When the halfway mark is hit on any given task there is an important decision to make. You can keep going or you can give up. But, stopping and walking backwards is not the answer when it comes to Fitness Trainer Christian Castano’s Fall Fitness Challenge.
September 16 was the start of the program. In 26 days this reporter has shed 9.4 pounds. This is not water weight loss like many crash diets produce. This is actual body weight that has been shed while in the midst of healthy eating and weight training. The eight-week mark will be on November 11, and it will be exciting to see what more we can do together to reach the goal of 20 or more pounds off of my frame.
Weights have increased in size as we continue to sculpt and complete workouts at Tribeca Health and Fitness Gym consisting of focusing on arms, legs and abs. All this while speed in running has increased and cardio amount has improved. The goal is still to burn a 1000 or more calories a day during active exercise. This is about taking off weight the correct way so as not to gain it all back the moment you have a relapse in your regiment.
As the mid-way hump hit Christian decided it was time to push the diet to a different level to help stir things up and increase weight loss through a regiment called Carb Cycling. The renowned trainer had me for three days out of the week on an extreme promotion of fat loss by tricking the body into burning fat for fuel. Normally we get the energy from the sugar found in carbs. But, when you stick to his three-day plan of only protein, certain vegetables and limited healthy fats your fat begins to melt away.
Christian and I focused during this time period on eating eggs, baked chicken, baked tilapia, steamed asparagus, spinach and steamed broccoli. Instead of olive oils to cook or for taste I simply replaced it with rice vinegar and hot sauces. Meals should still be split up in breakfast, lunch and dinner with a protein and vegetable combined. If in need of a snack try a green tea or a hard-boiled egg for me proved to give me a rush of energy.
The first day there was a craving for a carb, but by day three my energy levels spiked and the scale had dropped by a pound. My workouts were done joyfully despite not having carbs. I began to feel stronger and leaner. On the fourth day I ate the same with a mixing in a sweet potato early in the day before an intense cycling class.
Carb cycling proves to be incredibly beneficial when done correctly. It is important to remember too that some vegetables, such as beets, have high sugar content and should be avoided. And, as a vegetarian option it is possible to do the portion of the diet with egg whites.
As we move into this next week the workouts will get tougher and the diet more strict. But, with results like these why would I want to stop.
For more information on Christian please visit his website here or follow him at @christiancastano. Gym information can be found at here.
