What Hump?

What’s this hump I keep hearing about?

Relax, it’s not your belly or
thighs or buns – it’s the seemingly insurmountable performance hump that dieters
hit at their first plateau, and exercise enthusiasts hit after doing the same
workout routine for too long.

And there are other variations on the
“hump” theme: like after having a pretty good track record with healthful
living, you have, well, changed course, and are having a hard time returning to
exercise and healthy eating.

Why? Maybe it’s a new relationship (how exciting!), or your career just took
off (also fabulous), or maybe there’s a new addition to the family
(congratulations), or in some other way, shape, or form, life has just run away
with your time and fitness has (probably when you need it most) lost its
priority.

To get back on track, to reset your mind and body, to promote a
dramatic shift in behavior, attitude, and results – get rigid.

That’s
right, you heard it from me. I am, in this case, recommending absolute
strictness and mindful self control for 14 days (hard to do, and that’s why
diets don’t work most of the time but, knowing it’s only two weeks makes it
workable, and this is a great reset technique).

That may not sound
like a short period of time to you but trust me, once you have gotten through
the first three days, it won’t feel like a restriction, but a
gift.

"There is freedom in boundaries," especially when nothing else is
working.

You should:
- Drink lots of water and eat three
moderately sized and very clean meals each day - no snacks in between.

-
Workout a minimum four mornings each week (don’t leave the workout until
later in the day – it may not get done).

MEAL
IDEAS
Breakfast - 1/2 grapefruit, two scrambled
eggs, three slices of tomato

Lunch - Fresh garden salad with a 1/2
can of tuna (packed in water) or cut-up turkey breast dropped on top. Cup of
soup (like tomato, vegetable, lentil); no cream soups

Dinner - 1/2
grapefruit, baked fish or chicken (4-6 oz), steamed or stir-fried vegetables,
1/2-cup rice or 1/2 baked potato.

WORKOUT IDEAS

Walk two to three minutes to warm up then walk as fast as possible
for two minutes with one-minute easy walking intervals in between – do
five to 10 sets depending on your level of fitness – with two to
three minutes of easy walking to cool down.

Warm up, then
jog two minutes, walk fast two minutes (five to 10 sets), cool
down.