How to Keep a New Years Resolution

If you want to lose weight or keep any New Years Resolution I have a suggestion. This year make a January resolution. That's right, make a promise to yourself just for the month a January. What this does is gives you a manageable time frame to see some progress.

Most experts agree it takes time and repetition for a new behavior to become a habit. The problem with a New Years Resolution is often that it seems to intimidating. You look forward to a whole year and it seems too overwhelming. Break it up into smaller parts and the task seems more obtainable.

Start with a simple plan. Write it down a note pad or better yet type something on the computer and print it out. You may want to post it on the refrigerator or bathroom mirror. Be specific and don't make it too hard. An example may be: I am going to walk for 15 mins. after dinner Mon, Wed and Fri for the month of  January.

After the first week arrange in advance for a reward (that doesn't involve food). You may want to buy a shirt or something small that you want but don't have. Go back to the computer and gradually add little things to the list after you achieved you first little goal. You can add some time to the walk or make a diet improvement that isn't too hard. (Eat breakfast, have a salad twice a week or have broiled fish once a week). The trick is to allow yourself to gain momentum without feeling deprived.

Finally, during the third week of January make a similar plan for February. Some people take one day at a time and have great success. What I suggest is to take one month at a time. Use the same principal and you too will find success. If you want some help getting started give us a call or visit our website at body-mastery.net.

Small Changes Yeild Big Results

With the new year approaching it is important to set goals that will keep us on track. So often we think of goals as results oriented rather than action oriented. An example is "I want to lose 20 pounds". This is fine and will work for some. Another alternative is, "I am going to walk after dinner three times a week".

Rather than doing the same thing that didn't work in the past, it's helpful to try something new. The answer is often an improved version of  something that almost worked before. You don't need to invent the wheel. Many of the things we want are obtainable but we need to be organized and systematic.

If you want to be healthier in 2012, start is by committing to change one meal a week. Next,  pick a day that you plan to take a walk (weekends are good). The trick I've found is not to add too quickly to your new behavior. You want to take it all in before you add a strict diet or bootcamp at 6 AM in the morning.

A lot depends on where you are and how far you want to go. The biggest obstacle is usually how far away the end result may appear. If you want to drive to New York, you wouldn't get in the car a just drive. You would do some research and find the best time of year and the best routing.

Getting healthy is not just good for you. Making a choice to get healthy benefits all the people who share your company and want your quality time in the future. Best of luck and wishing you all success in 2012.

Need help visit out website at body-mastery.net

How Much Do I Need To Walk To Get In Shape?

If you want to lose weight, think of the three to five rule. (I should begin by stating that everything depends on the shape you're in. See a Doctor if you have any concerns about your health.) When you get the OK, start with three times per week and go from there.
When it comes to intensity you want to walk quickly enough to feel a sense of urgency but not so fast that you feel out of breath. A good barometer is the talk test. Make sure you can talk without stopping in the middle of a sentence.If you're not a beginner and you want to push yourself, go as fast as you like. When it comes to weight loss it all comes down to math. The more calories you burn the better.
A frequent question is how long do I walk for. I suggest start with 10-20 minutes three times per week and build from there. You don't need to do it all at once. Break it up if it fits better into your schedule. If you have a playlist with fast music you can really help yourself. I used to listen to the radio. A slow song would come on and I felt I was walking though quicksand.
Remember that everything adds up. Taking the stairs and parking in the far end of the parking lot burns extra calories. I recently read a study about communicating. The author found a by product of better communication was weight loss.Not only do you understand better when you look at a person while they talk but it takes extra calories to walk to see the person you're taking to.
Finally, when you finish your walk spend a few minutes stretching. If you really want to speed up the process add four or five strength exercises. You don't need any equipment just a little know how and five minutes. If you want some help getting started call us or visit our website at body-mastery.net

