Round 2 – “Let’s get it on!”
I learned a few things from our first foray into the world of Insanity.
#1: It is easy to over train. The leading cause of workout program abandonment is overtraining. When your body and mind are physically exhausted, it is hard to find motivation to “push play.”
#2: Calories in vs Calories Out. Losing weight is simple math…. am I burning more calories than I am taking in. The problem is calculating how many calories you are burning isn’t easy. So the simple solution is take in the same amount of calories everyday, monitor progress and adjust upwards or downwards from there.
#3: There is no substitute for delicious food. No matter how committed you are to losing weight, if you can’t stand the food you are putting in your body then you won’t stick with it.
#4: Put first things first. I stole that from some self-help book but it applies. If getting into shape is important to you then you need to make it a priority. Plan your day around your workout and don’t miss it. No excuses.
#6: Insanity is the hardest workout ever put on a DVD.
So with all of that in mind I have started up again. I am an over-analyzer so it took me a few days to get my ducks in a row but we are rockin’ and rollin’ now.
My diet is an adaptation of the South Beach Diet. I have the South Beach Diet Quick and Easy Recipes Cookbook and the recipes are delicious. However, it is based on a low-carb, high fat diet. I have made slight changes to increase the carbs and decrease the fat. I actually believe the best diet involves cycling carbs… meaning high and low carb days. This techniques is used by bodybuilders who are trying to cut weight but don’t want to lose muscle mass. Muscles need fuel to grow and carbs are part of that fuel. If you cut them completely out of your diet, your muscles will suffer. Instead, you keep them low for a few days then carb load to refuel them. It works…trust me! Research carb-loading for more information. My ratios are about 40% protein, 30% carb, 30% fat on my low carb days, on high carb days I am shooting for 42%, 39%, 19%. Notice how my protein intake remains about the same. My goal is to take in about 180-190 grams of protein per day. This is again to prevent muscle loss.
And today I am sore as hell! The question is… rest or not to rest?