1. If you are a woman, you are obsessed with the number on the scale. It's something in our genetics that makes us go crazy over it. "The scale lies" is a common term used in the fitness world. Which isn't completely accurate in my opinion. The scale doesn't lie, but no two scales are the same and the scale doesn't know the whole truth. Weight fluctuates throughout the day and week. The scale doesn't tell us if the number is due to water retention, bloating, swollen muscle or any of the things that can make the scale move. If your starting a new eating routine your body can freak out and do all sorts of stuff! So if you are going to be a scale junkie weigh in during the same time frame and same circumstances.
2.If you insist on using scales, you also must use a tape measure! I would recommend strictly using just a tape measure but in true junkie fashion I know half of you have already been on the scale today! Inches unlike the scale know what's up! Losing inches is what is going to get you into the smaller clothes anyway. Measure everywhere (knowing that you lost 5 inches in your thighs will excite the heck out of you) Here is a link that guides on measuring :http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=1281
3.Eating too little is as harmful as eating too much! I can't count the times I have heard "Well I am only eating 700 calories a day and can't lose any weight." Well friends that is because your body is PISSED off at you for starving it so everything you put into your body it is holding on to it for dear life, storing it up for winter....right in your....gut!! You have to push past 1,200 calories before you will start to burn. If your over 200 lbs. you probably need more like 1,400 as a minimum! I do recommend My Fitness Pal to track your food intake. However, their take on fitness and burning calories is a JOKE!
4. Take pictures, even if no one but you sees them. One day you will be happy to have them to look back on. I didn't dare show my pictures to the world until I was comfortable with what I looked like. It's hard to see progress in a mirror day in and day out. Take a beginning photo, one week, and then maybe once a month after that. It works best if you have someone else take it. Dress in what you feel appropriate in.
I hope that addresses some of the questions I got off my last post. Now onto the fitness challenge of the month.. SQUATS!!
In strength training, the squat is a compound, full body exercise that trains primarily the muscles of the thighs, hips andbuttocks, quads (vastus lateralus medialis and intermedius), hamstrings, as well as strengthening the bones, ligamentsand insertion of the tendons throughout the lower body. Squats are considered a vital exercise for increasing the strength and size of the legs and buttocks, as well as developing core strength. Isometrically, the lower back, the upper back, theabdominals, the trunk muscles, the costal muscles, and the shoulders and arms are all essential to the exercise and thus are trained when squatting with the proper form.[1]
In case you had no clue what a squat was. There is the official answer! There are so many variations of the squat it would be hard to do all of them so I chose the top 3 I could find for this month's challenge!
I will also be going up in weight every week. Also 36 is a lot to do at once so I broke it apart a bit. Goal for me is to squat more than my body weight all across the board! Never be afraid to modify for what works for you. Don't let someone else's ability intimidate you into hurting yourself. You will end up at home on the couch instead of at the gym! If your really a newbie: Start with body weight squats! Use the Internet to find proper form for a workout if you don't know it. You don't have to look like a fool at the gym thanks to modern technology. I really like bodybuilding.com they will show you a workout and workouts that do similar things in case you don't have access to exactly what the video has! I am posting a link to their site in case you want to look around and try it out!
That being said.. It is time to take my vitamins, drink my pre-workout, and take my butt to the gym!
Happy Squatting Everyone- Next Month is the Plank Challenge!!
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