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CoreChores

Not all abs are created equal. Some people need to work their belly ‘til exhaustion before they can carve out abs, while others seem to get theirs to pop without a single sit up.

 Regardless of where you fit on the fitness spectrum, effectively training your abdominal muscles come down to the three planes of motion: frontal, sagittal, and transverse. A proper training program with compound lifts, a clean diet, and lastly doing abdominal exercises in a circuit style keeps the intensity high and will likely lead to more fat loss.

Ready to get ripped and lose your love handles?

GAME OF INCHES

“CJ, it's been a month and I've been doing everything, but my weight hasn't budged. My pants are fitting looser, so I know I'm doing something right, but why won't my weight go down?"

Have you ever been in this situation? You've been doing all those things that should lead to weight-loss, but the number on the scale doesn't budge. Even though you're seeing other signs of improvement, it can be demotivating to weigh the exact same as you did when you started.

Losing inches, but not weight indicates that your body is changing in composition. This is huge progress and will lead to even greater progress in the future because of the positive change your metabolism is undergoing.

The scale can't differentiate between fat weight and lean mass weight, so, as an example, on a day when you hydrate really well—something that will actually help you shed fat long-term—your scale weight might not look so hot.

Just think about professional fighters who cut 10-20 pounds before a fight by dangerously dehydrating themselves. This is just one example of non-fat weight-loss, and you don't want any part of this!

The same can be said for hormonal shifts that cause weight-gain or weight-loss, sodium intake, and even the type of exercise you've recently done. The scale doesn't know any of this, and therefore, can't give you an accurate reading of the real goal at hand: fat-loss.

When you’re on a diet to lose weight, it’s tempting to focus on losing pounds, even though shedding inches is usually a more reliable indicator of your progress. There is no specific measure of pounds it takes to lose an inch. This is partly because it varies not only from person to person but also from inch to inch. Losing inches is usually a good indicator of fat loss, while losing pounds can also include water weight and muscle loss.

Water Weight

When you first begin to lose weight, typically the first thing to go is water weight. You can expect to drop your first inch after losing about 8 pounds, most of which is excess water being shed from your body. This is water that the muscles require in order to store carbohydrates as glycogen. Once you’ve introduced a caloric deficit, the body first goes to stored glycogen for energy before burning fat. As the glycogen burns up, the water needed to store it ends up being expelled.

Inches Vs. Pounds

exercise to your weight-loss strategy, particularly strength training, there will most likely be times when you continue to lose inches without losing any pounds. This is because you’re replacing fat with muscle. If you replace a pound of fat with a pound of muscle, you won’t see any movement on the scales. But because muscle is smoother and more compact than fat, taking up less room inside your body, you should still notice the inches melting away. For this reason, weighing yourself regularly isn’t always the best measure of progress. STAY OFF THE SCALE.

Build Muscle and Burn Fat

For a healthy weight-loss approach, the goal should be to lose fat, not just pounds. Without exercise and proper nutrition, simply eating less will cause muscle to be lost along with fat. Adding strengthening and toning exercises to your fitness routine will help to build muscle, which will in turn help the body to metabolize fat more efficiently. Getting plenty of lean protein in your diet, such as chicken, beans, lentils, turkey and fish, will also help by providing fuel for your new muscles.

Nutrition

1) Reducing overall caloric intake will promote fat loss, but will also reduce lean mass. When reducing calories, use small, incremental reductions and engage in resistance training

2) Replacing carbohydrates with protein can promote fat loss while preserving lean tissue.
3) Nutrient timing may be more important when trying to lose weight and maintain lean mass than when trying to gain muscle tissue

To get a custom meal plan tailored to your needs

Focus on the BASICS!! Strength training and nutrition. Namely, a calorie surplus (eating more calories than you burn) is the MOST important part to gaining Muscle!⠀

Lift weights 3-5x PER WEEK! While lifting weights does build lean muscle, it also burns calories, makes you LOOK and FEEL good, and it’ll also make your LIFE better. And plus, who doesn’t want a big ole booty or some toned arms?! ⠀⠀

Don't eat less, EAT RIGHT! When “dieting”, it’s not so much about eating more rather than it is about controlling calorie intake. In fact, by selecting more foods like lean protein, fruits and veggies you can actually EAT MORE and lose fat and gain weight! ⠀⠀⠀

Consistency over Perfection! it’s better to be consistent for 8 weeks than perfect for a few.

those dreaded cravings are a nightmare when you KNOW you shouldn't be hungry

So what else could be causing the munchies and what can you do to curb them?

  • SLEEP - If you're not getting enough, you're overproducing the hormone grehlin which is a nasty little bastard that makes us eat more. I like to think of it as a Gremlin rather than grehlin. If I don't get enough sleep, my internal Greh-lins (like Gremlins) get all crazy and hungry. Best way to get rid of them? Commit to good quality sleep

  • FIBRE - complex carbs help with digestion and foods high in fibre are more voluminous so you get more bang for your buck (and your tum is settled longer).

  • STRESS - Now this one can work both ways. Some people get stressed and their appetite goes, whereas others get stressed and seek solace in food. Be aware. Which one are you?

  • PROTEIN - protein keeps you fuller for longer. Get it in your diet!

  • WATER - Often when you *think* you're hungry, you're actually thirsty and dehydrated. Have a pint of water, wait 15 mins. Are you still hungry?

  • MINDFULNESS 🧠 This is one of the best ways to stop those constant hunger pangs. When you do actually eat, take the time to notice how the food smells, feels, tastes, the texture, and the aftertaste. If you slow down your eating and become more aware and present in the practice you'll find you're giving your brain the signals it needs and stay satisfied for longer.