Since I’ve been really looking at the Fat to Fit program, movement and working/playing with the “Tap Into Your Ideal Weight” program, I’ve come to realize how “counting calories” really has very little to do with eliminating excess weight.
Yesterday, I read an online article from Time magazine on “Why Exercise Won’t Make You This”. Makes total sense to me.
One statement made in the article is, “… while it’s true that exercise burns calories and that you must burn calories to lose weight, exercise has another effect: it can stimulate hunger. That causes us to eat more, which in turn can negate the weight-loss benefits we just accrued.”
I know personally, since I’ve been doing the 10,000 steps program that, I’ve “burned” about 300 calories a day (we’re talking 90+ minutes of movement here). What’s it take to add that back on if I come home hungrier than I would be if I stayed home?
This also explains why Clent Manich and Philip McCluskey were able to eliminate so much excess fat without exercising. They changed their food program!
Now, of course, the question is, doesn’t training and building muscle burn more calories than fat? Well yes, but here’s what the article states: “… a pound of muscle burns approximately six calories a day in a resting body, compared with the two calories that a pound of fat burns.. which means that after you work out hard enough to convert, say, 10 pounds of fat to muscle, you’ll be able to eat only an extra 40 calories per day”. Now, converting 10 pounds of fat to muscle is a major achievement.
I’ve never been a calorie counter. And for those of you who read this thinking “so, why am I exercising everyday?” and becoming discouraged ~ don’t!
That’s why I started my Fat to Fit program as well as “Tap Into Your Ideal Weight“. Eliminating excess weight has so much to do with what you put into your mouth. When you open that refrigerator door, ask yourself ~ Fit or Fat? Let the answer make your decision. If you’re tired of carrying the extra weight, go for what you KNOW will help you fit up!
Another thing in the article is that willpower doesn’t work. Ever tried it? How’d that work for you? That’s why I began the “TIYIW” program ~ to retrain our brains. Personally, I know willpower doesn’t work. Unless something is reprogrammed in our body/minds, we’ll be feeling deprived of all the “goodies” we are use to having; the social life we’ve enjoyed (and ate and overate at ~ not to mention the not-so-healthy choices we’ve made); the “comfort” foods we’ve enjoyed when eating to stem our emotions and SO much more!
My experience with tapping has been nothing short of remarkable. I’ve been using it for procrastination as well as eating issues.
Well, I am SO much more productive than I’ve ever been including finishing a book someone asked me to create for them that I’ve been putting off for about a year or so; being consistent with my blogging, my weekly revvellations and other things that are important to my work.
As far as food goes, if you’ve been reading my blog, I’ve been moving every day (and will continue to do so ~ more about that in a minute), stopped eating and overeating, especially at night when He goes to work; I’ve gotten VERY clear on my habits and how, when, where, why I eat, etc. Instead of using food to “comfort” me when I’ve got some emotional stuff going on, I tap them out. Yeah, I know, for those who’ve not done it ~ WTH is she talking about?
Will I continue my movement? Absolutely! It’s not about weight, it’s about being as fit as I can be! I know for myself when I slacked off on moving, my fitness level slowly deteriorated ~ so slowly in fact, I didn’t even notice until we started doing some balance moves in Monday night class and I couldn’t stand on one foot or, on Sunday mornings when I joined my teacher and his other students for an extra monthly session and I couldn’t walk up the hill without getting out of breath.
For me, it’s about overall health. I figure, with the changes in my food program, eating for hunger, not for emotion, social reasons, rewards, etc., the weight will eliminate on its own and, it has been. The movement and play I do? It’s a side benefit and, if it helps me eliminate excess fat and assists me in becoming more fit, I’m all for it.
Thing is, tap on what you’ll eat AFTER moving so you’ll make more conscious choices. In the article, they were talking about how, after exercising, people will “treat themselves” (eating for reward) eat a muffin ~ or other high calorie object ~ and therefore replace the calories they’d burned.
I know when I was first training as a bodybuilder. we’d train for 90 minutes to 2 hours, then go and have a 3-egg omelet with everything in it including veggies and sour cream. I was FAT! I stopped training for awhile and when I resumed (with another partner), I was on a plant-based food program (and we never went out to eat right after) and I was RIPPED! No extra effort. Just good training, good food.
Now that I wrote that, I’m realizing one major difference. When I was with my first partner, he’d just come off work in the morning and we’d train, then go have breakfast. With the second partner, he’d have to go to work after training so, I went home to eat and all I had at home was good, vegetarian fare which didn’t include eggs and sour cream.
The point of this whole thing is, yes, keep moving! Amongst other things, it assists in keeping the heart pumping and all the other organs moving AND, since there is no pump for the lymph system, it’s activated by movement and the lymph system is the “garbage truck” within your body moving out the sludge.
As far as food ~ every time you open the fridge, or the cupboard, ask yourself, “Fit or Fat”? Which would you rather be? AND, join my “Tap Into Your Ideal Weight” program where you’ll learn how to eliminate eating for other than hunger. Those frosted cakes, etc. that I use to crave? Don’t even look like food to me anymore. The pizzas, etc. He’s got in the fridge? No desire. The fresh greens, tomatoes, cukes, fruit, etc.? Those are my choices AND, I don’t need willpower. It’s the weirdest thing. My mind will say ~ “pretzels” and my mouth will say, “uh, no. Carrots sound good to me”. No strength, no willpower. Just not seeing stuff that’s bad for me as food and not being drawn to eating them anymore. It’s freeing!
Injoy,
Revvell
