I would like to begin with even though you workout on a regular basis… this does NOT mean that you can eat without discipline. Maybe you indulge in sweets at night? Or fatty, greasy foods on the weekends? Or too much wine? It is okay to say yes. This is perfectly normal and definitely something that can be controlled. However, often times, WE deny our own actions. But why? Not only do we end up making it hard for ourselves in regards to our health and fitness goals…We also make it hard for others to help us.

So here is an example:

Sally is Ashley’s coach. Sally helps Ashley set some specific short-term goals in order to reach her long-term goal and holds her accountable to these. Now what happens when Ashley isn’t truly following through with the set plan and she is not seeing any results after a few months? Well, obviously Coach Sally is determined their training program isn’t working for Ashley; however, Coach Sally doesn’t know that Ashley is not sticking with the plan 100%. They continue to talk about why the program is not working for Ashley and attempt to come up with a better one.

Can you determine what will happen next?

“NO RESULTS!”

In this case, not only should we be honest with whoever is trying to help us but also, be honest with yourself. Understand that if you put in 50% effort towards reaching your goal, you will see 50% result of that goal and only that. The other 50% will be the toughest part to achieve; but that is where you have to ask yourself →

“How bad do I want this?”

What are the real reasons for achieving this goal? How hard are you willing to work to achieve this goal? How disciplined are you willing to be?

Which leads to my next topic.

DISCIPLINE

Most people are scared of this word. Why? I, for instance, used to think this meant being healthy meant giving up all the good food. And by good, I mean unhealthy, greasy, fatty, sweet, junk food. Nutrition may just be the hardest thing to balance out when trying to live a healthy lifestyle. Many are willing and able to workout 5-6 days a week but struggle to control their nutrition 90% of the entire week. The nutrition portion would be your second 50% I mentioned earlier. It’s the finisher. The icing on the cake for that wonderful goal that is met whether it be toning up or losing a few pounds of body fat.

A few of the most helpful tips for nutrition that I believe are pretty simple yet easy to forget:

Load up with carbs soon after your workout!

Your body continues to burn calories even after you finish a session here at BFP. This is when you want to eat whatever carbs you usually eat including rice, potatoes, etc.

Try to begin every meal with protein. I recently learned this trick at a conference. Anytime you get hungry, start off with your protein, whether it be a protein bar, shake, or meat.

You should be fairly satisfied once finished so there won’t be much more room left for dessert 😉

If you do have dessert… well there won’t be much room for it so you won’t eat as much! No one likes that stuffed feeling right?

Drink enough water throughout the day and consume veggies at every meal if possible.

It is OKAY to have a treat here and there.

I do not believe in the saying “cheat” day or “cheat” meal. There is no such thing as cheating on your food. You ARE allowed to eat. Anything. But, it is how much of it you eat that is the cheating yourself part.

The more we deprive ourselves of things we may enjoy (everyone is a sucker for something), the more likely we are to fall off the wagon when we are exposed to it. It is all about compromise. Do you want to have a burger? Maybe take away the bun and instead of french fries you have sweet potato fries. There are ways to make it work where you don’t completely lose track of such an amazing goal.

I am a firm believer of this cycle of life. The healthier you are in any aspect, the better the overall lifestyle. You eat clean 90% of the time, your energy levels are great. Your energy levels are great, you are more inclined to be more active. You’re more active, you feel better mentally and physically about yourself. You feel good about yourself…. You are happy.

Yes, you do have to be disciplined. Yes, you do have to work hard for your results.

No, you will not see results if you only do half of the work that needs to be done.

The real question is:

“Are you okay with that?”

I hope you guys enjoy this read. My goal is to help make a positive impact on as many lives as possible by spreading my belief in fitness. If you have any questions or want to talk more about this, you know where to find me! Let’s crush some goals!

Coach Lopez