KevinChilds.com

If you didn’t read yesterday’s post, stop reading this one and go catch up.

For me, getting healthier and fitter comes down to four categories. They function like the four tires on a car. If one is flat the car can still make progress, but it will be a struggle. So – in those four categories – here are some quick, inexact, amateur bullet points that work for me.

NUTRITION

• Low-carb and high protein works for me. I’m not really a candy/bread/pastaholic. Bacon, eggs, cheese, meat, The Freeze chicken salad, veggies, salads, tuna: I LIKE eating all that. And for me, removing all the sugar from my diet made me less hungry, and stabilized my energy throughout the day.
• I use the Lose-it app on my iPhone too. My goal was a net total of 1200 calories a day. That’s calories consumed minus calories burned through exercise.
• I gradually started paying more attention to calories than carbs, and I cheat 2 meals a week.

WEIGHTS

• Also called “resistance training,” I’ve heard some experts say that if there IS a fountain of youth, it is this. It tones muscles, builds strength, increases stamina, and builds up bone density.
• The most important thing – by a country mile – about the gym is this: show up. Just show up and do something. Doing it wrong is better than planning to do it right, but not showing up. Doing it inefficiently, too slow, too fast, or worse than everybody else in the gym:  All those have something in common. You’re doing it.
• I work every body part twice a week, and I rest at least 2 days in-between.
• I keep a workout record. It’s just a notebook in which I scratch out how many sets of how many reps I do for each body part: chest, shoulders, back, biceps, triceps, abs, legs. The notebook helps me track progress and count how many total sets I’ve done.
• I concentrate on doing a certain number of sets in a short amount of time. I started with a goal of 20 sets in 60 minutes. That kept my heart rate up, kept me from sitting down, and turned weights into a little added cardio.  Now my goal is 30 sets in 100 minutes.
• I always start with abs. It elevates my heart rate, warms everything up, and loosens my back.
• I always change something about every workout, and I always have to show progress in at least one thing.

CARDIO

• I walk on the days I’m not lifting.
• The Pedometer app on my iPhone tells me how far and how fast I’ve gone. I started with 2.5 miles at about a 3.5 mph pace (about 45 min.). Now it’s a little over 5 miles at about a 4.2 mph pace (about an hour and 15 minutes or so). That burns about 700 calories.
• I try to never take 2 days in a row off. And I don’t factor Sunday in. Sunday drains me all by itself.
• I like to change the scenery. I have a downtown Conway route, a home route, and an on-the-beach route. That way it doesn’t get monotonous.
• I put a VERY eclectic mix of songs in my iPod. You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.
• I also switched to a standing desk at my office. Burns a few more calories, and keeps me off my butt. I think it creates energy too.

THE OTHER STUFF

• This category isn’t unimportant just because I gave it an over-generalized label.
• Supplements help. A balanced and high-protein diet is one of the best supplements. Maybe THE best. But some added protein also helps build muscle. Right now, my main supplements are Celebrex (anti-inflammatory) and Tylenol.    Ask John or Shannon Sharp at Rivertown Fitness for some advice on affordable supplements.
• Sleep helps. 7-8 hours is best. If you’re a young pup, it is absolutely essential.
• Accountability helps. Get a partner if you can. A personal trainer is a wonderful way to start. ROCKer chick Angie Hill is great. Becky is the trainer at Rivertown. Trainers make you do stuff you might try to avoid, and they know how to address your weaknesses.

That’s what I’m trying to make work for me. What’ll work for you? And what’s keeping you from starting RIGHT NOW? Sorry this was so long. It comes down to this: Eat less, eat better, move more, start now.