4 things you need for a good diet and fitness plan

As you may recall, one of my means for finding my happy place this year was to take on a new diet and fitness plan.  Here’s the deal – ever since my daughter Samara was born, I’ve been dealing with a very real, struggle with my weight and body image and have since taken on many diet and fitness plans.  I get it – I’m older, with 2 kids, and as it turns out, I didn’t get the skinny gene like my older brother, but that nagging voice in my head won’t let me accept that as an excuse.   Don’t get me wrong, it’s not to this obsessive, unhealthy level or anything.  However, I just haven’t felt like the “me” I once felt.  

The most difficult part I experience in taking on a diet and fitness plan is the fact that I’m not quite the typical weight loss candidate.  You think of shows like The Biggest Loser and lots of those real deal diet and fitness challenges and – let’s face it – they are not looking for people like me and it would be offensive to suggest otherwise.  In fact, dare I even utter the words, “I need to lose weight” in public! In lieu of support, I get a slew of rolled eyes, snickers, and “Oh please! You do not need to lose weight!” My default response: “Yeah…well, you haven’t seen me naked.” That usually quiets them.

So, earlier last year, when I learned that I was going to be the Maid of Honor in my cousin’s wedding, I started working out pretty hard and officially started on my road to a healthier and more fit “me.”  I gave my Fitbit friends a run for their money and attended nearly every Zumba class I could find.  I loved the progress I made, but I inevitably hit a plateau after a few months, meaning it was time for a new fitness plan.  Most recently, I joined UFC Gym in Smyrna to kick off my new diet and fitness plan with that team.  In my initial consultation, I was assured that I was doing the right thing as we went over these 4 things you need for a good diet and fitness plan:

1. Find what you love to do
– Needless to say, if you love what you’re doing, it makes it less torturous. UFC Gym Smyrna offers quite a few of my favorites, including kickboxing, power Zumba, yoga, martial arts (Jujitsu, Muay Thai, self defense) and circuit training when I’m up for it.  The best part is that my girls can be involved too through their kids’ programs. 

2. Burn enough calories for American diet
The rule is that you’ll have to burn enough calories in a week to exceed the amount of calories you eat following the standard American Diet.   Basic rule of thumb: 3500 calories = 1 lb.  Therefore, in order to lose a pound a week, you’ll want to burn at least that much each week.  The good news is that following this plan actually speeds up your basil metabolic rate, which is when you see results faster and with slightly less effort. 

3. Have a group or support/accountability network
There are some people who are completely self motivated to work out, but unfortunately, I am not one of those people.  Therefore, your chances of success are greater when you have things like group classes, workout buddies, and coaches who are actually looking for you in the gym.  

4. Certified personal trainers
This isn’t an absolute requirement, but it definitely helps.  At the very minimum, you should set up an appointment with one to help assess your current health/BMI, establish your weight loss or fitness goals, and then help you form an effective workout plan.  

I’ll be chronicling my journey for the next 90 days on my social channels mostly, so pretty please follow me on Instagram or Facebook to cheer me on along the way.  If you’d like to get started on your own diet and fitness plan, a great resource to try is this 5 day E-course – 5 Days to a Healthy and Fit “You.”

Also, be sure to reach out to me if you are on this journey too so we can support each other!