11/11/2021
I am sharing this everywhere I can for the ladies. Fellas, you can share it with your loves ;)
I adore Dr. Stacy Sims and her teachings have made a world of difference for me as an athlete in premenopause.
Something I hear from people around me, something I also see in my news feed nearly daily is exactly what she's talking about here. No one wants to hear me preach at them...so I usually keep my mouth shut - I may say something like, "that's not exactly how it works", or 'that really isn't the best thing for you if you're trying to lose weight." But I don't go into it cuz I see the looks I get ^_^
As we get closer to the holidays, this is when I begin to see women's magazine articles making up "equations" for how much to exercise based on what you've eaten (you know the ones - "if you eat ____ cookies, then you have to run ____ amount of time to burn those calories...").
I'm going to say this now: that's not how it works. 🙅♀️ This type of thinking often leads us to restricting calories/underfueling and hurting ourselves and our athletic goals.
Here are some things to keep in mind instead:
👉 Fuel for what you're doing. Yes, I say this over and over, but that's because it's SO important! By training fasted or not giving yourself the proper food for recovery, you're setting your body up for more stress, less recovery, and often weight gain (the opposite of what you were intending, correct?).
👆 For reference, on a moderate training day (where you’re doing a HIIT session, a heavy weight session, or 1 to 2 hours of cardio) you need:
Carbohydrate: 3-4 grams per kg of body weight
Protein: 2-2.3 grams per kg of body weight
Fat: 1.2 grams per kg of body weight
👉 Don't forget about hydration. 💧 During the holidays, it's easy to turn to the drinks that aren't the best at keeping you hydrated. Especially as women, hydration is so important for cooling our bodies and keeping our heart rates down during exercise. So if you're lacing up for a turkey trot or a holiday race, remember to prehydrate and maintain it during your exercise! Check out my last blog post at www.drstacysims.com/blog to read more about hydration.
I'm tired of women hurting their bodies because they're told that calorie counting and restriction is how to lose weight/body fat. You can still make healthy choices such as incorporating quality, nutrient-dense foods such as fruits and veggies or whole grains into your meals during this time.
But ultimately, if you eat cookies during this holiday time, then enjoy them! 🍪 The holidays aren't every day!
