Once you start a Beachbody program and see results...you are always looking for the next program to start. I am still in the midst of my Insanity experience and while it is absolutely INSANE and I am still adjusting and pushing myself...I can't help but wonder HOW Shaun T managed to make a program any more challenging than this one! So I started reading some reviews and I just had to share this one :)
******** ~~~~~ ******** ~~~~~ ******** ~~~~~ ******** ~~~~~ Last week I started a round of Insanity: Asylum and with it, revamped my diet a little. I have decided to go back to a fat shredder (50% protein/30% carbs/20% fat), 1800 calorie diet for a few weeks so I can lose a few more fat lbs. Why do I bring this up? Well it has been almost 9 months since I was last on this diet and I think I maybe had forgotten about the effects of running a calorie deficit. So I must be honest, if you are really wanting to drop fat, it’s not necessarily the most fun process, which is why so many struggle with it. It’s easy to say, “ok you need to eat this much chicken, only good carbs, drink such and such supplements, workout and then you’ll lose weight.”
However, the reality is, losing weight is a tough, drawn out process that takes real dedication and constant attention. You’re going to get hungry sometimes. You’re going to be tempted to stop for fast food or a candy bar or whatever your personal vice may be. But you have to remember what your ultimate goal is so you can be strong enough to stand up and not give in to your temptations for immediate satisfaction. Is it worth it to cheat on your diet knowing that just one cheat meal might set you back 2-3 days? Personally I don’t think that it is.
So what you need to do is equip yourself to stand up against those temptations and fight through them. So here are a few simple keys that I live by to help me stick to a healthy diet and not cheat:
- Utilize Protein shakes, Shakeology, etc. These are great for meal replacements or snacks to help keep you from getting hungry
- Make sure you are eating 4-6 times/day. You can eat smaller portions and when you spread them out, you’re able to feel satisfied throughout the day without hunger pains
- Always keep simple snack foods on hand, so you can eat in between meals. Things as simple as protein bars, apples, bananas, oranges, jerky, almonds, peanuts, or baby carrots. All of those except the carrots don’t even require a refrigerator and they are really quick to consume. Simple appetite suppressors are one of the best ways to maintain a lower calorie count and not feel like you are starving yourself
- Try to have your higher carb meals earlier in the day, this should help you have more energy throughout the day while on a calorie deficit.
- Monitor your calorie intake closely. There are a lot of calorie trackers online that are very helpful for this. I like myfitnesspal.com because they have an iphone app so it’s always with me. Research shows that people who actually track their calories are more likely to lose weight than those who don’t.
- Finally, be patient. If you have a weight goal, only monitor it on a bi-weekly or monthly basis. Various activities and dietary routines are going to effect your weight on a given day. For example, the amount of salt intake you have will effect your water retention for a short time period and therefore your overall weight until your kidney’s and urinary tract take care of business. From day to day your weight will most likely decrease, then increase a little, then decrease again. You have to let the overall process play itself out. That means you have to be in it for the long haul and not expect to see drastic weight loss in just a few days or a week. So resist the temptation to get on the scale everyday and just monitor on a semi-weekly or monthly basis. Then you can see the overall trend take effect.
