Dont over think it…just move your body
Who’s sick of hearing… Do this and you will lose weight. Don’t do this or you will gain weight. You need x amount of this per day to achieve your goals but combine it with this or you won’t lose weight. Don’t do this but do that. Cardio is bad, carbs are bad, sugar is bad, resting is bad. The list goes on and on and on and to be honest its exhausting.
I have been told by numerous fitness instructors (mainly WOMEN) that I should be eating over 100 grams of protein a day, drink over a gallon of water a day, do cardio daily, stay away from carbs, sugar you name it I’ve been told it. Guess what… I still wasn’t achieving my goals (see what I did there? I didn’t say “lose weight” because being healthy isn’t all about weight) I was exhausted, my stomach hurt from all the protein, I had to pee every 5 minutes from all the water, and I had constant headaches from lack of carbs and sugar. Fun fact… you NEED carbs to survive as in your brain neeeeeeeds carbs and so does the body especially if you're working out consistently. Which if you are a fitness instructor you should know. The WORST part is the disappointed looks on their faces when I wasn’t hitting their goals they set for me. What about MY goals I set for myself… nah they didn’t matter. Look I get it. If you are an athlete and training for a sport, then yes you absolutely have to follow a strict diet and exercise plan BUT if you are an everyday working individual, that’s not realistic.
It wasn’t until I stopped doing the 5 day a week bootcamps mixed with boxing, hiking and weight training, that I realized it wasn’t for me. My cortisol levels were through the roof, my anxiety was at an all-time high and I wasn’t sleeping or eating enough. I couldn’t keep up with my body and it was working against me.
Which brings me to my point… just move your body daily. Thats it! Want to go for a hike then do it. Walks are great too. Just getting out of bed and moving your body daily is a great start to a workout routine or a great addition to an already established one. If you sit at a desk all day, be sure to get up every 30 mins and take a lap around the house. Or go get the mail or walk the dog. Anything to get the blood pumping. Don’t stress yourself out thinking you have to follow a regimented meal plan or workout routine to achieve goals. Pilates is a wonderful low impact workout that leaves you centered and connected without putting stress on the joints. Guess what… Pilates is most definitely a workout and don’t let anyone tell you any different! Yoga is good too to center you and bring down stress levels. Just plain walking has been shown to have great benefits on your cardiovascular and digestive systems along with calming the nerves. Not to mention the fresh air!
In my opinion you don’t need a fancy workout plan or a super regimented diet plan. It’s not realistic and sets you up for failure. Now I’m not saying don’t watch what you eat because the saying is true that you can’t out train a bad diet. What I am saying is, find a healthy balance between working out and eating healthy. You will find that you tend to want to work out more if you aren’t stressed about the workout itself. Quit setting yourself up for failure and quit listening to all these fitness influencers. Just do what works for you and your schedule and you will find that is what gets the best results!