There are only 62 days left in 2013…
I’ve been telling all my coaching clients that right now our focus is on not getting fat over the holidays! lol
No for real tho, this is the time of year that many of us let our guard down and find a few extra pounds that carry over into the new year. Even the best of us who live a pretty healthy, clean, lifestyle will end up gobbling lots of Halloween candy, attending way too many holiday parties and skipping our workouts for more “festive” stuff.
If you think about it, you can totally COMMIT to leaning up more now that earlier in the year with a solid plan. Direct and targeted to keep you focused and reaching new fitness goals!
So, I created a 3-step approach that lays out how you should be training & eating over the holidays. It’s also a good framework or guide to help you prepare to finally compete in 2014!
Here’s the plan…
Step #1 Build more muscle. Create a challenging training split that hits your major muscles groups 1-2 per week and incorporate multi-joint movements to keep you packing on the muscle! I’m including a free sample training split & workout based on my Contest Prep Secrets – Phase 1 training for figure. Whether you are competing or not–you can use it now to help jump start your fitness plans for the upcoming year!
–>>Download Training Split Calendar<<–
If you like the FREE Friday workout, you can get the complete Phase 1, 5-day split here.
Step #2 Cut your calories (temporarily). If your diet needs some overhauling, its good to cut out some excess stuff to get things moving in the right direction. Lowering your caloric intake is a great metabolism booster if done strategically. Following a 1200 calorie diet for a week or so will help you get rid of some unwanted body fat. But you want to make sure you are cycling your calories and increasing them as you LOSE weight. I know it may sound counterproductive to eat MORE to lose fat. But your body responds well to lower calories for a short period of time and will burn stored fat to survive. As you put on more lean muscle mass, it increases your metabolic rate. This means you need more nutrients (calories) to keep progressing healthfully. I’ve included a sample 1200 calorie meal plan that you can add calories where you see fit for your specific physique/health needs.
–>>Download Sample Meal Plan with Macros<<–
This sample diet is for general fat loss and fitness. Get figure stage ready meal plans here.
Step #3 Track your progress and be accountable. The scale is not the only tool to assess your results. I like to use a combination approach for a crystal clear picture of what’s really going on.
-Once a week, track your weight on the scale
-Every month take your body fat, measurements (tape), and check clothing fit.
-Be aware of other indicators, sleeping better, more energy, looking frickin’ awesome!
-Get a accountability partner or fitness coach. This person will help keep you aligned with your goals and motivated!
Remember the holidays are no different than any other day. The only way to survive is to follow your fit habits, no excuses!
Let me know how you like it! POST comments here or on our Facebook page 🙂
