You Are What You Eat - By Shannon

Abs are made in the kitchen....it's 80% diet 20% exercise - we all know how important diet and nutrition are when you are trying to lose weight.  But how do you know what works best for you?  Two words - TRIAL and ERROR.  I'm sharing my story to motivate others and share what I've learned to potentially help you in your journey.

I've done my share of fad diets and they didn't work for me. When I started Weight Watchers a few years back, it was the first time I was able to lose weight for the long term.  I counted my points, ate a balanced diet and reached my goal weight.  Weight Watchers taught me that I could eat a slice of pizza or enjoy a glass (or two) of wine, as long as I stayed in or near my point range for the day.  It put me in the mindset of practicing moderation and I continue to apply the healthy practices I learned doing this program.

When I started the Beachbody programs, my main goal was fat loss.  I was in a healthy weight range, but I wanted to look leaner and more toned.  I continued my healthy eating habits, but the weight loss was slow.  I wanted to step it up a notch, so Morgan and I did some research and we started a "fat shredding" regimen.  I can say with 100% certainty that this approach , along with workouts based on muscle confusion, got us in the best shape of our lives.

"Fat Shredder" was really hard when I started.  It takes into account a deficit from your normal calorie intake and specific macro-nutrient percentages.  For those of you that are not familiar with the term macro-nutrients, they are the essential nutrients that the body uses in large quantities, so the main components in your food - protein, carbs and fat.  On the flip side, micro-nutrients are used in smaller amounts and are typically vitamins and minerals.

For Fat Shredder, the macro-nutrient goals are broken into 50% protein, 30% carbs and 20% fat. The calorie goal was not a problem for me, but 50% protein was tough.  I started by doing the best I could to meet those percentages, but rarely hit the mark.  But, as the weeks went on, it got easier and easier to meet my percentages.  I learned what to eat in order to reach my goals.  Throughout this process, the fat just started to melt off.  It was the first time I was able to push through my plateau and started to see my body change in ways it never did before.  I will also mention, I was never hungry or deprived. 

So how do you get started on this journey?  First, start making healthy food choices - eat veggies, fruit (those lower in sugar are best), lean protein and complex carbohydrates.  In addition, I highly recommend you use My Fitness Pal.  It is a free app that allows you to track everything you put in your mouth.  Some of you are saying ....I know what I'm eating and I eat healthy.  I used to think the same thing, until I started tracking everything.  It was a way to stay accountable and really see how the calories add up.  It is especially important if you decide to do Fat Shredder.  Sure, a banana is healthy, but if you are looking to loose fat, it may not be the best choice since it is higher in sugar and carbs.  My most important piece of advice, DO NOT starve yourself.  You need to feed your body to be healthy and make smart food choices.  When you are eating the right foods, you don't have to deprive yourself.

If you have any questions about this topic, let us know!  We are not experts, but we are happy to share what has worked for us and help you reach your fitness goals.

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