Thursday, October 6, 2011

Forget the Freshman Fifteen

Hi Preps!

Good Morning to y'all!  Let me fill you in on something that I have not told any of you.  I get up at 5am almost every day.  Why? Heck! Today I couldn't tell you.  I practically sleepwalked out of bed, but here I am, already an hour and a half into my day.

So, here's the something I haven't told you:  I work at a gym.  It's a side job to my internship and school...and I love it.  Sometimes I don't love the mornings, but being in a gym is definitely my atmosphere.

Someone requested that I do a post on fitness and nutrition, and although I am a certified fitness instructor, please feel free to take my advice with a grain of salt...Before I start though, let me tell you about my own personal journey to finding my own balance in the world of fitness and nutrition:

18 years old.  College freshman.  Recruited D1 swimmer.

Easy to stay fit right?  Wrong.

Upon going to college, my mom had always cooked healthy meals for my family.  I ate the same turkey sandwich and veggies for lunch, and there was rarely a time that a chip entered my mouth.  Then, college came, and the Cafeteria was a glorious place for a little girl who had never been allowed to eat french fries and cookies at the same time.

I even specifically remember mentioning to a fellow swimmer, "YOU CAN EVEN GET ICE CREAM FOR BREAKFAST IF YOU WANT"!  My coach, and second dad soon corrected me, in front of the whole team.  I never pulled that stunt again, but I did drastically change my eating habits.

Pizza, fried food, desserts, and late night snacking led to a 25 lb weight gain from August to January.  Yes. I am not kidding you.  Not to mention I was a D1 athlete who spent hours working out a day.  Why weren't my tiny jeans fitting me anymore?

This past May, I took in a few dresses to get hemmed.  One I bought for a formal that occurred spring of my freshman year...I had dropped four dress sizes since then.

Now I will say that in high school, I was ungodly skinny.  So 25 lb was not a huge gain in terms of looks, but let me tell you, going home in January and people noticing a chubbier Kalyn, made me really take things into my own hands.

So what did I do?

I started off with eating well again.  Spinach salads with vinegar, veggies, fruit, lean proteins.  This morning I am eating an apple, two egg whites, a protein shake, and nuts.  However, this may be too much for someone who doesn't exercise like I do.

What I recommend from a food standpoint in five meals a day.  Breakfast being the largest with whole grains, protein, and fruit.  I love Greek yogurt and oatmeal...and I would recommend eating a hard-boiled egg or two in the morning.  I also am a fan of protein shakes but I won't go into detail about those...just make sure if you are going to use protein that you have professional opinions on what you decide to take.

As for lunch and dinner, I would keep them lighter making sure you have lots of veggies and lean protein in each.

Snacks should consist of 5-10 nuts (like almonds), an apple, or some veggies like snap peas or cellary.

Trust me, there are times where I indulge in ice cream or a waffle...whatever, I don't completely limit myself to these things because if I did, I would binge...but consistently eating healthy will pay off, I promise.

So here comes the big stuff...the exercising...

With so many beliefs on what is best when it comes to exercising, I honestly would have to say that you need to find what works best for you.  It's okay to start off slow, especially if you haven't been working out for a while...
Maybe do 30 minutes on the elliptical with weights?  However, what is key here is getting into a routine.  Force yourself to go.  Experts say that the first 15 minutes are the hardest, and I agree...but man, I feel great when I'm finished.  Read up on weight programs and cardio programs.

Here is what I did today for my workout:
5 mile run (intervals, which means parts were jogged parts were sprinted)
Legs (both machine weights, squatting, and free weights...I do pyramid sets so 5 sets: repping 12, 10, 8, 6, and back up to 15)
Sprint sets of 0.50 between each leg machine/exercise
30 minute stretch (to build lean muscles and allow myself to do it all again tomorrow)


I promise with a little effort, you will see huge results.  Plus, it makes you confident and less worried about your flaws!

Questions?  E-mail me!

5 comments:

Laurie of Lulu and Daisy said...

Great tips! I agree, the first 15 mins are the hardest. I always say that after 15 minutes my endorphins kick in and I can run forever (not true because I don't have that kind of time). Thanks!

Life Through Preppy Glasses said...

i work in a gym as well and i credit for why I didnt gain weight when i went to college.

it definitely makes me eat more, though. I find myself eating WAY too much peanut butter

Grace said...

Sounds like a great job! I'm not a big runner, but I can't wait to work out with a college crew team!

The Preppy Princess said...

This is one fab post Miss PIP, you nailed it in terms of what helped you stay on top of it, and the part about that first 15 minutes being the most challenging part of a routine. I actually think it can be the first five minutes, once you're out the door and running, or on the way to the gym, or whatnot, you have it handled.

Good for you on making the change back to the healthier foods as well!
tp

Walkin'onSunshine said...

Hey I really enjoyed reading this! Could you possibly tell me more about the protein drinks you make? I don't know what is a good choice because I am a girl! Thanks so much!

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