10 tips to Look Your Best in a Crunch!
We all have events that we need to look good for on occasion including dates, vacations, photo shoots, family dinners, weddings, pool parties, the beach, high school reunions and/or physique competitions. The list goes on. Sometimes we don't have much time to prepare ourselves for these important appointments!
These 10 tips will support you in getting ready and looking the best you can with the short time available to you. Maybe you only have a month or even less like 2 weeks! Follow these guidelines and they will make a big difference in how you look and feel for that special event.
1. Pay special attention to your nutrition: Make sure you are making clean and healthy food choices. Eat 3 small meals and 2-3 small snacks per day about every 3-4 hours. Try to have each meal and snack be balanced with the 30 – 50 – 20 ratio (meaning 30% carbohydrates, 50% protein and 20% good fats). This will support you in balancing out your insulin and glucagon hormones to attain an ideal body weight. NO sabotaging yourself with crash diets! After the event go back to maintaining with the 40 – 30 – 30 ratio (40% carbohydrates, 30% protein and 30% good fats).
2. Up the cardio: I would suggest if you have the luxury of doing your cardio in the morning before breakfast, go for it. Just have one scoop of low carb protein powder in about 8-12 ounces of water first. Then do 45-60 minutes of cardiovascular exercise. Then if you are able to have another session of cardio after your workout in the afternoon or evening, it would really help!!! Once again, 45-60 minutes. Note: Go at a slower pace instead of full tilt so you don't burn off valuable fat burning lean muscle. You can also take a serving of BCAA's (Branch Chain Amino Acids) before your cardio to prevent muscle breakdown. This can be bought at any health or supplement store.
3. Have variety in your workout routine: Your body absolutely loves to learn new ways of movement, more weight, different resistance exercises, different cardio exercises etc. In order to build lean muscle you need to progressively overload so you shock and grow your muscles to raise your metabolism and become a fat burning machine. Some days do upper body, lower body, one body part, opposite body parts, complimentary body parts, isometrics, plyometrics etc.
4. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ: Your muscles only grow when they are resting and/or sleeping! Always make sure to take at least one day off for every 4-5 you train and get 8 hours of sleep every night! In a crunch I train 3 days on / one day off and repeat until my event takes place. On my off days I still do about a half hour of some form of cardio but that's it. No weights. Then, after the event, I go back to training Monday to Friday with weekends off to chill and recover.
5. Make water your best friend: Just because you are trying to lose weight doesn't mean that you should limit your H20. You should be drinking at least 2-4 litres of water per day. I drink 4-6 litres when I am preparing for an event. Don't risk becoming dehydrated and try to reduce the consumption of diet soft drinks and other liquids that can cause adverse reactions and more water retention. The only time you would slow down on the water consumption would be the night before and the day of the event. Just take very small sips every 20-30 minutes and then rehydrate yourself when the event is over.
6. Take fibre pills in the evening: Pick up a bottle of fibre pills and take the recommended dosage to help regulate you in the mornings.
7. No salt, sugar, bread, dairy products and/ or alcohol: If you are really serious about looking your best in a crunch, I challenge you to eliminate these items from the menu for the duration of the preparation period. Yes, ladies, this includes chocolate as well and beer for the fellas!
8. Have a plan: The most important thing you can do to save time, be efficient and effective is to create an outline for your preparation period. This is very important! Take a few moments to write down your Nutrition Plan and schedule your workouts into you daily planner. Make training and eating appointments with yourself and don't ever stand you up! If you miss an appointment for whatever reason, just get back on track as quick as you can and continue following the plan!
9. Stay focused under pressure: Some of us work well under pressure, some of us thrive on it, and some of us absolutely hate it. I tend to thrive on it and it completely energizes me! Regardless, a deadline is a deadline, and it must be met. This means shifting into overdrive. With passion, drive, persistence and believing in yourself you can achieve anything!
10. GO SHOPPING: This is my favorite feel good tip. Nothing beats showing up to the special event in some new threads! Dress to impress! Pamper yourself with clothing, shoes, a purse or handbag, some jewelry, a new watch and/or some slick shades! Always remember to take care of number one and spoiling yourself on occasion is essential!
Congratulations! You made it. If your event includes a meal or social eating of some sort, you can now relax a little and enjoy yourself. After all, this is what you've prepared yourself for. You will be as tight and lean as possible at your current level of body fat, so now it's time to indulge. Look good! Feel Good! Have FUN!
James Erdt
Founder / President
joyzone.com
10 tips to Look Your Best in a Crunch!
