The last several week I have found myself in a common midlife myth. I have been very focused on cardio and doing a little weight training alongside. This is completely backwards! At times our bodies do need more cardio to burn a little extra calories we may be consuming or to lean down. These were, at the onset, both the case for me, coupled with a very tight schedule in which I was determined to fit it all in less time. However, this only works for a short time and as soon as I returned to my normal diet and routine, I needed to back off of cardio. Too much cardio actually causes our bodies to store fat and burn muscles resulting in the all-to-common “jiggle” that we experience, often in midlife. I noticed a little extra cellulite and a little less muscle definition and knew it was time to mix things up. The goal of this reset is to lose the cellulite and firm up the muscle (increase my muscle mass). Very often body builders do what is called cycling, both with workouts and food. This is a method of switching things up to attain results. I am not a fitness or health expert so it is very important that you discuss your routine and goals with your own healthcare provider. That said I will share what works for me. This reset is a great starting point for a beginner and a fantastic way to mix-up your ongoing routine. The key components of my 2 Week Reset are: Food I am very strict with my food for this 2 week period. I stick with a strict eating plan that includes the ideal amount of: calories, protein, carbs, fiber, fat and sugar. I use the MyFitnessPal app. I am in no way affiliated with this app. It is simply my favorite and I have used it everyday for the last 5 years to track my food and water intake. I record everything before I eat it in order to stay very focused on my overall goals. The app summarizes macros to ensure you are getting exactly what you need. This has been the Game Changer for me. You answer personalized questions and the app does the work for you. It will tell you exactly what you need in a day. Caloric intake is based on height, weight and goals, so everyone is different. I stay very focused on a good rotation of lots of vegetables, fruit, grains and protein. During this 2 week phase, however, I minimize sugar so I cut back on fruit and I consume a lot more protein than I typically need. This boosts my metabolism and fat burning while fueling my muscle gain. Some of my favorite proteins are: Chicken Fish Beans Tofu Greek Yogurt Cottage Cheese I’m allergic to eggs but they are perfect protein I like to supplement with: Collagen Protein Bars and Protein Shakes Bone Broth These are a few of my favorites You can find all of my favorite protein supplements at my Amazon Storefront. I am an Amazon Associate and I do earn commissions at no extra cost to you. If you’d like to shop these protein packed products check out the link here: My daily eating consists of 5 small meals that are 250 - 300 calories each. Spreading the food in 2 to 3 hour intervals 5 times a day regulates blood sugar, keeps you full and eliminates cravings. I have found eating in this manner helps me achieve my goals. Typically my protein requirement is about 70-75 grams daily. For this 2 week reset I consumer more than 100 grams daily. This An example of a daily menu that is perfect in calories for me and offers tons of protein, fiber and the right balance of macros: 1st Meal: lemon water and chia (already consumed) 1/2 green apple 1/2 red apple 1 Eggs or 1 serving cottage cheese Coffee with Collagen 2nd Meal: Chicken salad, 1 can or 3oz shreds mix yogurt, mustard, season to taste) 1 cucumber (low cal, minerals&hydrating) 1 serving of broccoli, spinach or kale 3rd Meal: Quest Bar (or other high protein & fiber bar) 4th Meal: mini banana 1/2 serving (1 TBSP) Sun-butter 5th Meal: Grilled or pan sautéed Chicken Breast Broccoli, spinach or kale baked potato with greek yogurt This menu leaves me enough calories for a cup of almond milk and 1 scoop of chocolate collagen (dessert) prior to bedtime. Additional items in my day include: probiotics, multivitamin, 8 -10 glasses of water, BCAA or electrolyte drink at PM workout and detox tea at the end of the day. The next key component is Hydration and Detox Drinks I start the morning with a detoxifying lemon water. I use one whole lemon juiced in my water. It can be cold or hot based on personal preference. If I find I’m needing more fiber, I incorporate 1 TBSP of chia seeds and mix it the drink the night before. Plenty of liquids and detox drinks ensure that the body is flushing toxins. Toxins create the little dimples of cellulite we see on our skin. Additionally, flashing toxins will eliminate bloating, constipation and some weight. I also include electrolytes and a Branch Chain Amino Acid Drink once per day at my strength training workout. These help ensure the body is getting the hydration and electrolytes it needs; while the BCAA drink boosts metabolism, burns fat and improves muscle mass and workout recovery. I use this only for my 2 week cycle. Again discuss anything you are changing with your own healthcare provider. For hydration I like to use propel or Nuun. The Nuun tubes are great. Over the summer I carry a tube in my purse to add to any water bottle. This is great for outdoor outings. For the BCAA I love the XTEND drinks. I have tried lots of different brands, but have found this one to give me the best results. The next key component is Fitness I have a very simple routine that I stick with for 2 weeks straight. This routine gives my body a reset. At the end of the 2 weeks I can determine if I need to increase my weights, increase reps or sets. Bump up my cardio a little, switch up the food. I can tweak things to achieve my goals. If you would like to receive the full RESET simple comment below or message me. Sign up for my newsletter if you would like more detailed information every month. The key to this is that I work out every day for 2 weeks. I do minimal cardio in the morning. A simple 20 to 30 minute light routine is all I do. I use my exercise bike or elliptical machine and keep my heart rate low. You can find my favorite indoor equipment here at the link. After cycling for 20 minutes I have my first meal of the day. I discussed food earlier. Then I do another 10 minute cardio warm up in the evening prior to strength training. Strength training can be completed with or without weights. Body weight exercise works just as well.
