Why are you burning calories?

Flash back to about two years ago- Picture me, at the front of a group fitness room awkwardly trying to adjust my heart rate monitor underneath my gym bra without flashing the entire class a cheeky nip... I sort my self out and push the start button on my heartrate monitor and announce to the class that I was “about to murder some serious calories”. I’d work hard for that hour and boast to my class if I could burn more than 500 calories in the session. I’d use classic gym junkie phrases like “Die calories.. Die!” or "Feel the calories burning away" mid track and make sure the class knew the purpose for the session was to burning off all the chocolate we’d eaten that day... especially if it was easter time/a normal day for a female.#justsayin

This is pic is from deep in my instagram feed..

 

Going to the gym was almost like a form of punishment for whatever ‘bad’ food I’d eaten that day, I’d justify eating a muffin and slamming one too many frozen Cokes with the fact that I went to the gym everyday and burnt off the excess calories. Everyday I HAD to go to the gym or workout in some way, otherwise I would almost explode with anxiety and feelings of guilt. Once I started counting calories, I aimed to keep my total intake below 1200 cals a day, the less I ate the more weight id be losing.... right?  So i'd go home and put all the calories id burnt that day into the program so that i could eat another 500 cals more.

I clearly remember one day working out with a fellow personal trainer Gareth Houley, who is not only an exceptional human & kick ass personal trainer but also instrimental in helping me find balance in my training.  At the end of the session I thrusted my watch into his face, beaming with pride that id burn like, soooo many..#totesburnincals.

He turned to me and the following conversation took place:

Gareth oh wise one:  “So what does that number tell you Mel?”

Grasshopper Mel: ‘It tells me how much energy I’ve burnt in the session’

G-Town:  ‘But why does that matter?”

Ignorant Mel: ‘Well the more calories I’ve burnt the more of a calorie defect ill be in, so ill lose more weight’

Buddha Gareth: (one eyebrow raised) ‘Is that right... and how is that working out for you?’
 

Stubborn Mel: (lying through her teeth) ‘Umm.. It’s going great...thanks” ... errhh, (awkward silence as Mel tries to change the topic)... "Look a dog with a fluffy tail..!"

Later that night I went home and reflected on the conversation we’d had that day. Gareth was right,  why was I counting calories? I was actually exhausted, I had a headache most days, I nap every afternoon, I wasn’t particularly strong and still struggled to do push-ups on my toes. I was teaching 4 BodyPump classes a week and with all those goddamn squats and bottom half 4s I still didn’t rock a Beyonce booty. Yeah I had lost some weight, but mostly from my face and chest.  I was looking pretty scrawny; I didn’t look toned or have a nice strong, athletic body shape that I desired.

 

Get down gurl go head get down..

 

It wasn’t until the start of this year that I totally flipped my view of training with the following mantra in my head.

Instead of exercising as punishment, I will exercise to improve myself- both physically and mentally.

I stopped staring at the calorie count on the treadmill tick over. I stopped the excessive cardio that was wasting away my muscle mass and ditched the 90 minute spin classes that I actually dreaded. Instead I got smart with my training, I started moving in a way that would enhance my mobility, I worked with Gareth to find exercises to fix my hip that had been hurting me for over a year. I quit teaching BodyPump so I could let my wrist injury heal and let my body recover from over training.  I started lifting heavy weights regularly to build muscle and enhance my body shape, I trained in Les Mills GRIT which is a 30 minute class (HIIT) and gave up teaching my cardio heavy hour long classes to give myself time to work out for me. I created goals that aimed to enhance my physical skills and things that would be an accomplishment- like being able to do a head stand, improve my vertical jump and hold an L shape on the rings at the gym. I turned my focus away from just physique, but rather what I could actually do with my body.

#skillz

 

I moved away from a strict Paleo/Clean Eating diet that was restricting my social life and made me anxious about everything I ate. I researched and started experimenting with and IIFYM approach to achieving my physique and physical goals. I learnt about healthy weight loss (500grams aweek is the most you should be losing without wasting away muscle) and I have now found a realistic and sustainable balance between healthy eating and enjoying life.

I think it’s time we move away from the old school mentality of exercising to burn calories. screw burning calories. Exercise should be fun, it should energise you, you should look forward to doing it, it should make you stronger, move better, feel better and BE a better person.

Stop punishing yourself through exercise, be smart about your food intake, and make a plan that is going to work for you. Set a goal, make time to try new things, invite your friends to try them with you and find an exercise that you enjoy and that ADDs to you, something that will help you achieve your goals and is sustainable in the long term.

 

 

Mel x

 

Comments or feedback?

Id love to hear from you melvfitness@live.com.au

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