Lose Weight Quickly and Easily

As a personal trainer in the La Crescenta/ La Canada area there has been one question that comes up more than all others combined. How do I lose weight fast? The best way to start is by walking. If I tell you all the good reasons it may hopefully turn good intentions into real actions.
#1 Walking is good for the heart. As you lose weight you gain increased stroke volume as a by product. This means as your heart beats it pumps more blood each time. Better stoke volume equates to less pumps or a more efficient heart rate. Basically it makes your heart last longer because it works less over a lifetime.
#2 You can improve your balance when you add walking to your weekly routine. Don't take it for granted if you haven't already noticed your balance slipping. As we age we move less and this can have a negative effect on our balance. As you walk you not only burn lots of calories but more importantly you work over a hundred muscles in the feet, ankles and legs. The first line of defense against poor balance is strong muscles in the lower extremities.
#3 Who doesn't want more energy. One of the best reason to start walking more often is the fact that it speeds up your metabolism and gives you more energy. It may be a "catch 22" but man up or woman up even when you're tired. You'll feel more energized when your done and proud of yourself for making the extra effort.
#4 With increased energy you stimulate weight loss. Improved balance prevents falls and avoidable surgery. I think it may be safe to say that walking promotes overall health and longevity. Remember its not how long you live but the quality of life and the confidence and happiness you carry into your later years.
#5 Finally, walking is a good first step before you start shaping and toning your body. Although it makes absolutely no sense, many people want to lose weight before they start working out (strength training). It has been documented by everyone in the know for 20 plus years, that strength training speeds up weight loss. You can add four or five exercises to your walking to accelerate the process. You don't need a gym and you don't need a lot of instruction. If you want some advice on how to put the good intentions into action visit our website at body-mastery.net.

Specialty Training For Peak Performance

You may not be the typical personal training client who wants to lose weight. Many of our clients over the past 20 plus years have come to us looking to build muscle, increase speed and improve athletic performance.

Many people need an elite level of fitness to gain entry into physically demanding professions like Police and Fire Departments. I have personally helped several men and women who were already in good shape but wanted to increase strength in specific areas. Only after careful preparations were they able to pass physical requirements the Montrose Search and Rescue Team, L.A. City Fire Department and Glendale Police Department require.

The same rules apply initially when it comes to getting in shape. The difference comes however, after the 

initial weight loss and muscle gain. The client looking to advance to an elite class, goes beyond where most 

people stop. Specific changes in diet and exercise methodology are implemented. This becomes the

difference which allows improvements in performance not typical to the novice.

If you are already in good shape or even great shape you may be having trouble getting to the next level. You may not be looking to pass the physical for the fire department but you may want get in the best shape of your life.

The biggest mistake even a skilled fitness buff makes is repetition. If you do the same routine for too long, the body adjusts and that’s not a good thing. You stop getting sore and you stop making progress. I hate to say it but three sets of ten is not for the advanced weight lifter. World class athletes sometime do a different routine every time they workout.

If you’re at a sticking point and want to make progress, we can specialty tailor a fitness routine that will take you to where you never believed you could go. Give us a call for a free fitness evaluation.    

The Body Mastery website

For more information about how to lose weight, get fit and options for a custom personal fitness program, please visit my website at www.body-mastery.net.

Get Fit In La Crescenta This Holiday Season

As a personal trainer in the La Crescenta/ La Canada area, my friends and neighbors always ask me if I get busy come the first of the year. What may surprise you is that people who start to make changes in November and December have the greatest chances of permanent weight loss success.

The "turn over a new leaf" mentality come New Years often gets people going, after the excesses of the Holidays. This unfortunately is too often short lived. If you want to get in shape because of what you see on TV, you're not doing it for the right reason anyway.

If you want to lose weight you can start now by avoiding the "free for all" that other go through this time of year. With all the parties that come up here is a good strategy. Eat before you go to the party. If its a 7 PM party eat a small dinner about 6:00. You can eat again but will usually do less damage if you don't wait until you're starved.

Another pitfall is all the sweets at the office or place of work. If you've been there a while you probably know who the offenders are. You may want to be proactive and tell them ahead of time that you want to start losing weight. You tell enough people and you will probably get a partner who wants to do the same thing. One client started a Biggest Loser contest at her work.

