For years I have struggled with my weight. The best way to describe what I would do is diet and workout from January through August and then I would stop and repeat again in January. This happened for several years and I feel as though it was a habit I could not break.
Fast forward to January 2016, I officially gained everything I lost in 2011-2013; I felt gross physically and emotionally. My clothes no longer fit like they used to, I felt sluggish, and I would frequently get headaches. At the end of the month, I realized that something needed to change. I literally got up from the couch, set my laptop aside, changed into gym clothes, and left the house. I was fed up with feeling the way I did.
Around the month of April, I discovered Flexible Dieting by watching fitness YouTubers such as Nikki Blackketter. Flexible Dieting is essentially counting your macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fat). Therefore, you can eat anything you want as long as it fits your macros. Keep in mind this does not mean you should eat junk food all day every day; you will need your "clean" foods. EVERYONE'S macros are different; they are based on your height, weight, age, current body fat %, activity, etc. So for example: your macros are 150g carbs, 50g fat, and 135g protein. I like to use the app My Fitness Pal to track my food intake and I calculate my macros here: Katy Hearn Fit - Macro Calculator
Example of what I eat in a day:
BREAKFAST: oatmeal, 1/2 cup egg whites mixed with 1 large egg, and a slice of turkey bacon
POST WORK-OUT: protein powder mixed with water
LUNCH: 1/2 cup of rice, 4-5oz of chicken, turkey, or extra lean beef, 85g-100g of vegetables.
SNACK #1: Light & Fit Greek yogurt with 2tbs of granola and/or chopped up fresh fruit and 1tbs of Jif peanut butter
SNACK #2: Power crunch bar (I like to eat these because they have 10g of fat and most days I don't get enough fat intake).
DINNER: 1/2 cup of rice, 4-5oz of chicken, turkey, or extra lean beef, 85g-100g of vegetables.
DESSERT: 2-3 Oreos, ice cream, or cereal (depends on if I have any macros left for the day).
*Essentially, I make sure that my meals consist of carbs, protein, and fats. It is also important to eat vegetables and fruits because they contain micronutrients. You'll learn what foods work for you and what fit your macros as time progresses.
I am not saying this type of "diet" works for everyone, but it works for me and its become extremely popular throughout the years. I use the term "diet" loosely because I can honestly say I do not feel like I am on one. It has essentially become a lifestyle change.
Throughout these past 9 months, I have lost 28 pounds and have gained muscle. I have fallen IN LOVE with lifting and being active. Never in my life would I have thought that I would love going to the gym, but nearly every day I look forward to it.
Before 2016, I had no idea what I was doing at the gym; I would do random exercises for 20 minutes and spend 45 minutes doing cardio but then my boyfriend Jesse told me about an app by Bodybuilding.com called "BodySpace." You can join a program and each day you have a different exercise. One day will consist of chest/triceps, the next day will be quadriceps/calves, and so on and so forth. Its definitely great for beginners who want to learn new exercises and don't know much about lifting. They include videos too in case you need detailed instructions as well. I also watch a lot of fitness YouTubers and learn A LOT from them; they are extremely helpful and very entertaining to watch.
I am not claiming to be an expert or certified trainer/nutritionist. I just wanted to share a bit of what I know, what I'm doing, and how I got started in hopes of inspiring you.
Below are a few informative links:
About Flexible Dieting
Omar Isuf: IIFYM: My Thoughts on If It Fits Your Macros and Flexible Dieting
Emily Hayden: Beginners Intro to Macros
Food Scale: Taylor Glass Top Kitchen Scale
Fast forward to January 2016, I officially gained everything I lost in 2011-2013; I felt gross physically and emotionally. My clothes no longer fit like they used to, I felt sluggish, and I would frequently get headaches. At the end of the month, I realized that something needed to change. I literally got up from the couch, set my laptop aside, changed into gym clothes, and left the house. I was fed up with feeling the way I did.
Around the month of April, I discovered Flexible Dieting by watching fitness YouTubers such as Nikki Blackketter. Flexible Dieting is essentially counting your macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fat). Therefore, you can eat anything you want as long as it fits your macros. Keep in mind this does not mean you should eat junk food all day every day; you will need your "clean" foods. EVERYONE'S macros are different; they are based on your height, weight, age, current body fat %, activity, etc. So for example: your macros are 150g carbs, 50g fat, and 135g protein. I like to use the app My Fitness Pal to track my food intake and I calculate my macros here: Katy Hearn Fit - Macro Calculator
Example of what I eat in a day:
BREAKFAST: oatmeal, 1/2 cup egg whites mixed with 1 large egg, and a slice of turkey bacon
POST WORK-OUT: protein powder mixed with water
LUNCH: 1/2 cup of rice, 4-5oz of chicken, turkey, or extra lean beef, 85g-100g of vegetables.
SNACK #1: Light & Fit Greek yogurt with 2tbs of granola and/or chopped up fresh fruit and 1tbs of Jif peanut butter
SNACK #2: Power crunch bar (I like to eat these because they have 10g of fat and most days I don't get enough fat intake).
DINNER: 1/2 cup of rice, 4-5oz of chicken, turkey, or extra lean beef, 85g-100g of vegetables.
DESSERT: 2-3 Oreos, ice cream, or cereal (depends on if I have any macros left for the day).
*Essentially, I make sure that my meals consist of carbs, protein, and fats. It is also important to eat vegetables and fruits because they contain micronutrients. You'll learn what foods work for you and what fit your macros as time progresses.
I am not saying this type of "diet" works for everyone, but it works for me and its become extremely popular throughout the years. I use the term "diet" loosely because I can honestly say I do not feel like I am on one. It has essentially become a lifestyle change.
Throughout these past 9 months, I have lost 28 pounds and have gained muscle. I have fallen IN LOVE with lifting and being active. Never in my life would I have thought that I would love going to the gym, but nearly every day I look forward to it.
**Keep in mind this is a 9 month difference. Progress happens over time, not over night.**
Before 2016, I had no idea what I was doing at the gym; I would do random exercises for 20 minutes and spend 45 minutes doing cardio but then my boyfriend Jesse told me about an app by Bodybuilding.com called "BodySpace." You can join a program and each day you have a different exercise. One day will consist of chest/triceps, the next day will be quadriceps/calves, and so on and so forth. Its definitely great for beginners who want to learn new exercises and don't know much about lifting. They include videos too in case you need detailed instructions as well. I also watch a lot of fitness YouTubers and learn A LOT from them; they are extremely helpful and very entertaining to watch.
I am not claiming to be an expert or certified trainer/nutritionist. I just wanted to share a bit of what I know, what I'm doing, and how I got started in hopes of inspiring you.
Below are a few informative links:
About Flexible Dieting
Omar Isuf: IIFYM: My Thoughts on If It Fits Your Macros and Flexible Dieting
Emily Hayden: Beginners Intro to Macros
Food Scale: Taylor Glass Top Kitchen Scale
If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below. Like I mentioned before, I am not a certified trainer/nutritionist or an expert; however, I will do my best to answer your questions.
I loved this post! Very inspiring. What are some programs you would recommend to start with on BodySpace? -Aline
ReplyDeleteJamie Eason's Livefit Program! Here's the link: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-eason-livefit-trainer.html
DeleteLove it, can't wait to try this next week. You have had such great progress with it, hope it does the same for me.
ReplyDelete