Plan plan plan = success

I've been too preoccupied with solidifying plans for my trip (which begins in just 4 short days), getting things around the house in order (laundry, shopping, cleaning, etc.) that I haven't really given much thought to my fitness goals. I am on auto pilot right now. I am just eating healthy, the way I know how.

I love Tom Venuto's book 'Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle'. I take it out and read it over probably 3 or 4 times a year, or when I'm in need of a little inspiration and motivation. So I will quote him periodically. He has a lot to say about cardio and weight training. More on that later.

It's been SO FREAKIN HUMID here that working out is almost painful. I did manage to run on the treadmill for about 40 minutes yesterday afternoon. Yuck....boring....awful....running outside is so much more enjoyable. My theory is that I'm not doing enough cardio (in combination with strength training), because we all know that the combination of clean eating, cardio and weight training is the golden ticket to success. So, to combat my stubborn fat, I am planning on doing more cardio during the next couple of months. I got pretty much where I don't mind being with mostly weight training and clean eating, but now is the time for double duty. Like it or not, and I don't. I hate being a slave to cardio.

And it's good to switch it up now and then. Training needs to be cyclical. If you do the same thing over and over again day after day and expect to see different results, isn't that the definition of insanity? Yes, yes it is. Especially when cardio is involved. "Eventually aerobic adaptation will occur. If you continue doing daily cardio sessions for a long enough period, fat loss will come to a screeching halt." - Tom Venuto  ....that right there is the reason I have always been very careful about not overdoing it.

Basically the more cardio you do, the more you'll have to add to keep up the same rate of fat loss, until pretty soon you'll have to double your cardio time just to get the same fat burning effect you once had. "It tends to have a reducing effect on the entire body, including muscle size. I you want to look like a runner, train like a runner. If you want to look lean and muscular, jog in moderation." - Tom Venuto

My cardio lately has been anything BUT the same old same old. I'm getting a lot of variety. So that's good. Plus, with my family history of knee problems and my recurrent clicking, I know my limits and I'm not willing to push them. "Avid marathoners run long distances daily with no ill effects, but doing so is more likely to result in overuse injuries and muscle loss." - Tom Venuto

And this is the advice I've been following. However, he doesn't suggest that he is anti cardio, he just knows that it's the combination of cardio and weight training is what works best. And alternating between periods of high volume work with periods of low volume work. It's very smart.

I've only been doing just enough to stay aerobically fit and maintain low body fat. But now it's time to ramp up the volume.

I've had a blazing headache since yesterday afternoon (just proves that when you eliminate sugar, you can eliminate headaches) which is no surprise since I've been treating myself to sugar sweetness nearly every day this month. Yesterday I said goodbye to sugar again and did great. I must have finally had my fill because looking at the last piece of cheesecake doesn't even tempt me. I'm not craving it, and all is good so far. Of course this is only day 2 off sugar, but baby steps, right? And I'm not going to use my trip to New York as an excuse to go hog wild again, but I'm definitely going to loosen the reins. No sugar until I get there, then I'll loosen up a bit, and when I get back, no sugar again except on special occasions. That is truly when I feel my best.

Having a plan always makes me feel in control and responsible. It is almost always worth the time and effort and really does help make you successful. I notice myself sliding when I've put off making the weekly menu or haven't stocked my fridge with veggies. If I can stay on top of my plan, I do so much better.