Let's Get Lean!

So, I've been working out pretty steadily for the past 6 months but my diet as always been up and down and all around. Some days I'd eat really well and then the next day I'd binge on beer and fried foods. Not so good for my body. Well, it happens. Now that summer is closer than you may realize, I'm ready to have the body I know I deserve. I'm not going to let my time at the gym go to waste any more. 

I'm not going by a strict workout plan or diet or anything like that. What I am doing is:

-cutting out dairy

-cutting out fast foods
-cutting out pastas/breads/etc (bad carbs)

-no more alcohol (for awhile)

-increasing water intake

-started taking creatine

-increased the amount of BCAAs I consume
(before, during, after workouts)
-Protein shakes 3 times a day 

-take daily vitamins & fish oil

I will be eating "clean" there are a million websites that claim to be clean and tell you what to eat and what not to eat, but I'm keeping my diet very very simple. Lean meats, veggies, egg whites, fruits. No pastas, which I already miss and haven't even fully cut them out yet.  I will be including quinoa in my diet because its's a damn super food! Kind of like a brown rice but not and is pretty high in protein! I'm going to keep my workouts the same, high intensity, high weights, and do cardio 4-5 times a week and abs 4-5 times a week as well. For those of you who think clean eating is foreign and have no idea where to start, read below! Also, here is a site with shopping lists and recipes for beginning a clean eating lifestyle: http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating/ 

This is from "Eating Clean For Dummies"

• Eat whole foods: Whole foods are foods that haven’t been tampered with, in the lab or the manufacturing plant. The foods you eat on this plan are straight from the farm: whole fruits and vegetables, whole grains, grass-fed and free-range meats, low fat dairy products, unsalted nuts, and seeds.
• Avoid processed foods: Processed foods are any food that has a label. A label means that more than one ingredient was used to make that food. You don’t have to eliminate all processed foods (like whole grain pasta or natural cheeses), but if you can’t pronounce an ingredient on a label, don’t put that food in your shopping basket.
• Eliminate refined sugar. Refined sugar provides nothing but calories. Other sweeteners can be used, but with all the good foods you add to your diet, refined sugar really has very little place in the eating clean plan.
• Eat five or six small meals a day. By eating smaller meals throughout the day you can help rev up your metabolism and reduce the chance that you’ll eat some Funyuns rather than that whole grain cracker with nut butter and strawberries. You never get so hungry on this plan that you’ll feel deprived or feel the need to cheat.
• Cook your own meals. Instead of buying meals in a box, cook meals from scratch. That’s not as hard as it sounds! Clean, whole foods need little preparation beyond chopping and sautéing to make satisfying, delicious meals your family will love.
• Combine protein with carbs. When you do snack or eat a meal, make sure that meal is balanced. For the most satisfaction from your diet, and so you’ll be less tempted to eat junk food, combine protein with carbs or carbs and fat. This simple act will fuel your body and quash hunger pangs.

On the days I have been clean eating, I've noticed how much better I feel overall. More energy, less tired, more motivated, less bloated, it's great! Sure I'm going to miss some of my favorite foods but this is just to kick start my metabolism and get rid of some fat pounds I've been wanting to see disappear. 

Cardio, okay nobody actually enjoys cardio. And if you do claim to like cardio, you probably shouldn't even bother reading this because this is for those of you who lift heavy to look good and are looking to shred those last few pounds. Cardio has it's benefits, however, it doesn't have the power of squats to build a round ass, and it certainly doesn't have any precedent over weights when it comes to anything. 

Cardio is good for those who are overweight and need to lose poundage before dedicating themselves to a lifting routine. Running is good for those who want to train for marathons and races. Running is not good for those of you who want a sculpted body, neither is the elliptical or crosstrainer. Cardio machines should be used as a supplemental training tool ALONG with weight training.

Cardio queens are notorious for 

flat asses and soft appearance.

Just sayin'

So when trying to cut fat, cardio comes in handy, go hard on the elliptical, crosstrainer, whatever with some resistance for about a half hour. Work your way up, but high intensity cardio training is the way to go to burn fat and maintain muscle. 

Also, DRINK LOTS OF WATER. More water than ever before, track it if you have to! During this blog alone I finished two 17 oz water bottles. I usually drink water out of my 28oz shakers (bodybuilding.com, GNC, amazon) or my camelbak eddy water bottle! (can be found at Target, sports authority, Dick's, etc) I always always always have water on me.