14 Objectives, 28 Days and a New You - Mission #5

We're objectives/missions in so you should starting to form some new habits at this stage. If you're just joining in here's what you've missed so far:

Mission #1

Mission #2

Mission #3

Mission #4

MISSION #5 - Veg Out

I’m pretty sure we all know the importance of vegetables. 

Packed with minerals and vitamins, the most overlooked parts of consuming adequate amount of vegetables is that they will make you feel fuller for longer which in turn means if you are eating more than enough vegetables, than you’re not eating cakes and pastries!!

Couple the satiety effects of vegetables and protein in a single meal and you shouldn’t get the energy high’s and low’s of a pasta or rice based dish like the one you for lunch today that had you falling asleep standing yup at the water cooler, much to the amusement of your workmates but not so much your boss!

The best vegetables to have are green, crunchy vegetables that take some chewing to digest. 

Broccoli, beans, asparagus and spinach are all great choices but really any veg is a good veg now isn't it?

Whatever amount of veggies is that you had yesterday, double it for today then double today's amount next week and hold that for the rest of the challenge (and forever).

Further Reading:

Bad Fruit Evil Veggies –

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/bad_fruits_evil_veggies

Work Book Exercise: list 5 ways you can include more veggies into your day.

14 Objectives, 28 Days and New You - Mission #4

We're objectives/missions in so you should starting to form some new habits at this stage. If you're just joining in here's what you've missed so far:

Mission #1

Mission #2

Mission #3

MISSION #4 - INCREASE YOUR PROTEIN INTAKE

The fibers of your muscles are made up of a different number of different proteins.

Holding adequate muscle mass increases your metabolism significantly because it requires more calories to sustain muscle mass compared to fat cells.

If you can ,manage to increase your muscle mass then you'll need even more calories to sustain it - a fat loss trainee's dream!

When we receive our nutritional analysis sheets back from our clients we see a lot of extremely low protein consumption.

Protein food sources include red emat, white meat, eggs, tuna/fish, turkey, pork, tofu, quinoa, and the beans/lentils/legumes group.

We all know of protein powder which is a more concentrated source that is fine to roll with, but it is actually best used to "add" extra protein into your nutritional plan, not by replacing other actual food protein sources.

The biggest problem in regards to consuming enough protein is that you often can't just grab it and eat it like an apple or a bagel - it takes time to make and prepare it in advanced.

The golden rules for protein consumption is to include protein every time you eat and to also aim to have at least 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

 So if you weight 67kgs then aim for 134g of protein every day.

Further Reading:

6 Things You Need to Know About Protein –

http://www.tnation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance_nutrition/six_things_you_need_to_know_about_protein

Protein: More Muscle Less Guesswork –

http://www.tnation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance_nutrition/protein_more_muscle_less_guesswork

Work Book Exercise - 

List a protein source that you could include in each of your 3 – 6 feedings throughout the day...take into account where you’d be eating it and the preparation you’ll need to do.

Find Your Stress Sweet Spot

Stress kills, it really does.

Way before that cold settles in, way before that lower back pain comes for no reason, way before you can't sleep and way before you try and lose weight and fail...again...is stress.

Building up more stress then your body can handle will result in an illness, injury and/or weight gain down the track.

Until you decrease your stress then you'll forever be sick, you'll forever be in pain and you'll forever be out of shape.

The decline life quality starts with stress, it's that simple!

The bad? You can't avoid stress.

The good? You can manage it though!

The info-graphic I link to below is as good as it gets as far as telling you what stress is and how to handle it is concerned.

The highlights:

- Everyone has a stress sweet spot where you seem to function optimally, you need to determine where that point is though and it lays somewhere between "you've got my attention' and "I'm starting to freak out".

- You can have positive responses to stress such as motivation, excitement and productivity

- As is life you can also have negative responses to stress such as fatigue, boredom and anxiousness.

- Your ability to handle stress depends on genetics, history, current stress load, environment, support network, coping ability and attitude.

- To help you to reach your potential without burning out set effective goals, start with 1 action each day, track your progress and spend time with a mentor or coach.

- For rest and recovery partake in parasympathetic dominant activities, meditate, get outside, balance your exercise routine and practice self compassion.

You can view the info-graphic here.

14 Objectives, 28 Days and New You - Mission #3

If you haven't completed Mission's 1 and 2 then you can get into them at the links below:

Mission #1

Mission #2

Mission #3 - HAVE BREAKFAST

Mum said it everyday when you were a child.

Heck I say everyday now to my Archie - "eat your breakfast, it's the most important meal of the day."

Every single day I have to have my 6 Weetbix, milk and sugar as soon as I get up.

Regardless of time, I will never miss it.

Ever.

I simply cannot function without breakfast!

I can, but try as hard as can not to, miss any pother meal but breakfast is a non-negotiable.

Now there are all these different fasting types eating plans out there these days which is fine, but if you're going to do it, then you have to do it 100% which means breakfast will be more like lunch.

If you're not a faster, then you really should make a habit of having breakfast as it's potentially the only meal that you can prepare and have what you actually need for the whole day.

Lunch can end up being a quick 5 minute snack at your desk or missed all together which then leads to extreme hunger come dinner time then preparation effort goes out the window because you haven't eaten for near on 10 hours!

At least for breakfast you can prepare what you want, how you want with little time restraints and most of all, interruptions.

