The Miss Colorado Training Plan
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
I eat fruit, veggies, and lean protein. I only keep fruits, veggies, protein shakes, and lean protein in the house. I eat carbs...once a day Monday through Friday. That's the hardest part. On the weekends, I loosen it up a little. I go out with friends, I also don't get crazy and undo the week's progress. We work too hard sweating it out all week to let it go. Amen? It takes forever to get anywhere with two steps forward and one step back.
Also, you don't need to be in shape to go to the gym. That's like getting a tan to go to the beach.
Here are the supplements that are difference-makers for me:
Couldn't find these available online, you make have to waltz into the store.
6-8-12
It takes 6 weeks for you to notice changes.
It takes 8 weeks for your friends to notice.
It takes 12 weeks for the rest of the world to notice.
We'll need to keep going through bad days, fat days, tired days...it's not going to happen any other way. There is no other way. There are no pills, powders, or potions that will save us. And that's the point.
There is nothing like a person who has put in the time to get there. Awesome people don't just happen. That's what's inspiring. Patience, confidence, perseverance, and a Spirit that will not be stopped.
Remember it's...
ONE.
POUND.
AT.
A.
TIME.
You can do this, I'm right there with you. Since January 3rd, I've lost 12 pounds. I still have 20 to go but it's one. pound. at. a. time. That's 12 pounds in slightly over two months. It's painfully slow, especially until I picked up some momentum mid-February. It's one sacrifice at a time.
Don't think you have to eat perfect and workout like crazy to see results. You just need consistency to see results. You can start with 15 minutes at the gym a day, and replace one meal with a salad. Just start.
If you eat "perfect" and train like there's no tomorrow, eventually you will stop seeing results. Your body will get hip to your game, and you will stop losing weight no matter how hard you train, or how clean you eat. Trust me, that is the most frustrating experience. It's also the road to an epic training burnout. For me, that training burn out lasted three years. I'm just now coming out of it.
When you feel yourself burning out, go out and eat. Yes, eat food. Eat cake, have a glass of wine, eat ice cream, whatever...it's ok. This past weekend I pretty much ate my way through Denver. There were cheese fries, pizza, a pink milkshake, ice cream, and three rounds of cake over the course of the week. And you know what? It didn't slow me down. I did not gain an ounce. True story.
Why? Because I was still killing it at the gym and my body needed the fuel. I could feel my body sighing sweet relief with each cheese fry. Take a weekend off once a month. But...
DON'T PLAN TO FAIL.
I do not recommend planning "cheat days" or "free meals." This does not work for me. Amazingly, cupcakes find their way to me, without me planning to find my way to them.
Isn't it always someone's birthday? Or a holiday? Or there's a dinner date in our planners? Choose your social outtings carefully. You can't be everywhere and still be training. You just can't. Unless you show up, skip the food, and still manage to slip into bed early...which IS feasible.
Training hard takes being in bed early, getting up early, and skipping the margaritas. It's a sacrifice but eventually it stops feeling like one, because you feel so much better you won't even miss what you give up.
The Rules
Do not reward yourself with food, you are not a dog.
Do not eat to celebrate.
Do not eat when you feel lonely, or down.
Do eat when you're hungry.
Do not go all-or-nothing...
TAKE A SABBATH.
Once a week, do nothing. Rest. This is so easy, so simple, and so clutch.
Do not even consider going to the gym. Sleep in, lay in bed, paint your nails, create something, get to that project you haven't let yourself make time for, take care of yourself. This is a gamechanger.
You can be supergirl, but you have to rest to be her. And if you want to rest and eat a hot pink donut, just eat one. Welcome to my Sunday ; ). Otherwise, you'll be thinking about it until you do. Plus in the time you spent thinking about eating the fatty donut, you could have eaten it, and sweated it off at the gym.
Do not deprive yourself. Training is not punishment for being fat. Training is giving yourself the very best, so can give life your very best.
DRINK WATER.
You've heard this one before, drink 8 glass of water a day. Don't do it because you're supposed to...do it because you will have so much more energy. Whenever my energy starts to lull, it's usually one of three senarios: 1) I'm not drinking enough water, 2) I'm not working out frequently enough or with enough intensity, 3) I'm eating too many carbs, 4) I'm not eating enough. Most of the time, it's a water issue.
I drink three smartwater bottles a day, because it equals 9 glasses of water and it's easier to count to three than it is to nine. (I refill them with distilled water).
Sidenote: If at all possible, don't eat after six Monday through Thursday.
DON'T WAIT.
Promise me you won't wait? Don't wait until you're good enough, you never will be "good enough." You will also never be "strong enough," because you already are. I repeat, YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH. YOU ARE ENOUGH. Ok?
Don't wait for permission.
Don't wait for the perfect time.
Don't wait for the perfect conditions.
Don't wait for better weather, or for a day when you have enough energy for it, or when you have more time. Those days will never arrive.
Today is your day, this is your week, right now...this is your moment.
Training will always, always be hard. There will always be a potluck at work. Obstacles will come, be prepared for them. Temptation will present itself. Be ready to tell it "I will not be stopped."
Here is what the desk next to me looked like the day I started training for Miss Colorado:
I thought I was hallucinating. I felt like I was on the Biggest Loser right when they say goodbye to food.
Please just tell that fatty donut, cupcake, pizza slice to "get thee behind me." It works. You will not be stopped.
The next week, I walked into the gym and every treadmill had this sign on it...
...for two weeks. Somehow every treadmill broke on the same day...really? It was also 10 degrees out every morning. I'm a runner. If you're a runner, you know the elliptical just doesn't cut it. There's nothing (nothing!) like runner's high. I went outside and ran, and froze my tail off. It hurt it was so cold, but I wasn't stopped.
Seriously, start today and don't stop for six weeks. Once you get to week seven, you'll feel so great nothing will be able to stop you. You won't be able to sit still. I run everywhere. I can't stop. I have excess energy, especially on Sabbath days when I don't workout.
SET A GOAL. MAKE A PLAN.
If you don't have a goal, you'll get there someday, but someday may be the day after never.
On January 3rd, I decided to lose 33.5 pounds by May 18th.
There are few things in this life more humbling than getting out of shape. It's pretty clear we're not whole on the inside when it shows on the outside. What we eat in private, shows in public. This girl had to lose 30 lbs...wow. I'm a California beach girl, when did this happen?! That's a slice of humble pie. But now it's 20 pounds, and next month it will be 10. I'm so grateful I started January 3rd.
WE CAN DO THIS
Lastly, here's what doesn't work for me:
1) Eating more than 1400 calories a day, more than twice a week,
2) Working out less than five times a week, and my fav...
3) getting frustrated when it's not easier.
Fitness isn't just a lifestyle, it's a sport. It helps me to treat the gym like a game I need to win every single day.
Looking good has its sacrifices, but we can have it all...just not all at once. You can have cake, a beach body, and a social life...but we have to earn it.
I promise this is doable. It's overwhelming (I know), but you can do this. No one likes cake more than this girl. Seriously, no one. Wanna see my pinterest board dedicated to cake? Behold, Caketastic. Yum, right?! But you know what? The cupcakes will be there when there are 33.5 pounds less of me. Or 21.5 now... ; )
In eight months, I'll be standing on a stage in Colorado in a swimsuit in front of thousands of people scared out of my mind. If I can do this, you can do this. I'm not special. It's not easy for me, but I believe I can do this...and I believe you can, too.
I believe in you.
We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Phil 4:13).
Life is waiting,
Lisamarie
***For resources with very specific workout and meal plans, no one does it like Tone It Up.