Finally, if you start an exercise program now it is statically proven you increase your chances of sticking with it versus waiting until the 1st of January. You don't need to do a Boot-camp. Start with 15 min. walks and build from there. A few walks a week and a few 15 min dumb bells sessions and you're off. If you need a few session to get started give us a call or visit our website.

Lose Weight In La Crescenta

If you live in Montrose, La Crescenta or the Foothill area, you have a free weight loss tool you may not of taken advantage of. We live in a beautiful walking environment that most of US resident would envy. If you want to lose weight, tone up and improve your overall quality of life, it doesn't take all that much time.

Every personal trainer agrees that you need to combine strength training, cardio and stretching for a balanced fitness routine. The good news is you can make some positive strides by spending only two half hour sessions a week if you do it wisely.

The key is to start with a brisk walk ( 10-15 mins.) and then follow it with the proper exercises that tone the body while keeping the heart rate up. You don't need to go to a personal trainer every time, you can do all the movement at home in any room with a little space. A few hours of instruction may be all you need.

This methodology applies to anyone who is not currently doing any routine exercise. If you are doing something but not getting results, unfortunately you're not doing what you need to. You may have adjusted to what you're doing and just need to change it up a bit. The best program in the world becomes less and less effective after a month or two. You can try the above program but extend the walk and add some extra strength moves. Still you don't need longer than 45 mins. a session. People laugh at how quickly I workout but at nearly 60 I think it's working.

Most of my clients come to me because they haven't found a program that works. They want to lose weight and look better and just be healthier. In my opinion most people are working inefficiently and getting discouraged with a lack of progress.. Doing less and sticking with it is better that doing more and giving up.

Tips to Accelerate Fat Burning

If you workout or you don’t, everyone want to burn fat. You may not want to lose weight but you may want to add a little definition in your arms. You can lose weight but just become a scaled down version of you current shape. Conversely you can lose fat while you add muscle. This can help to shape your body in areas that you wish to slim down.

#1 Substitute veggies and fruit for starch based carbs. Vegetables and fruits have more fiber so they fill you up. They also give you sustained energy unlike processed carbs and starch that cause insulin to spike and the body to store fat. When you go out to dinner ask the waiter to leave the bread or skip the chips and salsa. When you order, ask for double veggies instead of rice or baked potatoes.

#2 Drink 16 glasses of water. If you want stay hydrated 8 glasses is fine. Double your water consumption and you flush toxins out of the cells and boost your metabolism. I have clients who did nothing differently but tried this (with skepticism) and noticed a difference. The best by-product of this easy trick is more energy. Boxers actually use this trick to get lean and make weight. Have a glass of water every two hours to keep track.

#3 Do a short resistance workout before a half hour cardio session. It has been proven that weight training depletes glycogen (muscle fuel). If you follow 20-30 minutes of strength training with a ½ hour of cardio, the fat burning is accelerated. You don’t need a lot of time and you don’t need any expensive equipment. Spend 15-30 minutes doing two exercises for each body part. You can use your own body weight (push ups or dips) and a few hand weights for a great challenging workout. Call us if you live in the La Crescenta/La Canada area and we'll show you how to get started.

Seniors In La Canada Make Fitness Progress

Most of my clients in their 40’s and 50’s want to know how to lose weight. Conversely, people in their 60’s, 70’s and 80’s ask me “how do I get in shape”. Seniors are usually more concerned with personal fitness and want to know how to get healthy.

Although most things are similar when it comes to getting a body stronger, there are several differences when it comes to working with mature adults. The first difference starts with time, the second with intensity. A 30 min. session is usually more than enough time for someone over 65 who is just starting out. Second, we perform more repetitions which gives the muscles more time to warm up which prevents injury.

One of the biggest concerns for seniors is also money. This is why we started 30 min. sessions for $30. We have several clients who come only once a week. We then personally tailor an “in home routine” to keep them productive between visits. When a person learns how to “exercise at home” it saves time, gas and money. You can come only once a week to us and do a session or two at home. The good thing is, you don’t need any expensive equipment. Two pair of hand weights is all you need. That usually means about $20. After a few weeks or months you may choose to come back for a tune up or a more advanced routine.

