Success story
I was never thin or slim guy. Even in the childhood I was always tired of any workouts or exercises and never had energy to change something or try some diets. But with age I realized that its time to make changes.
What made me want to change? I guess it happened in high school, when I wanted so bad to be in football team but coach said that even though I have potential, my body shape will not let me play. So I started a bit some cardio exercises, lifting and running. After all I was taken as first defensive in high school football team. At high school at 5′11 and 16 and half stone, I was big and strong but was carrying around a significant amount of fat. After football season ended, I wanted to burn off some excess stone and focus on more of a lean, athletic physique.
I decided to really focus on my diet. I cut out all empty calories from my diet (fast food, sweets, soda, etc.) and really focused on only eating clean nutrient dense foods. I kept up my intense weight lifting workouts and increased my cardio workouts to 45-60 minutes everyday to burn off excess fat. When I decided to be much disciplined with the foods I consumed, the changes were incredible.
The most hard and challenging about the diet was cutting fast food and salty food from my ration.
Within about 2 weeks of weight training, I started feeling my strength levels go way up. My energy was through the roof and I couldn’t wait to get back in the gym to train. When I added cardio workouts and a clean diet to my overall fitness plan, the changes were incredible. That’s how I lost 3 stone in 3 months.
Andrew’s Weight Loss Tips!
1) It’s never too late to start. Don’t think about past, think about future, and be sure that you can make changes happen! Keep yourself motivated and put all your energy in your target. So I made my goal: three stone in three months.
2) Realize that food is a very powerful drug. You can use it to make yourself very sick or you can decide to use it to optimally fuel and energize your body!
3) Eat 5-6 small nutrient dense meals every day. This should consist of clean, nutritious foods to optimally fuel your body. Make sure to optimize your pre-workout and post-workout meals to maximize the windows of opportunity.
4) Be very conscience when you eat. When you sit down to eat a meal, ask yourself if this food is helping you reach your goals or is it setting you back. So many people simply eat without thinking about what they are putting into their bodies. Relax and truly enjoy every bite of food you have prepared for yourself.
Andrew’s Weight Loss Eating Plan!
Breakfast: 1 cup of organic steel cut oatmeal, 2 scoops of whey protein powder, 1 tbs of flaxseed oil.
Lunch: 8 ounces of broiled chicken breast, 1/2 boiled sweet potato, 2 cups of steamed broccoli, small green salad.
Dinner: 8 ounces of broiled wild salmon, 2 cups of veggie stir fry with 1 tbs of extra virgin olive oil, small green salad.
Snacks or Mini Meals: Protein bars, protein shakes, almonds, walnuts, nonfat yogurt, frozen grapes, black beans, soy chips, apples.
Some rules for the diet:
- Eat more whole grain starchy carbohydrates, i.e., whole meal bread, brown rice, whole grain cereals. For instance, more bread and less sandwich filling, more pasta and less creamy sauce.
- Eat more fruit and vegetables, aiming for at least five portions a day. Include fruit in breakfast and salad at lunch.
- Cut down on salt by eating less processed food, such as ready meals, and adding less salt to food.
- Control the portion sizes so that, the amount of energy I consume over time, if not every day, matches my level of activity.
Cardiovascular: Cardio workouts 4-5 times per week for 30-45 minutes per session. Jogging, jumping rope, mountain biking, elliptical machine.
Good luck!
Please Note: The information presented throughout www.lose123456stone.co.uk is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Please see your physician before starting any diet and/or exercise program.