Automation: Diet & Exercise
As promised, here is my method for diet & exercise:
I treat Monday - Friday as the core, since I have a desk job and it keeps things easy.
Monday - Friday Diet:
Breakfast
- 2 cups black coffee - I grind my own beans (Costco beans)
- 1 fresh grapefruit
- 1 whey protein shake
Lunch
- bag of raw vegetable s
- 1 cup yogurt
Afternoon - I die at work around 2pm, so I’ve added a 1/2 meal here
- whey protein shake
- 1/4 cup trail mix
Dinner
- full size salad with lots of variety in vegetables
- either chicken, fish or pork. I don’t eat beef.
Saturday - is my cheat day. During the week I gave up alcohol for the most part, so Saturday I will usually slide a bit and have a beer or two. I also slide on the diet so that I don’t feel deprived. I will typically start my day with the same breakfast and lunch as M-F, but by the afternoon I start eating whatever in the house I want. Dinner is typically a full-sized salad paired with a comfort food - like pizza or pasta.
Sunday - is a half cheat day… meaning, I start the day with the same breakfast and lunch as M-F, but I like to cook a good family meal in the afternoon. I find it more enjoyable to cook with a beer in hand, so beer:30 happens around 3pm.
So, that’s the calorie mashup. Regarding exercise:
Sunday - weight lifting - 3 sets of chest & elliptical for 1/2 hour
Monday - elliptical for 1/2 hour (I used to belong to the Middle TN YMCA and loved it, but now use the gym at work to save money)
Tuesday - weight lifting - 2-3 sets of bicep training & abs
Wednesday - elliptical for 1/2 hour
Thursday - weight lifting - 2-3 sets of tricep training & abs
Friday - off
Saturday - elliptical for a 1/2 hour or treadmill for an hour at a fast walking pace (pace 4/incline4)
That’s the general breakdown. Depending on my work schedule, sometimes I move around my days off.
Automation with regard to diet and exercise has worked for me for about three and a half years now. Prior to that I was about 20 lbs. heavier. I’ve stayed consistent over the last 3 years, so I think my program works for me.