In one week, the holidays will be officially over and we can finally get back to normal, everyday life. Which means we totally need to start detoxing from the copious amounts of booze and food consumed during the last month. But not to fear because we enlisted the help of fitness expert and one of the country’s premiere strength and core trainers Will Torres (pictured above) to tell us how we should be eating and working out to maximize our efforts as much as humanly possible. Check out his plan below and you’ll be looking and feeling fly again in no time.
We have one more week until New Years, then the holidays are officially over. What are some of the best ways to motivate yourself to hit the gym following the festivities?
To hit the gym running in 2014, you’ll want to create some rocking playlists to get you in the right mood and ready to sweat. Create two or three to kick things off. Another great way to motivate yourself is to find a friend to workout with, someone who is already in great shape and self-motivated. Two unmotivated people will not inspire each other, so you need to find someone who’s going to make you step up your game. I also think it’s important to update your gym attire. New apparel will look better, breathe better, improve your performance and, most importantly, you will show up in-style.
That’s great advice to get started, but how do we keep ourselves motivated once the initial adrenaline rush wears off?
The above are all great ways to get motivated for Jan 1, but it is indeed important to create motivation that will stay with us well into 2014. So many people start an exercise program without getting clear on what it is they want to accomplish, so they begin January 1 in full force but lose sight by February. The best way to motivate yourself long-term is to determine exactly what resolutions you want to tackle. To do this, ask yourself, “What do I really want for my body in 2014?” Know your target, write it down and be as specific as possible. Then ask yourself, “Why do I want this?” This is the anchor to keep you on target. When you know why you want to accomplish your goals, it will get you out of bed early in the morning, give you the strength to skip dessert and the will to keep trying even when things get off track. Lastly, what steps on you going to take to get there? Do you need to research nutrition? Do you need to hire a trainer? Are you going to enlist a friend to help you along the way? Now schedule it! When are you going to hit the gym? Don’t wait for it to happen by chance.
So many people say it’s painful and dreadful to work out, but how many mornings, days, nights and year’s have been wasted stressing about your body and weight? That to me is real pain, real torture. Know your target and aim high!
Okay, now that we got ourselves to the gym, where should we start? What types of workouts/exercises should we be doing to detox from heavy holiday eating and drinking?
My research has shown our clients who have achieved the best results invest 6-8 hours a week to their bodies and health. If you are just getting started, you may want to begin with 3-4 hours and work your way up over the course of 3 months. When it comes to lifting, it is important to do it every 48 hours. After 72 hours of not lifting, you begin to lose progress started from your last session. When it comes to cardio, this decline happens even sooner, so it’s recommended to tackle 30 minutes of cardio activity every day. It’s important to note a balanced workout includes both lifting and cardio; most people focus on the cardio portion, and even though they’re getting good workouts, cardio alone will slow down your metabolism (meaning the initial weight loss you experience early on will not continue). There are more efficient ways in which we combine lifting and cardio workouts into a super-charged STEALTH session that maximizes your time and results. It’s also extremely important to recharge and repair. For this you can go to yoga, get a massage, meditate or join a breathing class.
The best way to detox is to start eating clean. It takes time to get the body back to balance – it will not happen with a 5-day juice cleanse. To start the detox you want to:
– Increase your water intake. You should be drinking half your body weight in ounces. (150 lb man = 75 oz of water each day)
– Cut out alcohol for 30 days or more.
– Increase your veggie intake.
– Decrease sugar and processed foods like fruit juice, dried fruits, breads, muffins, candy, chips and cookies.
– Be patient. You may not see change right away, but stick to the coarse and it will all pay off.
What if we’re super busy? How do you suggest sneaking in that workout when there just aren’t enough hours in the day?
If you are super busy and just can’t find the time, you must find a professional coach who is going to inspire you to raise the bar and help you get the most from each session. That being said, the one resource we all have the same amount of is time. How we manage that time is another story. Think about this: your body is the vehicle that takes you down the “road of life.” The fitter you are, the more energy you will have to contribute to your family, work and relationships. I do not suggest sneaking in a workout here and there. Your workouts, your nutrition and your rest must be the priority.
To say there is “no time” is a limiting story. I know this because I had the same excuse once. I found when I made myself the priority, I was able to create more for our clients, team and my family and friends. There is always time and if there isn’t, change your situation to create time for what really matters – you.
We know we have to eat right in addition to frequenting the gym. What should we be eating for our three meals of the day? Or should we be chowing down more often than that?
We recommend our clients eat 5 meals spaced throughout the day beginning soon after awaking and completed some time around or before 8pm. There are many variables that must be considered when selecting meals, including food allergies and intolerances, personal preferences, health status and genetics. So it’s difficult to give specifics on a diet that might work for the masses. But here are some things to chew on:
– Digestion starts in the mouth. The better you break down your food, the more nutrients will be released. It is important to chew your food at least 25 times before going for the next bite. Most people chew only 3-8 times before swallowing.
– The longer you go without eating, the hungrier you will become and the poorer choices you will make. Eat every 3-4 hours so your body has the ability to digest smaller meals spread throughout the day.
– Too much fat is not a good thing even if it’s healthy fat. Be careful not to snack on healthy fats all day.
– When making a salad, if you add nuts, avocado and cheese, it can be a recipe for weight gain. Even though they’re all healthy fats, the combination can spike up your calorie and fat count significantly, making it difficult to drop weight.
– When pouring olive oil, use a tablespoon to measure quantity because it is very easy to over-pour. FYI, 1 tablespoon has 110 calories and 14 grams of fat.
– Peanut butter should not be considered a protein source. It is a healthy fat, but if you’re putting it on an apple, do not snack on nuts later in the day.
– The more extreme the diet, the more likely you will fall off and regain any lost weight. Consistency trumps intensity every time. Make small incremental changes that you will keep long term.
– If the scale is not moving, you must take a look at quantity and/or quality of food. For example, if you really want a bagel for breakfast, eat half at 9am and the other half at 12pm.
Will Torres is a fitness expert and personal trainer in NYC. Check out his high-caliber training studio Willspace to get the best workout of your life.
