“Okay you’re going to hold this at your chest, it’s a little bit heavy. Butt back and touch, push to the ceiling.”
The day typically begins at 4 a.m. for Crystal Chiles, who is an International Federation of Body Building and Fitness Pro Figure competitor, as well as a personal trainer at our very own San Diego State Aztec Recreation Center. Chiles, who is passionate as an educator of fitness and nutrition, holds the key for Aztecs to get on track to lose leftover holiday weight.
At 7:50 a.m., the ARC isn’t bustling like it normally is after classes. Eating a slightly green-tinted pancake that would otherwise be considered hazardous at Cuicacalli, Chiles enjoys her homemade oatmeal pancake infused with greens alongside a gallon of water. She’s already charged with a day’s worth of energy. Among Chiles’ average of eight clients per day is SDSU dance senior Maggie Sniffen. This client’s 8:00 a.m. session is not Chiles’ first of the day.
Chiles has been working with Sniffen since the beginning of last semester and has helped her get fit for the active lifestyle dancing demands. They begin their session with a rowing exercise, only one part of the circuit method of their workout. Fifteen step-ups with two 10-pound dumbbells follow. Sniffen has just started the workout and her deep exhales signal Chiles’ routine is doing its job.
While the goal of “losing weight” was among the top New Year’s resolutions in 2013 according to usa.gov, it’s not all about diving straight into it.
“After the holidays, especially, people take on this ‘do or die’ and burn out and wonder why,” Chiles said. She advises to start slowly to avoid crashing and to embrace a healthy way of life for long-term results. “This requires consistency and discipline in exercise, eating and, of course, rest and recuperation,” Chiles said.
Sniffen fights through the last 10 minutes of her session with Chiles beside her offering encouragement, “Perfect. Good job, Maggie!”
Experience as a professional figure competitor and fitness model has helped Chiles avoid the common holiday weight gain.
“A few important tips that someone can start doing if they over indulged during the holidays would be to start drinking more water,” Chiles said. “Water is the best detoxifier there is, and to cut out sugar.”
The little things people tend to forget are often the most influential factors of getting into shape, such as sleep. For college students, the recommended seven-to-nine hours is rarely abided by, and its importance is frequently underestimated.
“The body repairs during the sleep cycle. So if you are wanting to shed weight and tone up by adding lean muscle mass, you must allow your body to get adequate sleep,” Chiles said.
Finishing off her workout, Sniffen explains how taking on a healthy life has made her happier and more energetic in the mornings without a trip to Starbucks.
“It’s really about being selfish with my lifestyle and allowing myself to live the best way I can and as long as I can,” Sniffen said.
Anyone can adopt a healthy diet and a workout schedule, but not everyone can stay committed. Staying consistent certainly produces better results than random spikes of physical activity during the week.
“My best advice if people want to end the constant yo-yo of every year setting the same goals is to embrace the fact that getting in shape is more than hitting the gym,” Chiles said.
Moderation and balanced meals also play a crucial role in holiday weight loss. Rather than having Peabody’s iced coffee for breakfast and waiting until after your 7:00 p.m. class to scarf down a big dinner, fuel up on smaller meals throughout the day. This can also decrease late night cravings.
Before being disappointed with your results after a few days of P90X, consider Chiles’ most helpful advice for drastic changes: “Drop the alcohol, drop the processed foods and pick a time frame.”
And stay with it!
