Failing to prepare is preparing to fail

One of my most embarrassing moments came at the end of junior year in high school. There’s merit in being blissfully unaware, but in May 2007, my ignorance gave birth to what very well may be the pure definition of cringe.

It was prom night…and, I somehow had only five bucks in my pocket to pay for our dinner. You would think that any person in a situation like that would have the foresight to check if they’re in the clear let alone do something about it. Apparently, not me.

Here’s what made it worst: ​she ​knew it. (I was young, oblivious, and didn’t know any better)

Take a minute to imagine how seemingly arduous that night became. It was already bad enough I was dripping with anxiety —my date happened to be one of the more popular girls. But to reach down in my back pocket and see Abraham Lincoln all by his lonesome self, that was adding insult to injury. One of my friends did manage to save my behind. Although, in hindsight, I don’t think it was enough to salvage my lack of preparedness and idiocy. Go figure. If she ever reads this, I’m sorry.

You’re probably wondering how does this relate to health and fitness. One word: preparation.

Q:​ ​Is losing weight too quickly really that bad? I’m doing a challenge and I have a lot to lose. What type of workouts should I do?

A:​ This time of the year is where many of you are inclined to pull super hard on the rope. Remember, excessive cardio and resistance training combined with an extremely low food intake negatively impacts your energy expenditure, or simply put, how many calories you burn.

You may produce promising results initially, but things start to get murky sooner rather than later. Your body starts to resist further weight loss. And generally, under those circumstances you’ll experience a reduction in lean mass instead of body fat. That’s a recipe for disaster. This is a big reason why it’s really important to be judicious with your training and nutrition. Start with the lowest hanging fruit and build from there.

Q:​ ​What are the three best exercises to lose belly fat?

A:​ If you really want to move the needle in terms of improving your physique you have to give priority to what actually matters. You can have an amazing program with all the bells and whistles and take every supplement under the sun, they still don’t hold a candle to quality sleep, movement throughout the day, and adequate hydration.