Dieting — the word alone makes most people cranky, exhausted, intimidated, and well some just get disgusted.
How many diets have you tried in your life? Atkins, South Beach, Low Carb, or better yet, how much money have you wasted on a “magic pill,” powder or food that will help you “drop 20 pounds in one week?” None of these work for the long term –and what’s worse is that they cause you to have constant weight loss and weight gain which can ruin your metabolism and even make some of us give up on our fitness goals.
STORY: Karim Ramos: Think SMART When Making Fitness Resolutions For The New Year!
The bottom line is – diets suck!! Instead of torturing your mind, body, and soul, learn how to live with the food you love. It’s all about eating smart, in moderation, and having an ideal plan.
Eat Smart:
Cut out processed foods, fast food, fried food, cakes, pies and pastries.
Base your meals around whole grain starches, fruits, vegetables, and lean sources of protein.
Big Meals First:
Cut back on the amount you eat as the day goes on. Eat a big breakfast, moderate lunch, and a smaller dinner. A good motto I learned in my sports nutrition class is “Eat like a king for breakfast, prince for lunch, and poor man for dinner.”
Don’t Restrict Yourself:
Instead of restricting your favorite foods, just eat smaller portions OR eat them less often. For example, if you love ice cream, try switching to low-fat ice cream, eating a smaller portion, or only having it once per week on your “cheat day.”
Cheat Day:
Eat Clean 6 days a Week, then you can allow yourself one day to “cheat.” I normally choose Saturday to have my cheat day…I wake up and stuff my face from the moment I open my eyes, to the time I go to sleep. I still go to the gym on Saturday to do extra cardio and abs because I know I’m putting in extra calories. If you personally know me, than you’ll know I have a sweet tooth and I’m addicted to ice-cream and cookies (it’s pretty sad when people call me “The Cookie Monster”) hahaha…
On this cheat day your body will go into “shock” because our body gets so used to eating clean protein and carbs that when you do cheat, you actually will find yourself in the bathroom more than regular, it’s just the way your body gets rid of the bad stuff you eat, it is perfectly normal.
Plan Meals:
Don’t wait until you’re hungry to figure out what you want to eat—you’re more likely to choose something unhealthy. Plan out your meals for your 6 “clean” eating days. I personally prepare all my food and cook it Sunday to last me the week. I refrigerate the majority of my meals or I place the cooked ones it the freezer, until I am ready for them.
Most importantly, if you get off track—don’t beat yourself up!! Just get right back to it the next day and pickup where you left off. You can even do a little extra cardio the following day to burn it off.
Remember that 90 percent of your workout is what YOU EAT. The last 10 percent is the actual workout you do to burn the stored fat and calories.
And remember that the body doesn’t lie so, look at yourself in the mirror and give yourself a “reality check” and see for yourself what needs to be worked on then get on it!
Remember, be patient…Rome wasn’t built overnight.
Thank you for all your love and support!! Please continue to follow me and enjoy all my articles!!
Smile & Breathe,
Karim Ramos