The greatest benefit though is perhaps the energy you get from eating a solid breakfast. 

When you intend on going for a drive you fill up with petrol to make it as  smooth and un-interrupted as possible.

When you don't have breakfast then you're running on empty from the very start and then you're playing catch up all day - which you never do.

This again potentially leads to a dinner that's also not so up to par and the cycle continues.

Another point I'd like to make is that what you have for breakfast does not have to be "breakfast food" - that simply does not exist.

Food is food no matter when you eat it.

My suggestion for the ultimate breakfast is the breakfast of champions - eggs with some spinach, tomato and feel free to add some lean bacon too!!

Further Reading:

Oats and How You Should Eat Them - http://www.johnberardi.com/articles/recipes/brief_history_of_oats.htm

Jumpstart Your Day - http://www.menshealth.com/jumpstartyourday/breakfast-slideshow.php

Work Book Exercise: list 3 breakfast options you could use to replace what you currently have

14 Objectives, 28 Days and New You - Mission #2

Earlier this week we launched the 14 Objectives, 28 Days program with mission #1, which is as easy as it gets.

Mission #2 - Measure

What I suggest you do is to take measurements of your self over scale weighing.

Unless you have digital scales that provide bodyfat %'s, then scale readings can cause all sorts of issues as if you gain weight you can't see what type of weight you've gained, and if you've lost weight then you can't see what type of weight you've gained.

This can cause you to either beat yourself up too much affecting your psychology or being a bit too lenient and telling yourself little porky pies to make yourself feel good.

Scale weight isn't as important as body composition, but body fat percentage is tough to test accurately and consistently. 

Instead, rely on tape measurements. 

For this mission, get a fabric tape measure and measure these areas:

Around the largest part of your belly/love-handle area

Upper leg (thigh)

Chest (across nipple line)

Between belly button and nipple line (upper abs area)

Upper arm

Measure once per week if you're on a fat loss plan and pay close attention to the belly and love-handle area. 

Stop putting it off and take your measurements. 

Be accountable.

Further Reading:

Waist Measurement Fact Sheet –

http://www.measureup.gov.au/internet/abhi/publishing.nsf/content/factsheet-waist-measurement

Work Book Exercise: measure your waist in front of a mirror every Monday and Thursday of each week and no more. 

You should be able to lose 1cm each week pretty easily if you’re following each and every 1 of these missions

14 Objectives, 28 Days and New You - Mission #1

In the corporate world they say that good luck getting anything finished after Melbourne Cup and even better luck getting anything started before Australia Day.

This is why I've held off releasing this monthly series but it's Feb tomorrow so...

This program will detail 14 strategies that anyone (yes, even you!!) can implement over the next 28 days that will result in a more energised and leaner, YOU!!

Every 2^nd day for the next month you will receive a new diet or exercise tip to start you on your way to a leaner 2011. This is the 1^st place to start ticking off your New Year’s resolutions.

Along the way we also aim to educate you so that these changes become a lifestyle, not a one-and-done situation.

Each of these missions may expose something that you have never taken into account, and some of them will be things that you simply need to tighten up and become more consistent with, but each tip will better you in some way, especially if your main goal is to drop body fat.

We guarantee if you commit to this program, in a month’s time you’ll be leaner and better psychologically equipped to continue your physical transformation.

Ready? Let’s Go!!

MISSION #1 - TAKE A SELFIE

Many people aren't motivated to make the necessary changes until they see "the picture." 

The picture is that photo of you that makes you look away in disgust at your own self.

If you haven't seen "the picture" yet (be honest), take one. 

In fact, your mission is to take three photos of yourself — one from the front, one from the side, and one from the back. 

No sucking in.

Chances are you'll be shocked... and more motivated than ever to make a change.

Keep the pictures somewhere that you can continually refer to over the next 28 days.

Your long term goal is to never, EVER, look like that again.

Check back in a few days time for mission #2.

France Says Relax

What's so good about France anyway?

The Eiffel Tower?

Politeness?

Cheese?

Museums?

Some would say that there's no better place on Earth.

And now they've gone and upped the ante again!

They have just passed a new law giving employees "the right to disconnect" outside of work hours.

That means no emails chains over dinner at home.

It means no interruptions while out with friends and family.

Most importantly it means work stops at work!

The new law is in response to claims that being constantly contactable can cause burnout. sleeplessness, and affect relationships as well hug amounts of unpaid overtime.

Companies with more than 50 employees will have to consult staff on the most appropriate way of switching off and minimising how work encroaches on leisure time.

Unfortunately I can't see this gaining traction over here unless it's pushed by employees themselves who probably think that they are judged on their commitment to their employers and their availability.

Just this morning I heard Eddie Maguire, the busiest man in Australia, has now learnt to say no is no in regards to being contacted about work in his holiday periods.

In my opinion this all comes down to organising your own work-life balance and deciding what barriers you pout up to make it work like you want to.

That might mean having no contact between 3 - 5pm while you pick up the kids from school and go to after school sports and cook dinner, and then you might like to do another couple of work hours from 5 - 7pm.

Oh and France also has a 35 hour week! Ge'nial!

The article in full can be found here.

At FCF we have a huge focus on work-life balance and we provide strategies to assist with this so all the stressers you face, including physical stress from training (with us hopefully!), can all be induced as efficiently as possible, and managed optimally for perfect work-life balance.

Contact us to set up your trial session today!