Jamie Eason has a new monthly column dedicated to questions about motivation, modeling, diet and nutrition, and more! If you have been looking for answers to these types of questions then look no further - Jamie has been in the fitness industry for a few short years now and has gained a great deal of experience with these topics. Send your questions to Jamie now and we will post them along with the answers right here.
Jamie's Top 10 Ways To Stay Motivated
1. Make Working Out A Key Part Of Your Life
Schedule it in and put it on your calendar. Make it a real commitment. It is a lifestyle change, not a temporary fix.
2. Choose A Convenient Gym
Choose a gym or a place to work out that is convenient and close.
3. Set Attainable Goals
Instead of saying, I aim to lose 40 lbs or gain 10 lbs of muscle, set weekly and monthly goals to increase your reps or weight and/or increase your cardio.
4. Start Off Slow
Don't go in and work out so hard that you make yourself too sore to move. Focus on form and getting into the groove.
5. Vary Your Routine
Doing the same thing over and over will likely result in a plateau. Try to change your sets, reps, weights and/or rest period between sets at least once a month.
6. Keep A Journal
Keep a journal and hold yourself accountable to making improvements. How will you know when you get there, if you can't remember where you've been?
7. Use The Buddy System
Train with a friend to keep up the energy. There is nothing like some friendly competition to spur a good workout.
8. Hire A Trainer Or Coach
There will be days when the last thing you want to do is spend time at the gym. A professional knows how to motivate you on those days and you will be more likely to go when you're paying someone.
9. Be Patient
Make a promise to yourself to stick with it for at least 3 to 4 months. Consistency is key! Mark your calendar at the 3 or 4 month mark and if you stick to it, reward yourself with a new outfit or a vacation.
10. Get Enough Sleep!
Lack of sleep will derail your training program faster than anything. You will likely over eat to compensate for energy and/or skips the gym all together.
Jamie's Question and Answer Series
Dear Jamie,
I have been following your fitness career and really admire the success you've obtained in such a short period of time. As an aspiring model, could you please give me any advice to becoming a successful model?
Thanks,
Ann.
Think quality over quantity. Find the best photographers you can, pay if you have to, and build a great portfolio. Publishers see and receive pictures of potential models every day.
Many times its just a snapshot. Show them a finished product. With the proper lighting, makeup and wardrobe, a publisher will see the quality image you can produce which will make them more confident in hiring you for a project.
Also, do not post 10 shots from the same series of pictures. That takes away from the impact of an image. Show too many and it becomes a comparison. In reality, you are lucky to get 1 or 2 amazing shots from a set of 100. Always edit down.
Dear Jamie,
Well I firstly have to start off by saying WOW! I just recently discovered YOU and I can say that looking at your physique is extremely motivating and inspiring. I know you get swamped with emails, so I'll try and keep this short and sweet.
I currently have been working out consistently since June of this year. I hired a trainer and am almost done my sessions with him. My workouts have been intense, combining heavy weights and shorter rest periods etc.
An example might be on chest and biceps training day, we would incorporate running stairs during the workout which is taxing on the body but I have seen results. I have seen results but it is happening slowly as with anything that is worthwhile.
My question to you is about diet and nutrition. I have asked people time and time again whether I should be concerned with counting calories or just making sure that I am getting the appropriate macronutrients in every meal.
I wanted to get a final answer on this, so any help advice on this would be appreciated. Currently I am 136 pounds and about 25% body fat which is still high, I would like to see that number come down to about 17 so I have my work cut out for me. I just wanted to say keep up the good work with inspiring others, like me, and looking phenomenal! YOU ROCK GIRL!
Thanks,
Shannon.
Well, by now you probably know that it takes a deficit of 3500 calories to lose one pound of body fat. It is certainly not an exact science but one rule of thumb that I follow is to multiply my ideal weight (allowing for muscle growth, which weighs more than fat) by 10 to get the number of calories my body needs just to survive on a daily basis.
So, for me, at 5'2", I feel that my ideal weight is around 110. This puts me at 1100 calories. Next you have to figure in the amount of calories needed to fuel your daily activities.
If you have a sedentary lifestyle, sitting at a desk all day, no exercise, you would likely add about 300 calories to come up with your daily total. This would put me at 1400 to keep me from gaining weight with such little activity in my life.
If you are moderately to very active, add between 500-800 calories. This would put my daily total between 1600-1900 calories. You may need to play with these numbers over time to find your true caloric needs, because all of our metabolisms are different, some slow, some moderate and some quick.
Once you've established your caloric needs, divide that number by 5 or 6, depending on the number of meals you have throughout the day. Smaller, more frequent meals will boost your metabolism and give you quicker results than the usual 3 meals a day that we are all accustomed to.
Right now I am lifting heavier and harder than usual. I have decided to follow a meal plan for 1800 calories, which divided by 6 meals, puts me at 300 calories per meal. I then keep the ratio of macronutrients to about 50% protein, 30% carbohydrates and 20% fat.
| CALORIE CALCULATOR |
I am not typically concerned with keeping this exact. I just try to keep my protein at enough grams to promote muscle growth, so about 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight, so 110-160.
| PROTEIN CALCULATOR |
I keep my carbs just below those numbers and only incorporate good fats into my diet, remembering that too much fat, good or bad, will ultimately make you fat. However, some fat is necessary to maintain hormones and keep our metabolism running. I typically cut out carbs other than vegetables for my last meal of the day.
This is the formula I follow throughout the year. As competitions and photo shoots approach I might change me diet using the "taper down" approach or by carb-cycling. Those techniques should only be used for short periods of time because they could eventually make your metabolism sluggish. It is all about finding a balance. Too many calories and you will likely gain fat.
Too few calories and your metabolism will slow down, kick in to preservation mode and once again, likely gain fat. Your body will store anything you eat to protect its organs and keep from starving.
Find a balance by paying attention to the numbers if you really want to make a difference in your physique. It is amazing how much mindless eating and/or starving ourselves that we tend to do, without even realizing it.