It’s Monday morning. You take your chances and step on the scale. SURPRISE! You have gained five pounds…!
You either:
a) Head to the gym for a rigorous cardio workout
b) Crawl back into bed and skip all of your classes
c) Freak out and decide not to eat anything for the rest of the day
If you answered a), this instant motivation will probably not last throughout the week. If your normal workout routine consists of an elliptical or stationary bike session 3-4 times a week, then an intense 3 mile run will hurt rather than help you. A sudden change in your exercise habits as a result of your unhappiness is not the answer to losing those unwanted five lbs. Stick to your normal workout routine and maybe add in some weight or resistance training and you’ll be more likely to continue that pattern throughout the week. If you up the intensity far beyond your capabilities, you will find yourself in bed watching shows on Hulu, snacking on everything in sight, and complaining about how sore you are.
If you answered b), you’re experiencing depression and a sudden loss of motivation. You are overwhelmed and upset, so you decide to crawl back into bed and sleep away the stress. This is not a solution to your Monday morning blues. Here are two ways in which you can get back into the swing of things for the coming week.
1) Create a Food Journal
Megrette Fletcher, MEd, RD, executive director of The Center for Mindful Eating considers food journaling a positive step in the right direction. “For one thing, keeping a food diary instantly increases your awareness of what, how much, and why you are eating. This helps you cut down on mindless munching.” Write down everything you consume. Make sure to count the handful of gummy bears or the bite of cake you ate while studying. Everything counts! If you write down the foods you eat, you’ll be more likely to stop bad habits from becoming everyday occurrences. Writing down what you consume is a way for you to see exactly what you’re eating. This does not have to be a formal journal. You can open up a word document or pull out your phone to write down notes. It is up to you as to how detailed you want your journal to be. Jotting down what you consume takes little effort and can help you get back on the right track.
2) Create a workout calendar
Motivate yourself early on and write down your workout schedule for the week, even if it’s subject to change. Writing down your goals will help you to stay on track. Here’s an example of a workout schedule for a student at a beginner/intermediate fitness level depending on workout intensity and form of cardiovascular exercise.
Monday- 30 minutes elliptical
Tuesday- Attend Boot Camp in the BCLC
Wednesday- 30 minutes elliptical+ 20 minutes strength training routine (from online)
Thursday- 20 minutes cardio + Aerobics class in BCLC
Friday- Off
Saturday- 1-hour cardio workout
Sunday- Off
Remember to change up your workout routine in order to stick to it. Attend fitness classes like Boot Camp and Yoga, do exercise videos in your dorm room several times a week, and switch up your cardio. Variety is key in terms of keeping up with your workouts. If you’re short on time, don’t skip your workout. Instead, pump up the intensity and you can get the same result as an hour of moderate paced exercise in thirty minutes or less. If you’re looking for a monthly workout plan, check out www.toneitup.com. The Tone It Up girls create monthly workouts and post fitness calendars with challenges and fun fitness ideas- you can follow their routines or use their calendar as a template. Here is the October calendar- http://toneitup.com/admin/uploads/october-calendar.jpg.
If you answered c), then you definitely have the wrong mindset about weight loss and nutrition. Eating nothing and starving yourself after a weekend of indulgence and inadequate sleep will get you nowhere. This mentality is unfortunately common amongst college students and should be reversed. The fact is that youneed to eat in order for your body to function properly. Eating is the only way to rev up your metabolism, build muscle, and lose weight. Try eating small meals and eat every 4 hours. Make sure to drink water to flush out sodium and stay hydrated. If it helps, record the times you eat, how you felt when eating, and how much water you drank during the day. Stock up on staple foods like oatmeal, Greek yogurt, and veggies to have healthy snacks readily available when you are hungry. Check out previous Shape-Up Rhodes blog posts for snack and meal ideas.
What You Should Take Away from This:
-Take a deep breath! With the proper eating and workout habits, your five pounds will be gone in no time
-Reasons why your weight fluxuates over the weekend: Sleep deprivation, increase in salt intake, alcohol consumption, and lack of nutritional foods
-Map out your weekly exercise and nutrition schedule
-Variety is key in your workout routines
-EAT!!! This is an obvious statement but not everyone understands how important it is…
Sources:
http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/5-surprising-reasons-you-are-gaining-weight