Hey everyone!! For those who don’t know me, my name is Jessica. I’ve recently started a health and fitness journey. I promised to keep you updated on what is and isn’t working for me. Now I do have a confession to make. I have slowed down on my fitness journey the past few weeks because I have been trying to get my Etsy shop up and running. Well I finally have my Etsy shop launched and I’m so excited about it. Now I can get back to focusing on my fitness journey.
If you would like to check out my Etsy shop, you can see it here: Purple Mom Shop
Weigh-in: How much weight have I lost?
Since the beginning of my journey, I have lost 15 pounds!! In the past month I have lost 5 pounds. Which is still pretty good considering I have been slacking a little bit. Honestly I didn’t feel like I’ve lost anything at all. Until recently. At work, one of my coworkers said my face is starting to look thinner. Another coworker said my uniform looks a little baggy. That’s when I realized that I really am losing weight! This has made me excited to lose even more. I’m finally starting to see some progress.
How did I lose the weight?
There are a few things that I have incorporated into my fitness plan. Including diet & exercise.
My Diet Plan
So my diet isn’t really a diet. In the beginning, I was limiting myself, trying to cut out carbs and fats. But I felt hungry all of the time and had no energy. Then I came across an article that said our bodies need carbs and fats to produce energy. Remember the saying “All things in moderation”? Well it is true. I did some more research on this and found that you can still eat pizza and burgers and lose weight.
In my research I came across this guy at Vshred.com. In his videos he mentioned something called carb cycling and metabolic confusion. This peaked my interest, so I decided to look more into it.
Carb Cycling
Carb cycling is a dietary approach where you alternate between high-carb days and low-carb days throughout the week. The idea behind carb cycling is to strategically time carbohydrate intake to optimize energy levels, improve athletic performance, and promote fat loss.
On high-carb days, you consume a higher amount of carbohydrates. This provides your body with the necessary energy for workouts and replenishes glycogen stores. On low-carb days, you restrict your carbohydrate intake, focusing more on protein, healthy fats, and non-starchy vegetables. By reducing carbohydrate intake, your body shifts to using stored fat for energy, which can promote fat loss.
Carb cycling may help with weight loss in several ways:
- Caloric Deficit: By alternating between high and low-carb days, you may naturally create a caloric deficit, which is essential for weight loss.
- Insulin Sensitivity: Cycling carbohydrates can improve insulin sensitivity. High-carb days can help regulate insulin levels and prevent metabolic adaptation, while low-carb days can enhance insulin sensitivity, promoting better fat burning.
- Metabolic Adaptation: Regularly varying carbohydrate intake prevents the body from adapting to a consistent low-carb or high-carb diet, which could slow down metabolic rate over time.
- Muscle Preservation: High-carb days provide fuel for intense workouts, helping to preserve muscle mass while promoting fat loss.
- Psychological Benefits: Alternating between high and low-carb days can prevent feelings of deprivation associated with strict dieting, making it easier to adhere to a long-term eating plan.
Metabolic confusion
Metabolic confusion, also known as calorie cycling or calorie shifting, is a dietary strategy that involves varying caloric intake on a daily or weekly basis. The idea is to keep your metabolism guessing by alternating between high-calorie and low-calorie days. This approach is believed to prevent the body from adapting to a consistent caloric intake, which can lead to plateaus in weight loss.
Here’s how metabolic confusion works and how it may help with weight loss:
- Caloric Variability: Instead of consuming the same number of calories every day, you alternate between higher and lower calorie intake days. For example, you might have two or three higher-calorie days followed by one or two lower-calorie days.
- Preventing Adaptation: The body tends to adapt to consistent calorie intake over time, which can slow down metabolic rate and hinder weight loss progress. By constantly changing calorie intake, metabolic confusion aims to prevent this adaptation, keeping the metabolism more active and responsive.
- Hormonal Effects: Varying caloric intake can impact hormone levels involved in metabolism, such as leptin, ghrelin, and thyroid hormones. This can help regulate appetite, improve fat burning, and optimize energy expenditure.
- Muscle Preservation: On higher-calorie days, you provide your body with more energy, which can support intense workouts and help preserve lean muscle mass. This is important for maintaining metabolic rate and preventing muscle loss during weight loss.
- Psychological Benefits: Metabolic confusion may offer psychological benefits by providing flexibility in food choices and meal timing. Knowing that higher-calorie days are part of the plan can help prevent feelings of deprivation and enhance adherence to the diet.
It’s important to note that while metabolic confusion and carb cycling can be effective for some individuals, it may not be suitable for everyone. The effectiveness of this approach may vary depending on factors such as metabolic rate, activity level, and overall health. Additionally, maintaining a balance of nutrient-dense foods is crucial to ensure that nutritional needs are met, regardless of calorie fluctuations.
