PREPARATION CHALLENGE 1 - MONDAY, JULY 7
ATyghter
Posts: 44 Member
Each week, leading up to our official start date, I will post 3 tasks that will help you on your way to better overall health. Remember, our PiYo Challenge doesn't begin until August 4 BUT that doesn't mean we have the next 4 weeks to wait around for it to begin.
I've chosen 3 tasks each week because I believe there are 3 main facets to weight loss:
1) Mind - Weight loss is 90% mental. If you believe you can do it, you can!
2) Nutrition - You can't outwork a bad diet. It is important to eat whole unprocessed foods not just for weight loss, but for overall health.
3) Fitness - While it may be the smallest piece of THIS particular puzzle, it is vitally important. Exercise is the difference between skinny fat and fit. You can lose weight without exercising BUT you'll need to eat that much better and you will not get that tight and defined look most people are going for.
The most important message I can give to those just beginning a weight loss journey is that it's not about intensity, it's about consistency. You can workout HARD for a week but if you can't bring yourself to continue week after week you haven't accomplished anything. Find something you love and stick with it. The same goes for food. Take small baby steps and work your way up to a clean unprocessed diet.
This week's challenges are as follows:
1) Mind - If you haven't already, take photos! You don't have to share them with anyone but it is important that you have a visual representation of your progress. You'd be surprised what the scale and even measuring tape can miss... I mean really, do you measure every square inch of your body? Weight comes off in surprising places.
2) Nutrition - Replace your morning snack with a piece of fruit and/or a vegetable (you can blend your fruits into a shake but skip the pre-made sweetened ones). Toss the 100 cal snack bags and granola bars for your a.m. snack only (I know that 3:00 wall can be a tough one).
3) Fitness - Try something NEW this week! You don't have to do it for the entire week but switch one of your workouts to something else this week (I tried a Barre class this weekend and it worked muscles I forgot I had. I thought the workouts I'd been doing were tough, and they are, but trying something new allowed me to target areas that were somehow missed by my traditional workout).
Above all else, HAVE FUN! Remember to log your food in your diary and keep checking in. T-4 Weeks until August 4! Let's see how much progress we can make before then!
Cheers,
Aly
I've chosen 3 tasks each week because I believe there are 3 main facets to weight loss:
1) Mind - Weight loss is 90% mental. If you believe you can do it, you can!
2) Nutrition - You can't outwork a bad diet. It is important to eat whole unprocessed foods not just for weight loss, but for overall health.
3) Fitness - While it may be the smallest piece of THIS particular puzzle, it is vitally important. Exercise is the difference between skinny fat and fit. You can lose weight without exercising BUT you'll need to eat that much better and you will not get that tight and defined look most people are going for.
The most important message I can give to those just beginning a weight loss journey is that it's not about intensity, it's about consistency. You can workout HARD for a week but if you can't bring yourself to continue week after week you haven't accomplished anything. Find something you love and stick with it. The same goes for food. Take small baby steps and work your way up to a clean unprocessed diet.
This week's challenges are as follows:
1) Mind - If you haven't already, take photos! You don't have to share them with anyone but it is important that you have a visual representation of your progress. You'd be surprised what the scale and even measuring tape can miss... I mean really, do you measure every square inch of your body? Weight comes off in surprising places.
2) Nutrition - Replace your morning snack with a piece of fruit and/or a vegetable (you can blend your fruits into a shake but skip the pre-made sweetened ones). Toss the 100 cal snack bags and granola bars for your a.m. snack only (I know that 3:00 wall can be a tough one).
3) Fitness - Try something NEW this week! You don't have to do it for the entire week but switch one of your workouts to something else this week (I tried a Barre class this weekend and it worked muscles I forgot I had. I thought the workouts I'd been doing were tough, and they are, but trying something new allowed me to target areas that were somehow missed by my traditional workout).
Above all else, HAVE FUN! Remember to log your food in your diary and keep checking in. T-4 Weeks until August 4! Let's see how much progress we can make before then!
Cheers,
Aly
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Replies
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This is wonderful
Thanks gurl xo0 -
YAY, so glad you think so. I'm hoping people will come out of hiding eventually so that we can really start to offer some support to each other.0
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Really looking forward too this!!0
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Hey hey,
It's only week 1 and i'm already finding it very helpful to have this group, and your post of challenges for the week, as a daily reference.
I have re-introduced fruit as my morning snack rather than an alternative startchy one, or none at all.
I also plan on trying out a MBS (mind, body and soul) class for the first time at my local community centre, and have started incorporating yoga back into my life as I used to do it almost every morning when I was at the height of my fitness journey.
I've found that although I go to the gym every weeknight, my body is missing the importance of the stretch.
I plan to focus more of my post workout time on some much needed stretching and recovery.
The 'mind' part has always been, and is proving to be the biggest challange for me as I simply struggle to say "No".
"No" to food when i'm full/not hungry, and a big "NO" to desserts and sweets.
I have THE biggest sweet tooth and sometimes tell myself, "I worked hard in that aerobics class so I can have a treat", or "just one cookie/small piece of cake." And definitely when I bake for others, "of course I have to try it to make sure it's good enough to share."
Whether it is to find healthier, raw alternatives for my sweet tooth, or to cut out certain favourites altogether, it has been a huge challenge, and I would love some suggestions on how to approach fighting my cravings of sweets.
I'm also trying to drill into my mind that CONSISTENCY as you've said is extremely important.
I am not where I used to be physically and mentally which I am proud of, but I tend to plateau at my current weight, and although trying new things and learning more about my body and nutrition have been great, the consistency is only there until the next major vacation, or major event, and then it's gone for a little while.
Thanks in advance for the feedback
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Love and Many Blessings
Ashley0