Another thing that’s a little different is nutrition. Even though it’s not always a priority “to lose weight”, most people want to lose fat. We all want a higher percentage of muscle but seniors need a higher percentage of fat in their diet to stay healthy. Going too low in fat is a frequent mistake and effect the absorption of fat soluble vitamins.

Finally, the good news is how fast mature adults can make improvements. Several studies through the years have show how dramatic results can be achieved in only eight weeks of strength straining. The key is working smarter not harder. Call us for a list of seniors who have benefited from our programs.

Motivation Tip for La Crescenta

How do you do what you know you should do. Many of my personal training clients in La Crescenta workout with us one or two days a week. The plan is to provide them with the "KNOW HOW", so they can extend the workouts one or two days a week by themselves. Sorry to say but a good majority of the clients wind up working out, only when they're with us.
A good way to make yourself accountable is to make your progress visual. The easiest way to lose weight is to exercise three to five time per week. The reason for success is tied to the fact that you don't blow the eating when you just finished a workout.
A good way to insure you do those extra workouts is to simply put a notation on your day planner or calendar. Some people like to put an X where as others like to write WORKOUT. You can draw a smiley face if you like. The idea is, make it easy to see when you look at your week if you've hit your goal.
A suggestion, put a calendar on the frig or pantry door. Make a notation every time you walk or do any kind of exercise. You can include yard work, house cleaning or other activities. This way it fills up the week and makes you feel better.

Workout Tips for La Crescenta on 10-12-11

If you want to maximize your progress, you may want to change it up a bit when you workout. Most people love regularity and hate change. It is always easier to do the same thing than to learn something different.

Many people come to a personal trainer to learn some new tips on how to shape this body part or firm this body part. This is because the biggest mistake they make (next to doing nothing), is doing the same thing month after month.

You can actually reduce the weight and get better results if you target the muscles from different angles. This is a good example of working smarter not harder. Joe Weider, the father of body building called it muscle confusion.

The easiest way to change your routine is to do different exercises. If you don't need a lot of hand holding you can spend a few sessions with a personal trainer or fitness pro. They can show you how and you can take over from there.

If you have the basics down, here are some easy tips. #1, lift less weight but do it more times. #2, lift more weight and do it fewer times. #3, group two exercises together (super set) without stopping. This takes a little know how. It's best to combine either the same muscle group or related groups. #4, go more slowly on the negative ( easy part of the exercise) . For example lift the weight up and then down for a count of three. #5, add stretching after each exercise. Each muscle has been shown to benefit from being elongated after first being contracted. #6, change the frequency. Adding a day can make a big difference but sometimes taking a day off will also help prevent over training if that's the case.

Use The 3 to 5 Rule to Lose Weight

Like hair dressers, most personal trainers think THEY have the best ideas about how to make you look better. We all have our methods and approaches that are for the most part all fundamentally sound. With all the differing fitness advice, one things seems to be universally agreed upon. To lose weight you need to burn 3500 calories. This will create a calorie deficit necessary to lose one pound.

99.9% of the fitness professionals and personal trainers also agree that you need to do something regarding fitness three to five times per week to facilitate this result. 20 years ago when I first began my fitness business, most of my clients came to my studio two or three times per week. In this new world economy, most of my clients work out with us once or twice a week. This created a need for us to help our clients when they were between sessions with us.

You can strength strain twice a week to maintain muscle mass. If you want to also lose weight you can add a day or two of walking or light weight lifting with dumb bells to get that third day in. Some people come to us one day a week and do two days on their own and make great progress.

What people need to understand is you need to do both cardio and strength training to change the shape of you body. If you walk every day you will make less progress that if you add some resistance to your weekly routine. The muscle that you inevitably build (even with small weights) is metabolically active. It burns calories even when we sleep.

In conclusion, if you want to lose weight and get healthier remember the 3 to 5 rule. Do something at least three times per week. It will not only speed up your metabolism but also help you make better eating choices. Walk for a 1/2 hour after dinner and you may wind up skipping the dessert you may of been thinking about.

