reducing cardio

[orphylea]

After a while, you get tired of knocking yourself out with no return on your investment because you're sabotaging your own efforts with a bad diet.

ITA! I picked up the newest issue of Oxygen last night and got totally motivated. I think I'm in too.

 

[dbelden1]

3) The absolute biggest thing I'm doing is seriously cleaning up my diet for the first time, ever. Four days into it cutting out all sugar (and sweeteners, except I've yet to start weaning myself off diet soda, though that's coming), I went into such withdrawl... it was bad. No chocolate, no ice cream, cookies... thought I'd die as I bitterly chomped black seedless grapes! I've had a few bits of chocolate since I've started but it's not as good as I remember and I don't touch it until after I've had my proper protein and carbs and have eaten my vegetables. Frankly, if you eat 5-6 clean meals you just don't have room (or the cravings) for junk. But discipline has always been my issue. I am presently re-reading Tosca's Eat Clean Diet book and am shocked at how much information didn't stick after the first read. There's some resentfulness towards her and her husband, Robert Kennedy, on these boards (not entirely unjustified, either) but her information in this book IS solid and very helpful. A good place to start. Learning that 80% of the body you wind up with is actually attributable to diet (not workout, not genetics), makes you realize you're just wasting your time if you don't clean up your eating. It takes real effort to plan and prepare everything but it's ultimately worth it.

I have to say SSW... you totally hit my nail on the head!!! this last one is SO me!!! I can relate on SO many levels and I know that this day is coming, but I just haven't been able to pull the trigger! I have lost many times (and maybe that is another problem in itself) doing a modified Atkins, low sugar, low carb, balanced eating plan, but for some reason the older I get, the less it appeals to me and the less motivation I have to start! I'm sick of being fluffy, but apparently not sick enough! I have been doing exactly what you explain above, in working out really hard, doing weight and strength workouts most of the time 5-6 times a week, but barely had the scale budge or my clothes fit much different... which again, gets frustrating and I want to give up!

anyway, I do need to add more cardio and might try adding shorter daily bursts either before or after my other workouts and see if that helps any... and although I have managed to modify my eating habits a bit, I would not consider it "clean" by any stretch... much improvements can be made!

thanks for your input!