SUNDAELEAH'S DORM ROOM

Lemme guess, you want to get in shape.
Most likely this means that you are currently unhappy with the way you look. Maybe you want to lose the 5-10 pounds your Grandma fed you over the holidays, or realizing summer is a slim few months away and you’re still single. I know you’re excited and ready to give it all you’ve got but slow down, this is a marathon. It’s not easy and it won’t happen as fast as you want it to, but if you give up…you’ll never finish.

Here are some tips you must follow. Sorry, I don’t make the rules, science does.

Go online and google calorie calculator. Find out how many calories you should be consuming per day. These won’t be 100% accurate, but it will give you a ballpark to know what you are looking at.

Learn the basics in Calories, Carbohydrates, Fats and Proteins.
Measure your portions, at least once. Write things down in a food journal and add the #grams per protein, carbs, and fats; also your total calorie intake that day. You can look online at www.calorieking.com and make an index.
Carbs: oatmeal, yams, asparagus (vegetables in general), brown rice
Look at the #grams in each. Higher than 10 grams of carb per meal should be used before/after a workout or in the morning when you will be active and need energy.
Snacks like greek yogurt, cottage cheese and green vegetables are lower carb snack options while you are sedentary. High carbohydrates or sugars will cause you to stop fat breakdown and begin repairing and providing energy in the body. Good while you are active, bad if you are sedentary and looking to burn fat.
Protein: Meats, eggs, tofu, dairy products.
Protein helps you rebuild muscle. It also is a food that will keep your body in fat burn mode. After lifting weights or high activity it is important to refuel the body with protein to repair damage. Protein is pushed into the muscles by carbohydrates. Thus, both Protein and carbohydrates are critical after a heavy workout. If you are craving fruit or sugar, the 45 minutes post workout is the time to satisfy that craving if combined with a protein source as well.
Fats: Nuts, oils, red meats, egg yolks.
Fats are an energy source for when you are stationary. If your activity is low (night, sitting at the office) fats are a source of fuel for energy. Fats also keep you full and satisfied and are dense in calories so be aware of serving size and calorie content. Fats will also keep your body in fat burn mode, so if combined with protein are a good choice while sleeping or stationary.

3500 Calories = 1 lb. No matter if it comes from losing fat or losing muscle, when you have consumed less than your daily calorie usage… you are in a deficit. When you deficit 3500 calories, you have lost 1 lb. Adjusting how you consume your calories as listed above will determine if that loss is fat or muscle.

Go to the gym 5 days a week for at least an hour. A “cardio day” should consist of at least 1 hour of activity. This is your opportunity to decrease the 3500 calorie deficit. If you don’t understand what to do in the gym regarding weight training, look online or hire a trainer. Don’t rely on a trainer, hire then to TEACH you. Once you know, do it yourself. You only need the basics. There are many online resources and videos to show you how to properly use equipment; use them. When it comes to weight… it’s not about how much you use, it’s about how much is needed to perform the activity correctly and only be capable of physically performing “x” about of reps. (the amount of times you do the activity in a row) Do at least 3-6 sets for reps (sets are the amount of times you perform repetitions)

The number or reps is key.
4-8 reps per set is muscle building. This means you can only physically perform an exercise correctly 4-8 times before your muscles cannot perform and begin to compensate.
8-15 reps per set is strength building.
15-20 reps per set is endurance building
Power building refers to how fast you perform an exercise.

You can increase or adjust difficulty in many ways such as time, torque, length, balance and weight in order to reach these different rep levels.

Record everything. Mark progress. Take measurements. Understand that your body will not always weigh accurate to your losses, but if you push through those times, science will take care of the rest. Be honest with yourself and understand it is a choice you make. Don’t waste it beating yourself up. Be happy and take it one day at a time and accept that this is a part of your life you will have to adjust to. If you are unwilling to do these things, just be happy with yourself. This is meant to make you proud and happy, not to bring you down or feel unworthy. First and foremost, always accept yourself no matter where you are. This is a journey and you only have this moment once