As with any dietary strategy, it’s advisable to consult with a healthcare professional or a registered dietitian before implementing metabolic confusion or any other weight loss approach to ensure it aligns with your individual needs and goals.
So what do carb cycling and metabolic confusion mean exactly?
Well, it’s simple really. Keep your body guessing. Our bodies have a great ability to adapt to consistency. If you eat the same amount of calories or the same foods everyday, your body will adapt to it, and you will hit a plateau. So change it up! So what do I do? After researching these strategies, I decided to try them. I am more active on the days that I work, so I eat more on those days, giving me the energy to get through the day. I do still eat pizza and burgers for lunch, but I eat a smaller breakfast and dinner. Since doing this, I no longer feel deprived. I still eat what I like. On the days that I am at home, I eat less. I am not as active on those days, so I don’t need as much energy. These are my low calorie, low carb days. On the days that I eat more, I make sure to exercise.
My Exercise Plan
I admit that I have been slacking when it comes to exercise. However I have found some ways to incorporate exercise into my routine. For starters, I aim to get 10,000 steps a day. I have a smart watch that counts my steps for me. On the days that I work, this is easy. So I’ve actually been pushing myself to get more than 10,000 steps on those days. This is to make up for the fact that I don’t always get 10,000 steps on my days off. On my days I off, I do a 20-minute exercise provided by the BetterMe App.
I have also discovered that not only do you need to keep your metabolism guessing, but you also need to keep your body guessing. Don’t do the same workouts every day. Your body will get used to them and you will hit a plateau. Change it up. That is why I love the exercises on the BetterMe App. There are so many exercises to chose from. I aim to improve on this next month. Sometimes I get busy and don’t do my 20-minute exercise.
It is also important to be active for at least 10 -12 hours out of the day. Even if it is just doing some squats or jumping jacks. So every hour, my watch notifies me if I have not been active. So I get up and do 10 squats, or 10 jumping jacks, sit-ups, etc. Also, if I have a minute and nobody is around, I will do 5 squats or side bends.
Being active every hour, or incorporating movement throughout the day, is important for several reasons:
- Combatting Sedentary Behavior: In modern society, many people spend long hours sitting, whether at a desk, in front of a computer, or watching TV. Prolonged sitting is associated with various health risks, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic disorders. Breaking up sedentary time with short bursts of activity can help counteract these negative effects.
- Maintaining Metabolic Health: Regular movement helps regulate blood sugar levels, improve insulin sensitivity, and support metabolic health. Even light activity, such as walking or stretching, can have positive effects on glucose metabolism and energy expenditure.
- Boosting Energy Levels: Physical activity stimulates circulation, delivering oxygen and nutrients to tissues throughout the body. Moving regularly can help combat feelings of fatigue and improve overall energy levels, enhancing productivity and mental clarity.
- Improving Mobility and Flexibility: Remaining sedentary for extended periods can contribute to stiffness and decreased range of motion in joints. Incorporating movement throughout the day helps maintain flexibility, mobility, and joint health, reducing the risk of musculoskeletal issues and injuries.
- Enhancing Mood and Mental Well-being: Physical activity is closely linked to mental health and well-being. Even short bouts of movement release endorphins, neurotransmitters that promote feelings of happiness and reduce stress. Regular activity throughout the day can help manage mood, reduce anxiety, and improve overall psychological health.
- Supporting Weight Management: Incorporating physical activity into daily routines can aid in weight management by increasing calorie expenditure and promoting fat metabolism. Even small amounts of activity accumulated over the day can contribute to energy balance and support weight loss or maintenance goals.
- Promoting Longevity: Research suggests that reducing sedentary behavior and increasing overall physical activity levels are associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases and increased longevity. Regular movement throughout the day is a key component of a healthy lifestyle that can contribute to a longer, healthier life.
Incorporating movement into daily routines doesn’t necessarily require structured exercise sessions; simple activities like taking short walks, stretching, gardening, or using active transportation methods can all contribute to a more active lifestyle. Making conscious efforts to move regularly throughout the day can have profound benefits for both physical and mental health.
Conclusion
The biggest thing that I have been trying to incorporate into my day, is the hourly movement. I do not always have 20 minutes to work out. But I do have 5 minutes here and there. I’ve also been focusing on my daily step count, aiming for 10,000 a day. When it comes to diet, I have started including carbs and high calorie days. But I change it up. Keep my body guessing to keep my metabolism working.
Next month I am going to try some new exercises. I ordered a treadmill and an infinity hoop. I can’t wait to try the infinity hoop and let you all know how it works.
To get more fitness tips, here are my blog posts on Fitness & Health
