On my high horse.........

 

I spend most Sunday mornings right here at my computer. I wake up at my normal weekday time, make coffee and sit down to write to the challengers in the Goals in Motion program. It's my time in a quiet house to reflect on things that I've read, recipes I'd like to try and my own health and fitness journey.
Every once in a while I'll get a question from someone that ignites me! I'll jump on my high horse and fire out an email blasting the things I dislike most!

The most recent "stir me up" question was:

"How do you feel about fat burners and pre-workout drinks to help me get to my goal faster?"

AAAAUGH!!! was what I wanted to say, instead I replied "I don't like them."

That was nice, right? And I continued...

"I've learned over the last few years how well my body responds to the right food at the right time. Carbohydrates when I need fuel, protein when I need to recover and fat when I need to feel full.
My typical day looks like this.....
30 minutes after waking- Pre-workout~ 1/3 cup Kashi go-lean, 2 oz. 2% milk and 1 banana. I cup hot green tea
ASAP after class- Breakfast~ 1 egg, 3 whites, 1 TBS. sharp cheddar, sandwich thin & 1/2 cup fruit OR
1/2 cup cooked oatmeal, 1/4 cup cooked quinoa, scoop vanilla protein powder and 1/2 cup blueberries. Sometimes coffee
Snack~ 1/2 cup 0% plain Greek yogurt, 1 TBS. 4% fruited yogurt called Noosa (I don't do artificial sweeteners and this is low in sugar. It also has an amazing silky texture that enhances the Greek. We've converted several people from candy-shop yogurts to Greek with just a Tablespoon!!) and 1/2 cup assorted berries
Lunch~ 2 cups veggies stir fried in 1 TBS. olive oil with 1/2 cup cooked grains and 4 oz. leftover lean meat
Snack~ 3/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese, 1+ cups raw veggies (carrots, pea pods, peppers, green beans)
Dinner~ Lean protein and veggies in some form or another (Fajitas with out a shell, taco salads without chips, soups, stir fry, or simply roasted or grilled meats and veggies) and a healthy fat to keep me full longer (diced avocado, cashews in the stir fry, etc.)
I'd encourage you to try eating similarly and see how fast you progress towards your goals...."

The reply came back faster than I could get up and fill my glass with water.

"I don't have time to work at it that hard and I really perform better with these products."

AAAAAAUUUUUUGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! Can I jump through the computer, please??
I jumped back up on my trusty stallion, took a calming breath and composed another response:

"It's true that it takes a little more time when you first begin, but it really does become an easy, sustainable way of life. Every time I cook, I cook extra and I rely on my crockpot a lot! I always have something cooked or cut up and ready to go. There are times when my snack is simply a piece of chicken breast and an apple. It doesn't have to be hard and it doesn't always require a fork!!

As far as the supplements go, I think you should give my way a try. You have to remember some of the best athletes in history performed before the creation of shake-it-up & swallow-it-down concoctions. Use fruit and green tea in place of pre-workouts. Use hard work and good food in place of fat burners. This way is safe, this way makes sense and this way can work for the rest of your life."

Ok, so now you're all thinking I'm not very nice and I don't appreciate the questions. NOT TRUE!!!
I love the questions. My problem is with the quick fix society that we live in. Take a pill, shake up a powder, I even saw 'get healthy without getting up off the couch'!! Really!!!
Before I started eating right and exercising I tried everything. I cut out carbs. I cut out fat. I took magic potions and fat burning pills. I even ate cabbage soup every meal for a week.
And did I lose weight? Yep every time. Did I keep it off? Not once. And I was crabby and tired and unable to keep up with the day to day activities in my life.
Who needs that?
Work hard, eat clean. Fuel the fire when it needs to burn and nourish it when you're done.
Simple. Effective. Life long.

Next question?? My horse is ready!!