NUTRITION & FITNESS PLANNING:
Let me start by saying there are many many ways to go about this. A couple years ago I would have said you need to measure your meals, track everything and count your calories. I may have said to time your meals throughout the day and if you got hungry in between, drink a glass of water. I've learned a lot since then and have found that focusing on micro nutrients and intuitive eating works best.
I would recommend dissecting the nutritional value of what you are eating;
* How many different fruits do you eat in a week? What about veggies? Starches? Proteins?
* Are you properly hydrated every day? How many ounces do you drink?
* How many hours of sleep do you get?
* How much sugar are you having? (Do not count sugars in whole foods!)
* Do you lack energy during the day? What time?
Keep track of these instead of calories. No one wants to do this part. It's time consuming and a chore. If you really want to change your health status you'll get over it pretty quick. If you can't, you'll stay exactly where you are and continue complaining instead of changing! There are plenty of note tracking apps that will allow this to be an easy task.
After a couple weeks you can then analyze. Here are a few possibilities;
Is your skin dull? Add 1/2 cup of berries daily.
Do you get tired around the same time every day? Then look at what you are eating up until then. You're not getting enough energy from the foods you eat. Or you are coming off of a caffeine or sugar high.
Do you have dry skin or get chapped lips often? Increase your water intake consistently and in another week reevaluate.
Do you have acne? Completely cut the dairy, reduce your sugar and take note if this helps or not.
How do you plan your fitness schedule??
This depends greatly on your goals and current physique. For space saving purposes I will go over the average recommendations. If you have a health condition this may be different and you should consult with a professional for guidelines.
CARDIO: 3+ days varying between moderate and vigorous efforts.
RESISTANCE: 3+ days; exercises including all major muscle groups.
FLEXIBILITY: Daily. Especially if you are coming from a sedentary lifestyle.
Buy a calendar, print a schedule, use an app. Plan out your cardio, resistance and flexibility sessions. Check them off as you go. If you happen to miss or skip (don't do it!) just move it forward and follow through.
PAY ATTENTION to how your body reacts and feels to any changes you make. Use your intuition to determine what is or is not working for you. You'll get better at doing this the longer you do it. If you find this extremely difficult it may benefit you to consult a professional. Feel free to email me with your questions; info@nicoleqfitness.com