Weight Loss Tip of the Day

This is for all my friends, clients and neighbors here in the La Crescenta, La Canada area. Here is a weight loss simple tip from your local personal fitness trainer. If you want to lose fat not just weight, try a small salad or cup of soup a half hour before dinner. The act of fork or spoon to mouth has a satisfying effect. There is also a ton of evidence that it takes about 20-30 mins. for the brain to figure out that the stomach is full. Eating less is a sure fired way to lose weight and this is a proven way to eat less and still feel full after dinner.

A Good Breakfast to Build Muscle

As a local personal trainer in La Crescenta, I always encourage my clients to keep a food diary. One of my long time clients sent me picture of her breakfast. I always preach how you should eat within the first hour after waking and to let me know what you're eating. The picture was a beautiful presentation of an oatmeal bowl. It had sliced peaches, sliced bananas, slivered almonds and blueberries. As pretty as it looked it had one very big problem, too many carbs.

If you want to build muscle or even maintain muscle mass you need protein with every meal and that includes breakfast. What this breakfast had was carbs with carbs, carbs more carbs, fat and a little protein. The way to turn this weight gainer into muscle builder was easy. If you lose the high carb banana and add a scoop of whey protein you have a winner. (Mix the protein with 1% milk, drink half and pour the balance on the oatmeal)

To keep it simple, if you want to lose weight and maintain muscle, don't forget protein for breakfast. A man should have 30-35 gms. and a woman should have at least 20-25 gms. If you go low fat it's easy to eliminate protein in the process.

Finally a Program you Can Stick To

The facts are in. If you stick to an exercise program, you benefit in health and appearance. Everyone wants to look better, live longer and avoid cancer and heart issues. Then why do only a small fraction of people exercise.

The major problem is methodology. Most people have had an initial bad experience in the past. They have done too much. It has been too hard and they have not experienced results quickly enough to continue.

If you want a program that you will stick to, you must start with small steps and realistic expectations. As a personal trainer with 1000 or more client's, one thing still surprises me. Most new clients can't believe that the first session is over. They expect it to be more work and go more slowly. You MUST work at a level that is within your capabilities and only then proceed to a more intense level.

A few tips to the beginner. Don't do the same exercise more than once and don't ever work out hard enough that you can't talk. Variety will keep you from getting bored and a heart monitor will keep you from working too hard.

There are hundreds of exercises. Start a program where most of those exercises are ones that you like (or at least don't hate). I've had clients who were 200 pounds over weight and could do our program. The key is small steps and consistency. You can do it! If you want proof give us a call for a free session.

Eat Healthy - Live Longer

Poor eating habits have been linked not only to obesity but to health problems like cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. If you want to change your habits you need to look at what you eat, how much and then when you eat.

As a personal trainer I found some simple tips may be a big help for anyone looking to lose weight and eat healthier. The first thing for most overweight people is to deal with that sweet tooth. Two tips: #1 Eat fresh fruit every time you would eat the bad stuff (candy, cookies, ice cream etc.) #2 Try your coffee black instead of with cream and sugar or artificial sweetener. It may sound terrible but you only need to do it for a month to get the desired result.

With dinner a big help is to have a small salad BEFORE your meal. Use low cal. dressing and wait a few mins. before the entree. This will improve digestion and make you eat less high calorie food.

When it comes to implementing your new eating program, do some planning. The best thing to do is clean out the pantry and freezer of any temptations. Shop when you're not hungry and have low cal.veggies cut up with some low cal. dressing handy. Avoid late night eating by allowing yourself 100-150 calories. It may be better to have a little of the good stuff (low fat popcorn, pretzels or veggies) than to totally blow it with a 300-500 calorie binge.

How To Look And Feel Better

What drives most people to a personal trainer is the desire to look better. Clients for the most part over the past 20 years have had losing weight at the top of their wish list. Second on the list is looking better which usually involves toning the arms, legs and butt.

What comes around first is a surprise to most people. A few pounds off every week over a few months and people start to take notice. What the newbie doesn’t expect is how quickly they begin to feel better. Usually after the first workout there is a sense of hope. Yes, you can do this. No, you don’t have to hate the process. Then after the first week physical changes begin to take place. Most people are unaware that they are sleeping better, have a little more energy and are generally in a better mood. I had one lady with Asthma who went from level one to level two on the elliptical after one session. Often it involves a feeling of empowerment that makes people dig down and take charge.

