A New Year, A Better Body: First Update on My 2015 Health & Fitness Resolutions

Did you make health and fitness resolutions for 2015 yet?

Are you following through and sticking to your commitments?

As in past years, I took a good, hard look at myself and set some personal health and fitness

goals to work on this year.

In the past, I did not always follow-up on all of my resolutions, but I am determined to do much

better this year.

For good reason…

This year, I feel like I really need to make some major changes in my health and fitness

routine and in my lifestyle, to be as healthy and and fit as I want to be.

Although I know a lot about living healthy–and follow a plant-based diet–I still have a few

areas that need some serious tweaking, especially after the holiday season.

Like many of us, it’s easy to stay healthy and fit during the warm weather months, but

the holiday season and colder weather can throw a wrench into our diet and fitness plans.

After 5 months with too many fun-filled vacations and too many reasons to celebrate with

friends, food and lots of wine, it is 2015 and the madness stops now!

Of course, the most important reason is that: I know better!

An honest assessment of my current situation revealed my key issues.
A New Year, A Better Body: First Update on My 2015 Health & Fitness Challenge

The Issues:

*Post-summer and holiday season weight gain

*Reduction in time spent exercising regularly

*Too many spent hours researching, writing, marketing and working on the computer

*Significant time spent as caregiver for a sick parent

It all added up–and it’s on my butt!

Despite the fact that I follow a healthy, plant-based diet, I needed to seriously adjust the way I eat,

when I eat, and how much I eat in order to achieve my health and fitness goals which include increased

muscle and decreased body fat and weight.

The “New Year, Better Body” Solution:

*Create 2015 Health and Fitness Resolutions

*Meet with Tre, my fitness expert/personal trainer at my gym to assess my current situation and

develop a plan of attack

A New Year, A Better Body: First Update on My 2015 Health & Fitness Challenge

The Program:

**One hour personal trainer session – 2 times a week to start

**Focus on muscle-building, resistance training, weight lifting and weight loss with trainer

**Do cardio and other recommended workouts on non-training days to rest muscles.

**Adjust dietary routine

A New Year, A Better Body: First Update on My 2015 Health & Fitness Challenge

My New Daily Routine:

*Hot water with lemon upon arising

*Pre-cardio: Plain green tea or black coffee allowed – no stevia, sweetener or almond milk

**Morning cardio – each morning before breakfast do 15- 30 minutes of cardio exercise

*Eat 5 small meals a day – every 2-3 hours; watch portion control; split normal meals

into 2 smaller meals;

*Breakfast after cardio – Steel cut oatmeal with walnuts or almonds, fruit and almond milk;

add protein powder to oatmeal

*Snack – fruit or 1 oz nuts – i.e. apple, banana, melon, walnuts, Brazil nuts, almonds;

vegan yogurt with fresh fruit; vegan protein shake

*Lunch – Vegetables and protein – i.e. green and cruciferous vegetables, brown rice,

quinoa, tofu, beans, legumes, root vegetables, sweet potatoes, etc.

*Exercise 1-2 times daily:

**Personal training sessions – 2 days a week

**A mix of cardio workouts on alternate days

*Snack – fruit or 1 oz nuts – i.e. apple, banana, melon, walnuts, brazil nuts, almonds

*Dinner – Varied vegetables and protein – i.e. brown rice, quinoa, tofu, beans

*Snack – fruit or 1 oz nuts – i.e. apple, banana, melon, walnuts, Brazil nuts, almonds

How am I doing?

So Far. So Good!

I am committed to my plan,  however,  trying to remember to eat small meals 5 times a day

requires a lot more planning and preparation.

I have found that the heavier oatmeal breakfast holds me longer than my usual fresh fruit or smoothies.

I am also trying to be more cognizant of portion control.

I have always loved cardio, so my trainer’s new butt-kicking, muscle-building program is vigorous, painful

and challenging–but I am up for the challenge.

I love it!

I will be sharing the details of my training program with tips and experiences that can benefit all of us–

in upcoming posts.

Knowledge is power, but execution is key to success!

I will keep you posted on my experiences and progress!

 

What is working for you?

Let me know if you have any tips or suggestions to add!

I would love to hear them.

Share your thoughts and comments with us.

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“Shared at Fitness Friday”