Muffin Top-Less

I read a status on my Facebook newsfeed today by an acquaintance, which inspired this post. I don’t think I’ve ever confronted this issue head-on, surprisingly enough. It’s a pretty common mindset… “I worked out… now I can eat whatever I want!” Unless you want to undo all of your hard work, this isn’t the case! Ever heard the saying “abs are made in the kitchen”? Well it’s true! Results are 80% nutrition. If you aren’t eating to meet your goals, you’re wasting the hard work you put forth in the gym!

You CANNOT out-train a bad diet. You can’t eat tons of unhealthy junk food all the time, and expect to feel and look fantastic. Just because you worked out, does not mean you should go out and eat a greasy burger and that pint of Ben & Jerry’s… Unless of course you want to undo all of your hard work! While Olympic level athletes like Michael Phelps who burn upwards of 12,000 calories a day might need to eat these kinds of foods to keep their energy levels up, it is unlikely that you need to. Of course it’s fine to indulge every once in awhile, but keep in mind that doing so frequently is going to significantly hinder your progress.

If you want to reward yourself after a workout or for reaching a goal, why not try something other than food? Perhaps indulge in a trip to the spa, a manicure, a new dress, a trip to the beach or even just the enjoyment of knowing what great things you just did for your body!