It’s a fact that it takes about a month for a new behavior to become a habit. Also for a person to change the look of their body, they first need to change their attitude. This means that when you look better you will as a byproduct, feel better as well!

With all the pros why doesn’t everyone participate in routine exercise? The arguments are pretty overwhelming. My opinions as a fitness trainer with 20 plus years are twofold. # One people have unrealistic expectation in terms of time and # two people have a flawed methodology. In simple terms they expect too much too soon and they try too hard and go too heavy.

Our goal at Body Mastery is to show anyone at any age how easy it is to improve how you look and feel. The key is a tailored approach that allows everyone to make progress and actually enjoy themselves while working within their limitations. This program in not BOOTCAMP ! Give us a call if you want to lose weight, improve your balance, tone your body and actually enjoy the process.

Ten Tips to Lose 10 Pounds

Eat veggies and fruit and skip processed foods. The real food fills you up and will keep you healthy. Think about calories like a bank. You only have so many per day so use them wisely. If you spend too much now you have to scrimp later. Have 4-5 small meals a day. You won't get hungry and over eat. Prepare your meals a day in advance, it eliminates bad choices. Plan to work out weekly. Mark it on your calender to keep you accountable. Set short term goals. Make them achievable and reward yourself often (not with food). Don't beat yourself up if you slip. Be patient, change take time. Visualize yourself at your goal weight. This helps with willpower and helps you make smarter choices. Try to strength train twice a week. If you build muscle it will speed up your metabolism.

How To Fit Into That New Dress

With most of my clients wanting to lose weight this issue has been a frequent topic. Most women hire a personal trainer to look better. This often doesn’t require the loss of weight. What is really most important is the loss of inches. If you starve yourself you will lose weight. The problem is however that you will often have the same proportions, only smaller. While the truth remains that you can’t spot reduce (except with Liposuction). There is a principal called “last on first off”. What this means is, if you gained weight and it made your hips and thighs bigger. When you lose weight it will come off your thighs and hips first. The best way to accomplish the sculpting of a more desirable body is the addition of muscle and the loss of fat. You can ask 100 Personal Fitness Trainers and they will have a wide variety of opinions on weight loss. Fortunately the one thing that all weight loss coaches agree upon is consistency. If you stick to a plan of eating better and becoming more active you can’t help but succeed. What I’ve found in my 20 plus years as a certified fitness trainer is, make it doable and make it fun. I can give anyone a program that will work but if it becomes too laborious and uninteresting most people will quit. Body Mastery is different because you never do the same exercise twice. You never starve yourself and you never feel hungry. Small changes yield big results if you stay consistent!

TOP FITNESS MYTHS

Myth #1. You want to make a body part smaller so you do a million exercises to make that happen. It makes better sense to eat better and move more. Spend more time on the treadmill or just walking. You can actually make the stomach or hips bigger by adding muscle. #2 Women will become bulky. The truth is women have less testosterone than men. A lady will first become tone than defined. Even if you could become bulky you would know when to stop. #3 You need to exercise hard and often. The truth is, even moderate exercise can improve your fitness. Two half hour sessions a week can improve tone and even increase muscle mass.#4 You burn more fat if you go longer at a lower intensity. While you do burn a higher percentage of fat at a lower intensity, you burn more calories at a higher intensity. It all comes down to math. Burn more calories than you consume and you'll lose weight. Finally #5 No pain no gain. If you want to look like a body builder this is definitely true. Most people just want to look healthy and maybe defined. Listen to your body and if something hurts...STOP. You should stop lifting before it becomes uncomfortable. A rule of thumb is, stop a few reps before you have to stop. This way after 15 reps you could of done 17 or 18 if you pushed it. When you walk, make sure you can talk. This will help you to continue and still help you get more fit.

Easy Weight Loss Tips

Most people know why they don't lose weight. They don't move enough and they eat what ever they want. This blog isn't for them. For those of you who are making an effort and not having success, read on.

