Fast Five Friday Newsletter (How to Handle Thanksgiving and Not Gain Weight Over The Holidays)
Happy Friday!
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Here are 2 fitness tools, 2 dieting tips, and a quote for your mindset this week.
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2 Fitness Tools
1. 20 Minute Full Body Workout You Can Do With Just a Pair of Dumbbells
There's no such thing as the "perfect" workout. The best workout is always the one that actually gets done.
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If all you have is 20 minutes and a pair of dumbbells...?
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This is what you can do!
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Circuit 2-3 Rounds (perform each exercise in a row for 10-12 reps with 60-90 sec rest in between when needed)
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Okay so maybe a makeshift bench or couch will provide the additional equipment you need...
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If you've been putting off exercising...
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This is a simple workout you can do at home with just dumbbells.
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There's probably even a Black Friday sale on an adjustable pair on Amazon right now...
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Order it up and get started on working out again next week!
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2. A Client Asked Me What They Should Do For Cardio to Lose More Weight
This is what I said.
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You don't have to do cardio to lose weight.
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You shouldn't associate exercise with burning calories and dropping body fat.
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Instead associate it with being healthier, having more energy, and having better sex...
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Cardio is what you do for your health.
I know I completely skipped out on cardio for years because all I cared about was how much muscle I had and how I looked.
That was a big oversight.
Now I want to live a long time and have a higher quality of life!
That means no longer getting winded coming up the stairs...
Gassing out after just doing one set with weights in the gym...
I emphasize this all the time but will continue to do it.
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This is what you do for you cardio:
-Get in 3-4 sessions of Zone 2 walking on the treadmill this week, or outside if it's nice.
-Spend 30-40 minutes, if you only have less time, then still use it.
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-Aim to be at 60-75% of your max heart rate throughout (age - 22 = your max)
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This is the best type of cardio you can do for your health.
You will not only mentally be feeling better but you're going to be significantly improving your health and performance as well.
It's time to make the time.
CARDIO is boring...
But play a game on your phone like I do while you do it...
Watch netflix...
Watch youtube...
Read a book!
All ways to make it more enjoyable and make time for another activity you enjoy!
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If you haven't been doing it...
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It's time to start doing your cardio!
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2 Dieting Tips
1. How to NOT Gain Weight Over the Holidays
First remember that people really gain weight from January to Thanksgiving... not from Thanksgiving to January...
Unless you go absolutely ballistic with calories than that's on you.
It's what you consistently do that matters the most.?
The truth is we're talking maybe 3-8 total holiday parties ,events, etc the next month or so.?
EVEN if you're over calories on all those days...?
You can still lose weight and at least maintain your weight.?
The key is 3 things...?
1) Keep working out 3-4x a week, with at least 20 minute workouts.?
This keeps you in the habit of going to the gym and you will still be able to at least maintain strength and progress.?
2) if you're trying to lose weight...?
Track your calories/eat normally on all the days between these holiday events.?
This means yes you will see the scale spike up after holiday parties when you consume more calories... but this is just water weight.?
Not you actually putting on body fat, this is important to remember.?
3) Keep stepping on the scale everyday?besides those holidays.
Yes I said it.?
If you commit to stepping on the scale you help yourself to stay on track.?
I you just don't weigh yourself between now and after New Years what do you think is going to happen??
You're most likely going to gain weight if you don't have good baseline habits in place.?
Instead when you still step on the scale, focus on the weekly avg. and follow the trends for progress...?
you can keep losing weight and at least maintain weight during this time.?
Now you're able to complete enjoy yourself at the holiday parties, not stressing what you're doing...?
BECAUSE you know you're right back on your normal routine on the days in between.?
80% consistency this next month or so is key to making progress/maintaining progress while still enjoying yourself.
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2. How to Handle Your Diet on Thanksgiving
Don't.
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Regardless of if you're trying to lose weight right now...
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The goal of Thanksgiving is to enjoy time with friends and family over a delicious meal.?
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That's it.
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The more rules you make for yourself and the restrictions you place on yourself the crazier you'll go on Thanksgiving.
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You will be like a death row inmate getting their last dinner...
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Okay maybe too far...
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The point being it is not the last meal you will ever eat so you don't have to go crazy!
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Ironically when you take food off the pedestal and just see it for what it is... food.
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Then you're able to portion control, enjoy more calories on occasion, and recognize that its not big deal.
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No one meal, day, or nutrition decision is going to make or break your health.
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Instead focusing on the actions you take consistently, like going to the gym 3-4 days a week, eating mostly whole foods, portion controlling, ?getting enough sleep, not being an asshole...
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Then eating a large meal at Thanksgiving is no big deal.
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Even if you've been skipping the gym, eating nothing but McDonald's, eating more cookies than Keebler elf and staying up late doom scrolling on your phone instead of getting to bed on time, AND acting like an asshole lately...
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You should still not focus on nutrition on Thanksgiving and just enjoy the time with friends and family.
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THEN you can start implementing all these good tips the day after ;)
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Once you get rid of this all or nothing mindset you'll find that you're able to be more consistent and see better results.
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Who knew enjoying a great meal and some extra calories could be the start of that??
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A Quote to Think About Today
"The goal is not to lose 40 pounds. The goal is to become the type of person who doesn’t miss workouts.
The more that you organize your habits around an identity rather than an outcome, the more that ?you see the value in just sticking with it, even if it’s a small thing."
-James Clear, Author of Atomic Habits
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I hope you have a great weekend!
Best,
Nate Brown
Fast and Swole Training
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PS.
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