually as important as the workouts themselves. You need to recover adequately in between workouts because without recovery you actually are just tearing down your muscle and never allowing it to repair and build! So, you might as well just skip working out! Overworking your muscles is as bad for your progress as undereating!!! Sleep is huge for more reasons than I am willing to address here, but know that without consistent sleep (ideally, 7-8 hours) each night, your body will hinder the work you are putting into your results elsewhere, so try and go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning. I have two small children, so yes I know this is difficult.....just do your best for your sanity and your body!
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