FOCUS T25: Success Tricks

chandraminick

A lot of factors such as equipment, time, and even money play into being successful when doing an exercise program like T25. Does any one have any fitness hacks that have helped them overcome hurdles?

chandraminick

One thing I have done to be ready for each workout is to set up a workout studio in my spare bedroom. In there I have my laptop set up with speakers ready to play my DVDs. I have my DVDs hanging on the wall balanced from the center on pushpins in order of what workout I am going to do next. Next to them I have my T25 calendar and a dry erase calendar that I writey workouts on every day. I also keep my goals on it. I had a motivational poster made at Walgreen's from photos I uploaded from my before and after pics last year. I keep the window open on there so that the room stays extra cold, and I keep a box fan ready for cardio. I also have a thick workout mat, hand weights, a stretch out strap, water, towels, and a mirror for form in there. While I'm not working, I put my workout clothes on first thing on the morning so that I am ready to workout when the time is right.

chandraminick

FYI: take your ibuprofin now! I am about 8 hours post workout, and I have so many muscles aching and trying to get stiff that even stretching didn't take care of it. I have never done a workout since high school that did this to me! What a great feeling!!

chandraminick

I didn't want too say too much about this earlier because I thought it might accidentally discourage someone if they hadn't started to get the results that they want yet, but I have lost 9.5 lbs since we started Monday October 31st. This happened within the first three or four days. I did double up on the workouts on most of those days, and do extra calorie burning activities like walking the dog. I've been following my own meal plans and that diet contains 1000 calories a day even though I set MFP to 1200. Most of those calories are pasta, meat and veggies. Very little is dairy except cheese sticks, and I only drink water and tea. I have opened my MFP Diary to the public so anyone who wants to look at my logging and exercise can see what is working.

paytenpar

Congrats on the loss, but in my opinion, that type of quick weight loss is super dangerous and unsustainable! If you want to burn fat AND build lean muscle, you have to eat more. 1000 calories a day isn't enough for anyone without exercise.

scanners107

As mentioned by Paytenpar, losing that much weight so quick isn't good long term. You definitely need to up your calories.

chandraminick

paytenpar wrote: »

Congrats on the loss, but in my opinion, that type of quick weight loss is super dangerous and unsustainable! If you want to burn fat AND build lean muscle, you have to eat more. 1000 calories a day isn't enough for anyone without exercise.

Yes, I know, but it is not meant to be sustainable. My problem isn't loosing weight with diet and exercise. My problem is maintenance. Last October I did Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred for sixty days, and that was preceded by 30 days of her standing abs workout. I lost 38 lbs, getting down to 168lbs, but gained it all back after deciding to progress to a different workout that was too difficult. I lost interest and focus. I did not exercise or watch my diet at all. Now, I am reverse dieting to learn where my maintenance calories need to be set. Most who reverse diet add in 80-100 calories a week after coming off of extremely restrictive diets, and a lot of them are competitive body builters who have bulked and cut. They add calories in this way so they don't start packing on the pounds. It is a long term goal usually stretched out over a 20 week period to help reset an individuals metabolism. I am going to add back 50 calories a week for the ten weeks while we are in alpha and beta phases. By the time we get to Gamma (which is strength training and takes more calories), I will already know where my maintenance level is. My goal for next week is to keep my macros at 40/40/20, and get my protein as close to 182g a day as possible and still enjoy what I am eating.