DIET OR EXERCISE: CLEAN EATING IS THE KEY

stayfit

stayfit

Cathlete
I was overweight girl. In January 2002, I started working out and losing weight. I lost the extra weight by just eating less and working out regularly. At that point, I worked out six days a week with a rest day but it wasn't enough.I did two Cathe's rotations and my first round of P90X but my eating habits were bad and my weight and body fat didn't change .When I order the SS,TJ and PHH about 2 months ago, I decided to get real and be honest with myself. When your body gets very close to goal, I guess you have to be far more diligent. You definitely have to be.I've realized that clean eating is the key. Diet will make the weight come off and exercise helps and definitely improves body shape, but exercise alone is usually not enough. But exercise is the key to maintenance. I know both are important but I finally admitted to myself that I would never get to goal unless I clean up the diet.You have to decide how badly you want to lose the extra lbs. If you want to look like Cathe's (as much as possible) you have to really eat clean and up your exercise.

So, I'm actually making real progress. It's incredible.I am doing Turbo Jam/TAEBO and the Slim Series and eating clean and after a long time my pants are loose! Low weight/high rep routines like Slim Series and non-weighted lower body workouts has helped me to see the kind of results I'm looking for.Doing this I have lost muscle and strength, but I am going down pant sizes.

It's frustrating to admit that no program will produce results alone, without a change in diet. It's been freeing to know that if I eat better, just doing some kind of exercise is the key (for me, at least). Not necessarily killer rotations, but just consistent movement. It has relaxed me significantly about my workouts and allowed me to enjoy them much more. I recognize that a killer rotation may help make a huge change in muscle mass or cardio capacity or functional strength,but the clean eating is the key.





Mariángeles a spanish terminator, TAEBO and Turbo Jam junkie.
 
I am so happy for you that you are seeing results!!!! You are right though, clean eating is the key. It is working for me too!

Good for you!!!! WOO HOO!!!!!!

Charlotte~~
 
Congrats! And you are right.No one will argue with you on that one.I am about 10 lbs away from where i would like to be and I know that it is going to take a while and that I am not going to see it with exercise alone, it I could, then it would have happened already!
Yeah, and sometimes you have to figure out what matters the most.When I lose weight it is usually b/c I am super busy and don't get time to workout so therefore, I did lose muscle.I would do cardio and thats all I had time for.But I was happier b/c I was smaller.
Keep us posted and you will have to share so pic's when you get where you want to be!
Lori:)
 
Charlotte thank you very much for your message. Glad to know it is working for you too. I have discovered I can do less intense workouts and have results if I eat clean.Eating is ABSOLUTELY KEY -about 90% of the equation I would say.







Mariángeles a spanish terminator,TAEBO and Turbo Jam junkie. :) :)
 
Mariangeles,

Yup, I don't do cardio except for last night played basketball for 2 hours and woke up to the joys of my body fat going down. Now at 12.8%!!!!!! Most of that is just from eating healthy and strength training.

Charlotte~~
 
Stayfit-What a great story to share with all of us. You always amaze me with your determination. I always enjoy your posts! :) Congrats and keep it up.

Terri
 
Thank you Lori. Patience. You can do short workouts and see results too. Most of Cathe's workouts offer great premixes. Some of them clock in around the 30 minutes.Here you have my suggestion: Work one body part per day and add cardio (for example a premix of the IMAXs. The interval workout is great to burn calories).You can do the Cathe's May Rotation named "One Body Part Per Day". Here you have the rotation:

Hi Everyone! This month's rotation will focus one working one body part per day. A different segment of Core Max will be added to the end of a body part three times per week. This rotation will help build strength and shape and define muscle. Do the following exercises for 3 sets of 12 unless otherwise specified. Be sure to include your favorite cardio activities 3 to 4 times per week for 30 to 40 minutes per session. And as a reminder, for best results you must eat clean and increase your protein intake per day!

Have Fun!

All four weeks do the following exercises.
Start every workout with around 4 to 5 minutes of Rhythmic and Dynamic movement to warm up the entire body (you can use the warmups I do on my workouts).

MONDAY:
BACK
1) Super Man (3 sets of 25 reps)
2) Wide Grip Pull Ups (3 sets of as many as you can do)
SIDE NOTE if you don't have access to a pull up bar then do wide grip barbell rows overhand grip)
3) One Arm Rows
4) Narrow Grip Underhand Barbell Rows
5) Barbell Deadlifts
6) Seated Row with the resistance band (2 sets of 25 reps)
7) Barbell or Dumbell Pullovers

TUESDAY:
Chest

1) Push Ups...(aim for 5 sets of 10 to 12 reps)
2) Incline Dumbbell Press
3) Flat Bench Dumbell Fly
4) Flat Bench Dumbbell Press (optional on a decline)
5) OPTIONAL: Kneeling Cable Flys (if you have access to them)
6) Dips off of bench with legs elevated (3 sets of 15 reps) Don't rush through them!
7) SEGMENT ONE OF CORE MAX

