Keeping it Simple has a Big Impact!

I put myself through a challenge last week because I was competing in my first grappling tournament. I knew the weight I was at when I signed up for the tournament put me at a disadvantage. Two weeks prior to the tournament I registered and weighed 208 lbs putting me in the Heavyweight division (200 to 224.9 lbs), the lower end in regard to weight. I felt I would be able to level the playing field if I could get down to the Cruiser weight division (190 to 199.9 lbs). By Monday morning of the tournament I weighed 207.5 lbs. Thus, I needed to lose about 8 lbs before weigh-in on Friday evening. Not an easy task in a weeks time and not safe if not done correctly. In essence I needed to lose 4% of my current body weight which could put a toll on your hydration levels if water intake is not monitored. I weighed in Friday evening at 196 lbs. I was full of energy, felt great, and I was not thirsty. However, was a bit hungry at weigh-in. Right now you are probably getting a little angry at the fact I dropped that much weight in a short period of time and you may have been trying to lose that much or more for a while. Friday was the only day I truly sacrificed consuming solid foods. The other days I made changes in my daily eating pattern by getting back to the basics, following what I have been telling you for weeks and months with some tweaks. Now let me explain what I did to reach this goal.

I continued taking my multi-vitamin (Prograde VGF 25+ Men) and began taking flaxseed meal and psylium seed husks to help cleanse my digestive system and rid my body of excess weight (taken by following the directions of the labels). I then eliminated all breads and pasta for the week. As the week progressed I decreased the amount of sodium I consumed on a daily basis. I also made sure to consume 1 gallon of water each day throughout the week.

Meal 1
(Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, and Fri)
Pre-workout meal = ½ cup of oatmeal, flaxseed meal, 2 scoops of EAS whey protein, 12 oz. of coffee, 8 oz. of orange juice, and 20 oz. of water.

Meal 2
(Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, and Fri)
8 oz. of water with 2 scoops of Prograde Workout

Meal 3
(Mon & Wed)
8 oz of yogurt, strawberries, blueberries, and black berries

(Tue)
Skillet Breakfast at Cracker Barrel (scrambled eggs, mixed veggies, and 2 slices of wheat toast, the only bread I had for the week) and 2 cups of coffee

(Thu)
Grilled chicken, steamed squash, tomato, and cucumber

Meal 4
(Mon)
Tuna, whole grain rice, and tomato

(Tue)
Tuna, cucumber, and tomato

(Wed)
Grilled chicken, steamed squash, and tomato

(Thu)
Granola Bar

Meal 5
(Mon)
Soy pudding

(Tue)
Granola Bar

(Wed)
2 turkey patties, steamed squash, and tomato

(Thu)
Grilled chicken, broccoli, and carrots

Meal 6
(Mon)
Tuna, cucumber, and tomato

(Tue)
Kashi red bean meal

Meal 3 & 4
(Fri)
EAS Whey protein shake

Meal 5
(Fri)
Handful of almonds

Other than Friday the meals I had through the day Monday through Thursday consisted of at least 2 vegetables and a protein. When I ate vegetables I made sure they came from the produce section, not from a can. I stuck to the basic of 2 carbohydrates and 1 protein at each meal. Cutting breads and pasta through the week was not that difficult because I consumed these substances no more than 3 meals per week prior to the week of cutting weight. The hardest part of the week was consuming a gallon of water through the day. The point I want to make is if you consume junk your body will hold onto the junk causing your weight to increase and health to decrease. By making these simple changes I felt better than I had felt in several months.

You may be asking yourself if I have been able to keep the weight off. Yes I have. As of this morning (5/14/09) I weighed 198 lbs. As some of you know I once weighed 270 lbs back in 2004. I began my journey for improved health and decreased weight with the goal of getting below 200 lbs. 5 years later I have reached that goal. This is the first time I have been below 200 lbs since my junior year of high school. I now must reset my goal. My new goal is to be at 185 lbs by August 15th for my next grappling tournament.

You must always be persistent when working towards your goals. I found competition to inspire me to push forward. What will you use to inspire you? Spouse, child, or job it does not matter the inspiration as long as it keeps you moving forward.


Committed to Your Health,

Heath Herrera, M.Ed., CSCS
HH Fitness
www.HHFitness.com
HHFitness@gmail.com
(512)787-2219


P.S. Utilize the knowledge of a professional prior to making drastic changes to your exercise and nutrition routines. Always take supplements according to the directions of the label.