My daily routine consists of : 10 min cardio warm up on bike BCAA drink bicep curls Big arm circle rotations squats tiptoe raises on the floor leg lifts scissor kicks kicks crunches 25 to each side and to middle 1 minute plank 20 pushups this is followed with a protein within 30 minutes to support muscle growth. For more detail Comment below and I will share the whole workout with you. My next key factor is Stretching It is critical to make sure you are stretching daily. This is key for midlife. It helps with bloating, muscle performance and joint stiffness. It is a fundamental piece of movement and longevity. There is no shortage of YouTube videos on the topic. i aplan to share my own very soon. And finally the last key component is Rest: I am not talking about the typical rest days between weight training. this reset period calls for working out every single day for 2 weeks. This plan not only establishes a new habit and pattern, it jump starts the body and muscles to achieve desired results. The rest I am talking about here is 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night. Make sure to wind down, turn-off devices and have some quiet to set the stage and sleep well. This is a huge component of a fitness plan. Most of us do not get enough sleep, have disrupted cortisol and blood sugar and that is a huge culprit when we are not achieving our fitness goals. Coupled with midlife hormonal shifts, lack of sleep wrecks havoc on our overall well being. Please let me know if you try this reset and how it goes! I’m Sheryl of SheDo50Too, a lifestyle blog about being over 50 and staying fit, healthy and fashionable. My motto is a healthy, beautiful and vibrant life at any age. Please Subscribe, like, and follow me if you want all of my inspiration and tips for life over 50. I am an Amazon Associate and the fitness apparel, equipment, supplements and more, that I use - are available in my Amazon Storefront. As an Amazon Associate I do earn commissions off of purchases through my links. This has no effect on the cost to you. I only share items that I use regularly and truly love. You may experience different results from me. I recommend that you speak with your own healthcare provider prior to incorporate my routines into your own. You can view all of my favorite things on my Amazon Store Front: https://www.amazon.com/shop/sheryldhealthinallthings Here’s shortcut to all my social media, links and sites https://linktr.ee/shedo50too Find me @SheDo50Too on social media to see more content, reels and videos on: workouts, recipes, meal prep and healthy eating; as well as style and beauty inspiration for the active over 50 life. I wish you health in all things and success in your own fitness endeavors. © Copyright, 2023, All content is created, displayed and owned solely by SheDo50Too and rights retained herein I’m Sheryl of SheDo50Too, a lifestyle blog about being over 50 and staying fit, healthy and fashionable. My motto is a healthy, beautiful and vibrant life at any age. Please Subscribe, like, and follow me if you want all of my inspiration and tips for life over 50. I am an Amazon Associate and the fitness apparel, equipment, supplements and more, that I use - are available in my Amazon Storefront. As an Amazon Associate I do earn commissions off of purchases through my links. This has no effect on the cost to you. I only share items that I use regularly and truly love. You may experience different results from me. I recommend that you speak with your own healthcare provider prior to incorporate my routines into your own. You can view all of my favorite things on my Amazon Store Front: https://www.amazon.com/shop/sheryldhealthinallthings Here’s shortcut to all my social media, links and sites https://linktr.ee/shedo50too Find me @SheDo50Too on social media to see more content, reels and videos on: workouts, recipes, meal prep and healthy eating; as well as style and beauty inspiration for the active over 50 life. I wish you health in all things and success in your own fitness endeavors. © Copyright, 2023, All content is created, displayed and owned solely by SheDo50Too and rights retained herein
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