WEDNESDAY:
Legs

1) Seated Leg Extentions w/ankle weights (add mental resistance if your weights are light) 3 sets of 25 reps

2) Barbell Squats (5 sets 12)
3) One legged Dumbbell Lunges w/back leg elevated
4) Plie Barbell Squats
5) 200 Walking Lunges
6) Free Style calf raises off edge of step (2 sets 64 reps)
7) OPTIONAL: Barbell stiff leg deadlifts on platform from Gym Style Legs
8) Do the Stability Ball section of Pyramid Lower Body (Intensity Series)

Thursday:
Shoulders

1) Seated overhead dumbbell Press
2) Seated dumbbell side lateral raises
3) OPTIONAL: One arm cable lateral raises
4) Upright barbell row
5) Barbell Front Raise
6) Dumbbell Rear Delt Flys
7) Resistance band rear delt flys (3 sets of 15)
8) SEGMENT TWO OF CORE MAX

FRIDAY:
Biceps

1) Seated Alternating Dumbbell curls
2) Preacher Barbell Curl (leaning on stability ball if you do not have a preacher bench)
3) Barbell Curls 3 sets of the following pattern (8 reps from top half/ 8 reps from bottom half/ 8 reps full range of motion)
4) Dumbbell Hammer curls
5) Dumbbell Wrist curls (palm facing up, 3 sets 30...palm facing down, 3 sets of 15 to 20)

SATURDAY:
Triceps

1) Lying Barbell Extentions
2) Seated Dumbbell Overhead Extention Both Arms (or one arm at time if preferred)
3) OPTIONAL: Cable Rope extention (if not do one arm overhead extention with resistance band 3 sets 20 pulsing reps)
4) Dips (3 sets 20)
5) Dumbbell Kickbacks
6) SEGMENT THREE OF COREMAX

Sunday:
OFF



Mariángeles a spanish terminator,TAEBO and Turbo Jam Junkie.
 
And I always marvel at your ability to communicate in English! I still can't believe you've never spent time in an English-speaking country. You're incredible!

Back to topic: congratulations on discovering what works for you and for having the determination to stick with it.:)
 
I agree with Susan, you articulate very well. Care to share a sample day of your eating and workout rotation?

Terri
 
Thank you very much Terri.Billy Blanks says " you gotta give something to get something" . That is so true,it makes makes me want to push harder.









Mariángeles a spanish terminator, TAEBO and Turbo Jam junkie.
 
Mariangeles! Thanks so much for sharing your story, your enthusiasm and commitment are inspiring. I'm so happy that you are now seeing the results that you have been wanting. Awesome job!!!!:) :) :)

Take Care
Laurie
 
Thank you very much Susan. My english has improved a lot since I post here.








Mariángeles a spanish terminator, TAEBO and Turbo Jam junkie.
 
Charlotte,
Not to hi-jack this thread but what kind of body fat measurement are you doing? I've been thinking of buying something.

Thanks
catherine
 
Congratulations on your success Mariangeles! You hit the nail on the head...clean eating is truly the key!

Tammy
 
Hola Mariangles!!!! I am so happy for you:7 I know you have been very dedicated to your workouts and trying very hard. Congratulations!! I had a very similar experience. I was working out really hard and seeing no results in weight loss. When i began eating clean and backing away from cardio, the pounds started falling off. It is a great feeling!


jes:D
 
Thank you very much everyone. I know you want pics . I don't have before pics. I only have one before picture. I took the others becuase I looked so terrible.I still keep this picture in my pen tray in my desk where I see it periodically.I don't ever want to look like that again.I hadn't thought about sharing the "before" with anyone,I would be ashamed about putting this pic on here.

I would post an actual pic but I can't figure out how to do it!




Mariángeles a spanish terminator, TAEBO and Turbo Jam junkie. :) :)
 
Congratulations!!

Obviously, whatever you are doing is working great, but as a general rule I don't really believe that clean eating is all you need. Clean eating is superb for health and vitality. But for weight loss (or maintenance), I think you need more than just clean eating. For weight loss, I think it is important to limit fats and simple carbs.

For example, we went to one of my favorite restaurants last night that always serves vegetables and rice on the side with every entree. When I ordered, I asked them to leave the butter off the vegetables, and I didn't eat the rice. Butter and rice are both perfectly "clean", but you are better off without them.

I'm not that strict though. I actually prefer my veggies without butter, and the rice added nothing to my meal. I would never ask for a change in the main course at a great restaurant; I just try to order wisely based upon the menu description.

Again, congratulations on all your hard work and great results! If you need any help posting pics, I'm happy to help. We'd love to see them!


-Nancy
 
I think you need more
>than just clean eating. For weight loss, I think it is
>important to limit fats and simple carbs.
>
>
I think that depends on your definition of "clean eating".
My definition of clean eating (though I'm not fond of that term, I prefer "whole food eating") would limit simple carbs and processed foods, and exclude the non-healthy fats (and limit even the healthy fats).
 
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