Are you sabotaging your workout?
January 21, 2014
 
By Julie Smith 
So, you are committed. You are going to go to the gym three to five times a week and lifting weights, or going to Zumba or Spinning or Body Blast or Aerobics or using the treadmill. And, now it’s the middle of January and so far you are doing great.

Your cardio and endurance are starting to get better and you may even be feeling a little bit better.

But are you sabotaging all the hard work you are doing while you are at the gym?

You see, for most people working out will actually account for 10% of your results, with the other 90% coming from proper nutrition.

So, if you are going to the gym in the evening and then going home and sitting down in front of the TV with a big plate of macaroni and cheese (from the box), a slice of cheesecake, and a soda you are sabotaging your workout.

On the flip side, if you starve yourself after that hard weight lifting session you aren’t doing your body any favors either. Choose the proper foods to refuel and you will see results faster.

And, let’s not forget about the damage our liquid beverages can do. Are you trading your water for latte’s, tea, soda, juice, beer, or wine?

If so this WILL stall your weight loss. Remember, alcohol turns into sugar and soda and juice are also sugar.

This will create an insulin spike, stopping your body from going into fat burning mode. So, keep that water bottle handy!

Or, if you work out real hard but are skipping breakfast, well, your body doesn’t like that at all.

For light cardio work you can eat breakfast after your morning workout, but if you are lifting heavy weights eat your breakfast or a snack before your workout. And, never, never skip breakfast. Got it? Good!

Don’t have time in the morning? Make a protein shake and take it with you. Aren’t hungry? Well, then you need to work on your digestion as most likely your previous night’s meal isn’t fully digested.

I’m going to share with you some Basic Dietary Principles. These are Basic Principles. Depending on your chemistry some of these may need to be adjusted but for a balanced individual these Principles should work for you.

Cut this list out and stick it on your refrigerator next to a picture of your loved ones, because your health doesn’t just matter to you – your loved ones want you to be healthy too!

BASIC DIETARY PRINCIPLES

  • Avoid sugar and refined carbohydrates

  • Stay Hydrated

  • Avoid polyunsaturated vegetable oils like corn, canola, soybean, sesame, and cottonseed. Instead use butter, olive oil, and coconut oil

  • On the NO list: high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners like aspartame, fluoridated/chlorinated water, margarine, hydrogenated oils

  • Eat three meals a day. MUST HAVE BREAKFAST

  • Each meal needs a serving of protein (meat, fish, poultry, eggs, cheese) and complex carbohydrates like vegetables. Preferably non-starchy

  • Don’t overdo grain intake.

  • For protein daily requirements take body weight and divide by 15. This is the total ounces per day need spread through 3 meals. Eat meat on the rare side – do not overcook it.

  • Cook or steam your vegetables but don’t overcook.

This is a BASIC Guideline. For specific imbalances these principles may need to be adjusted.

Cut this list out and stick it on your refrigerator next to a picture of your loved ones, because your health doesn’t just matter to you – your loved ones want you to be healthy too!


So, keep up the good work at the gym or wherever you are working out. It doesn’t have to be at the gym. You can do yoga (several instructors here in town), you can do Zumba (Bee Fit Studio has Zumba classes in town and so does Iron Mike’s Gym), you can do Aerobics at Aerobics and Iron and Iron Mike’s, you can do a workout at home using just your body weight, you can wrestle with your kids on the floor (unless they are better than you then be careful…I don’t wrestle with my kids anymore…I end up getting hurt) you can go for a walk outside while the weather is nice (watch out for the ice though), you can buy a treadmill or stationary bike and use it at home, you can go to Schweitzer and go skiing, or you can clean your house from top to bottom.

As a side note it is possible to work out too much. Your body needs time to repair itself after a hard workout. Keep this in mind.

Whatever your favorite workout is just MOVE! But, please remember that just because you are working out more doesn’t mean you can eat whatever you want. If you want to see better results keep your nutrition clean! Refuel with the proper foods so you don’t undermine your workout.