This blog is for and about the Webster family. Each of us want to make choices every day that will result in optimal health and fitness. We represent different generations and different places in life - from empty-nesters to young families to students. Our health goals are as varied as we are, but we want to have a common place to post our progress and our challenges. We will be accountable to each other - to provide support, design incentives, share information we come across, and in general cheer each other on and celebrate our steps toward fitness! If anyone happens upon this blog and is inspired to be more fit and healthy that is icing on the cake. So here we go!

Monday, May 23, 2011

Kathy - Great Info

Okay, so the title of this may be a bit selfish...it IS great info.  For me.  And probably for the rest of you also.  I found it on Josh Hillis's web site.  It is his response to a woman who asked him if his advice worked for old people. (As in over 40 - I am assuming that it also works for ancient people, as in over 50.  I do need to mention however, that J.Hillis called 50 the new 25.  Does this bias me in favor of his information?  Yes, yes it does).

Anyway, here is the information I have deemed great:  ( Keep reading, the best part is The Rules of the Fat Loss Game.)

RE: Age - it's not about what's possible.  You can get any results you want.  It's just a matter of how much time and energy you are willing to commit to it.  Across the board though, people find with these workouts it takes less time than they thought it would.

In fact, I find that it's not necessarily getting older that makes it harder, but more like increased responsibility and increased demands on time.  And those tend to show up the older we get.  So it becomes more important to plan and be efficient.

Ultimately, what you've got is what you've got.  Some people have injuries.  Some people have diabetes.  Some people have slower metabolisms.  Some people have bad habits.  There are a million factors that could make it easier or harder.  Regardless, the rules of the game are the same: We need a good workout, and we need to make changes in the food.

The worst case scenario I've ever seen was that a person's circumstances made getting results slower.  But the rules of the game never changed - smart changes in food over time, and a good workout.  That's it.

So what I'm getting at is that you can totally lose that 40+lbs.  At the fastest you could do it in is 20 weeks.  At the slowest, probably 16 months (if you went really slow).  But there's no question that you can do it.

Mostly it's not that it's HARD.  It's just a matter of getting real about what it takes.  And really accurate about food.  In 8 years of doing this, not one client I've ever had really ate as well as they thought they did.  EVERYONE is shocked the first time they actually keep a food journal.

None of this is easy.  But I would urge you to keep it simple.  The simpler you can keep the game of fat loss, the better it'll go for you.

THE RULES OF THE FAT LOSS GAME

1.) You have to get real about your food.  Write it all down.  If you aren't writing it down, you aren't in the game.
2.) Review your food log.  See what is working.  See what isn't working.  Look for where you might need to plan more, cook more, or add a new habit.  Make one positive change each week.  Never make more than one change.
3.) You want to get stronger in pushing, pulling, squatting, and hip hinging.  Sometimes lift heavier weight.  Sometimes lift more reps.
4.) You have to work on quality of movement so you don't get hurt.  Especially if you are over 30.  That may be stretching.  It may be dynamic joint mobility.  It may be studying form and doing one "workout" per week where you just focus on doing each movement better.
5.) Have phases of training where you really kick ass (for 6-12 weeks), and have phases of training where your workouts are chill.  Sr. RKC Dan John calls these "Bus Bench Workouts" and "Park Bench Workouts" - one kind of workout you're going somewhere, and the other you're feeding the squirrels and watching the clouds go by.  To get results long term, you need both.

WHAT YOUR RESULTS ARE TELLING YOU

1.) Scale weight = QUANTITY of Food.  Nothing else.  If the scale isn't moving, you are eating too much.  Too much.  There is nothing else to it.  Your workouts don't even effect the scale much.  Let me repeat: For the scale to go down, you must eat less. 
2.) Body fat percentage = Quality of Food + How Strong You Are.  If you are losing weight, but your body fat percentage is still up, A.K.A. - "I still look like crap out by the pool", you need to look at quality of food, and if you are getting stronger in your workouts.
Keep it simple, play by the rules, and hit all of your goals!

2 comments:

  1. Wow! That was awesome Mom. Love it. What a great way to look at it. Think I am going to have to use this one. Thanks for sharing.

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  2. I really needed to read this thanks. I struggle so much with food. Lately I have been so impatient with my results or lack thereof so its easier for me to "cheat" with food. You know since there aren't results. Backwards thinking I know.

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