This site is the website of motivational speaker Craig Harper. A constantly updated, one-stop information, inspiration, education and motivation station. Unlike many similar sites, it is a totally free resource for anyone who is serious about moving from mediocre to amazing in any area of their personal or professional life. With hundreds of articles covering a wide range of subject matter, great interviews with cool people and inspirational video posts, there's more than enough brain-food to keep you busy for hours. Okay, days!! Enjoy.
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Craig Harper is Australia's leading
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It seems that yesterday's Q&A style post resonated with some of you and was a little fun for me - and seeing as it's all about me - I thought we'd go that route again. Today's questions are from Sue - who also comments as Suz and Suza - and clearly has an identity issue. Here we go...
*Sue in blue, me in black
Dear Craig, I'm not Dear, in fact for you, I'm free - today anyway. Now, that is good value.
I have a nasty rash that seems to be spreading around my... everyone's a comic.
Ha. Not. Thankfully.
No, my questions are a little less exciting than that.. and hopefully within your realm of expertise to answer! My realm ain't that big but I'll do my best.
1. In the weight loss phase, if you have something "naughty" and calorie-dense, should you restrict your calories for the rest of the day to stay within your daily limit? Or should you still ensure you have your 5-6 meals in the day to avoid your body going into starvation mode?
Listen to your body - it will tell you when to eat again. I mean really listen to your body - not your head. When it comes to food, many people confuse cravings for hunger. One is a want, the other is a need. If you eat a 600 calorie muffin at eleven (in a moment of stupidity), your body ain't gonna need - or benefit from - a pre-set twelve thirty lunch (unless you spent the previous ninety minutes training your ass off). You know I'm not a fan of fixed calorie intakes; we don't have fixed calorie expenditure, so why would we fix our calorie intake? General calorie reduction for people who need to lose fat - good. Fixed low-cal diets - not good (with a few medical-based exceptions).Take an objective, un-emotional look at how many people actually create life-long (yep, that means forever) results using a low-calorie, fixed-calorie diet as their starting point... and you'll find - very few! I'm talking about permanent physical change - not some short term weight-loss or momentary phase. Of course the fixed, low-cal advocates don't want me to write this because they want you on their program or buying their products.
2. As you get within a couple of kgs of your goal weight (given that it's 18% bodyfat), is it normal for your weight loss to slow down or hit a bit of a plateau? Yep.And should you try to go harder, or just persevere with what you're doing?
Forget your goal weight and aim for a goal fat percentage. Throw your scales away or I'll come over and smash them - when I find out where you live. If you're morbidly obese, then scales can be a valuable resource, but for someone like you who is in relatively good shape, scales will mess with your head, distract you from the real issues and are more of a hindrance than a help. If you really wanna know how you're progressing, get your kit off and stand in front of the mirror. The key (to assessing genuine progress) is what you look like in the buff. Forget the stupid scales. Too many people have an unhealthy obsession with their weight. The moment you introduce strength training into the picture (which you do, right?), your body composition will change and you will probably gain some muscle weight (while losing fat weight). Sue, you are forthwith banned from the scales.
3. Should you try to get your weight a kg or so lower than your goal? When you adjust your eating to a maintenance level, will your weight jump up a little?
Refer to the previous answer and STOP OBSESSING ABOUT YOUR FRICKIN' WEIGHT!
4. How DO you go to a maintenance plan? And what are the best ways of maintaining your weight weight, weight, weight....given that you're not doing the diary any longer AND you don't have the same dogged intensity as when you're losing weight.
Once you get to the maintenance phase (with your body-composition), then those eating, exercise and lifestyle habits which got you there, should be non-negotiables that don't require too much effort or energy to maintain - they should happen naturally and automatically. Although you may be in a maintenance phase with your food, you will probably always be in some type of adaptation phase with your sport/training because you'll always be setting yourself new goals (fitter, stronger, faster, more powerful, more skillful, more flexible) - being as you're an athlete.
* For my other readers, Sue is a martial artist.
I'm soon to go into the maintenance phase and it's where I've fallen over in the past. That's about your head, not your body.I'd like as much knowledge knowledge ain't your problemand tools neither are tools! You need to discover why you have self-sabotaged in the past - and only you know that... as I can find to help me adjust into this phase of "the rest of my life".
While I (obviously) think that it's great for us to maximise our genetics, eat well and exercise our body in a productive and healthy manner, I believe that many people invest way too much emotional energy into their body - and the healthy becomes unhealthy. Sue - train well, eat well, compete well and live well but don't over-think it all and certainly don't obsess about your weight. Notice that all of your questions were in some way related to your weight - you didn't once speak about health, function or performance. When we find ourselves constantly thinking about our weight/fat, our diet, our training and our appearance, we're heading into dangerous territory. Remember that your body is not who you are, it's where you live; a temporary home. Yes, it can be a buffed home (of course) but we want you buffed on the inside also. I know many people who have 'built' an amazing body but in the process, lost themselves. By all means, create the amazing 'house' but even more importantly, be the amazing person.
Back to your comment... We know that the vast majority of people who lose weight regain it, and most people who get fit, get unfit. Holding on to what you've achieved ALL comes from your mindset. Sue - your genetics are fine. Your potential to create and maintain 'amazing' is there. You have the knowledge, time, intelligence, understanding, ability and resources but nobody in the world can change you - except you. Putting aside the stuff you can't change (genetics, age, history), your physiology will always be a reflection of your psychology. Take your head there and your body will follow.
That's all I can think of for now. Thank goodness, I'm spent!You know me - I'll write again if I think of some more! Doh!
Cheers, Sue
Ciao, CH x
As always, love to know your thoughts on today's offering and this type of post in general. Even you newbies and chronic cyber-lurkers. If you have a question (or four!), click on the email Craig thingy and I'll do my best to answer it. If you're not sure how to leave a comment, clickhere.
P.S. - In the 'old days' (2007), I used to ask my readers to let me know where they're from when theyleave a comment - by putting their state or country (or both) in brackets after their name. I know many people (including me) find it interesting to see where we're all coming from to assemble here in this humble little cyber-classroom.
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