When I first started working out, I had no idea what I was doing. I figured out on my own after a few months that cardio helped me really start dropping the pounds. I was given a treadmill and I had started walking on that daily. I learned that I should work out with weights a few days a week. I thought Monday, Wednesday, Friday sounded like a good idea. After a few months I started running for a few seconds at a time. Then I would increase my running time. Before long, I was running for the whole time instead of walking. Then, I worked on going farther each time I ran. When I would reach a new goal, I would try to surpass it. While that is good, it started some warped thinking in my mind. I couldn’t do less than the day before. If I ran 7 miles yesterday, I can’t run less today. Yes, I ran long distances EVERY day.
When I first started working out, I didn’t change my diet at all. Over time, I started thinking “could I make a healthier choice?” If the answer was yes, then I did. I looked for lower calorie options. The same thought process applied to my diet though too. If I ate XXX amount of calories yesterday, I couldn’t eat more today. Everything I read in “women’s magazines” stated that I should be eating 1200 calories a day. I was petrified to go over. I was convinced that I would wake up one day and have gained all my weight back over night.
After about 2 years of doing this completely on my own, my days consisted of working out and planning what I was going to eat today, tomorrow. I continued on, but my body was starting to just give out on me. I couldn’t do what I did before. I saw the infomercial for Body Beast. I ordered it, and was excited when it came. Then I realized, I wanted to follow this program to a T. I read through the nutrition guide. I had always heard that “you can’t lose weight and gain muscle at the same time.” That never made sense to me. I had done it. Doesn’t everyone who is trying to lose weight, combine cardio and weights? I had gotten a little “fluffy”, and I couldn’t understand why. I couldn’t understand. I was working out so hard and focusing on what I was eating- why was I GAINING weight?
When I read Sagi Kalev’s nutrition guide, I finally understood what that meant. According to that guide, I was supposed to eat 1000 calories more per day than I had been. Yes, you read that right. 1000. I took a deep breath and decided to JUST DO IT. Also, no cardio. Unless it was on my Body Beast calendar-no cardio. My body loved it. I looked forward to my workouts again.
Within two weeks, I was slimmer and I felt better. My body was finally getting what it needed. Your muscles NEED those calories to grow. They need REST in order to get stronger. I had been working out 3-4 hours a day (divided up, morning and evening.We have to remember that working out and eating healthy is a great thing. However, more isn’t always better. We also need to remember that we might not be able to do it on our own. Sometimes we need help and guidance. I wish that I had had some earlier on in my fitness journey. It would have saved me from a lot of mistakes, and would have been nice to know that I wasn’t alone.
It is so easy to get confused with all the information out there. There are so many books shouting at us "Eat this!" "Don't eat that!" We can feel torn and feel like giving up.
Sometimes we feel that we should already know everything and are embarrassed to ask for help. Especially when we feel insecure already and are afraid of being judged. Or maybe, we feel already DO know it all – what we should be eating and how much. Whatever the case, we all can use a support system. When you have a support system you are more likely to succeed in your goals. You have someone to cheer you on when you feel you just can’t do anymore. Or maybe you need someone to be held accountable to. You know you won’t eat that doughnut if you have to tell someone about it.
I would LOVE to be a support system for you. I would love to help you reach your fitness goals or even get started with your goals if you don’t know where to begin. You don’t have to do it alone. You just have to have the courage to start.
"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, 'I will try again tomorrow'"
-Mary Anne Radmacher
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