Calories IN-Nutrition, diet, structure
Versus
Calories OUT-Cardio, resistance weight
Equals
Weight loss-YAY!
We have all heard the term “calories in versus out” as a measure of how many calories that your body takes in, from the foods that you eat in comparison to the amount of effort and work that you put into the workouts you do. This has always baffled me for many reasons, the biggest being the amount of holes this theory has.
For example;
- You tend to restrict yourself too much, skimming on meal efficiency (small meals that consist of low protein and carbohydrates), as well as skipping meals all together. Your body will burn like a fire, feed the fire to burn the calories! Sit there with a log and it will not burn properly, same with only using kindling….you’ll burn too quickly and be too hungry to make rational decisions!
- Thinking ‘slim fast’ is a meal replacement is very common, a simple question I always ask is “which meal are you replacing?” Below are the nutrition facts on slim fast, as you can see, nutritionally I see little to no carbohydrates, little to no protein and almost half of the calories come from fat. By the way, the answer I usually get for ‘which meal’ is BREAKFAST!
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 bottle (295 g)
Per Serving% Daily Value*
Calories 180
Calories from Fat 81
Total Fat 9.0g14%
Saturated Fat 1.5g7%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 15mg5%
Sodium 260mg11%
Potassium 600mg17%
Carbohydrates 4.0g1%
Dietary Fiber 2.0g8%
Sugars 2.0g
Protein 20.0g
- Do an analysis on how many calories you burn, its usually far less than your cheat meal that you feel “deserved”. I have found that while eating a cheat meal, you will go all out as the mentality is “if I am bad, I am going to be REALLY bad” and its followed by a loose promise to do more cardio or hit the gym harder the next day.
These are just a few points to be made about “calories in versus out”, do you see some of the flaws? When setting up some personal goals for yourself do you see how you are going against the accomplishment of them? My gym, my trainers and my program are solely based around accomplishment of goals. You don’t work hard to set yourself up for failure so why apply the opposite of principles while training?
Apply a new principle-Calories OUT versus IN!
Calories out
- Work each body part a minimum of once per week, strive for 15 sets per body part.
- Do your cardio at least 4 days a week, minimum of 20 minutes, strive for an hour.
- Push yourself! Go heavier on the weights, add drop sets, circuit training, super sets, step outside of your personal comfort zone.
- Try new exercises, new routines, find a partner to exercise with and motivate each other.
- Have fun with the cardio, switch up your main form of cardio, add plyometrics to your workouts, interval training, go outside and hike!
Calories in
- Learn more about carbohydrates, the effect it has on your body, the positive and the negative.
- Switch from 3 meals a day to 6! Keep that body burning!
- Add those protein shakes, bars, or find ways to meet your minimum requirements.
- Reduce your sugar but not your overall calories!
- Find your bodies BMR and work WITH it not AGAINST it!
Step off the scale! Use a Biometric Impedance once a week to show you results, don’t have one? Order one! How do your clothes fit? This is a wonderful way of finding out where you are! Be determined always, keep pushing beyond what you thought was accomplish-able, be the best you can be and always be patient! Each rep, minute on the treadmill and calorie count towards something, don’t lose sight of that.
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