#1 Don't eat after 8 PM. 2# Don't snack on anything that has over 100 calories. Look at the label and measure out 100 calories (14 chips). #3 You eat too much fruit. Even though its healthy, you can supercharge your system with sugar. #4 Most people don't eat enough fiber. Fiber will make you feel full, help you to eat less and keep everything running smoothly. #5 Drink water and water with caffeine doesn't count. #6 A lack of physical activity. When you cut calories it will slow down your metabolic rate and make you lose muscle. You may lose weight in the short run but chances are you'll gain it back. #7 Skipping breakfast has been shown by every authority to slow down you metabolism and frustrate weight loss. Finally #8, not getting enough sleep will also slow down weight loss. Try melatonin a natural sleep aid. It cost almost nothing and has no side effects.

How to Start an Aerobic Program

Most people have heard the term aerobic. This basically means keeping an elevated heart rate for a certain period of time. If you want to get specific, take 220 minus you age and then stay between 60-85% of those numbers. If you want to make it easier, get a heart rate monitor or just walk, bike or step until you breath becomes slightly labored. If you can talk you're not working too hard.

The trick I've found if to do something that you like or at least don't hate. Walking seems to be a good fit for most beginners and ellipticals for those who want a little more of a challenge. The first thing to do is to start small with 10 or 15 min. sessions. Try two to three times a week and build your times up from there.

If you want to kill two birds as they say, try circuit training. This is what most of my clients prefer because you tone and burn fat at the same time. All you have to do is follow up a few exercises with a min or two of walking or stepping. You'll keep the heart rate up, tone your body, burn fat all at the same time. The best thing is how fast the time goes.

Little Bits to Get More Fit

With the biggest obstacle to working out being a lack of time, here are some tricks to help you along. Forget the all or nothing attitude. If you only have 10 mins. this can help speed up your metabolism and when you add a few additional clips of 10 it may equal a real workout. The trick is to treat the 10 mins. like a regular workout. Warm up for one to two mins. followed by 10-15 exercises and then cool down for a min. or two. You can also try to do three 10 min. sessions that hits either strength, cardio and flexibility. For cardio you can use the treadmill, elliptical or just walk for ten mins. For strength try some light dumb bells or just a few sets of push ups or chair dips. Stretching is easy to do. It feels good and you can do it every day and helps you feel younger.
The idea is to do something if you can't fit in a full workout. Sometimes the little workout go longer and become the bigger workout you were trying to avoid.

What Burns More Fat - Cardio or Weights

If you have time do both cardio and lift weights. If you are limited and only have time for one, lift weights. This is contrary to what most people may think. The main reason, the more muscle you have the higher your metabolism is even at rest. Another factor is muscle loss when dieting. When you lose weight you often lose up to 30% muscle with the fat. If you do strength training while reducing your calories you can keep your muscle loss down to 3-5 percent. All you need to do to maintain muscle and speed up your metabolism is strength train at least two times per week for 30-40 mins. What I have my busy clients do is combine cardio with weights. By wearing a heart monitor (which now have gotten pretty cheep), we lift weights while keeping within the target heart zone. It's a nice way to kill two birds with one stone and it really makes the time fly by.

Lose 2 Pounds a Week

The first thing to do if you want lose weight is eat breakfast every day. If you do you'll speed up your metabolism. Make sure to have 20 grs. of protein if you want to build muscle. Drink at least 10 glasses of water per day. It will not only curb you appetite but also help your liver to process fat right out of your body. This may be a hard one but the payoff is huge . Stop eating excess sugar. You can't burn your own body fat if your have to process all that sugar you've eaten. Sugar also raises your insulin level. What ever insulin isn't used for energy is stored as fat. That's why insulin is called the fat hormone. Add fiber and veggies to your diet. It will help you feel full and give your body the much needed energy it needs to burn calories. Finally, start a regular exercise routine. Walk a little every day and pick up some hand to tone up. With a few hours of instruction, anyone can learn how to tone up, feel younger, and speed up their metabolism. It may be the best two hour a week investment you make in your life.

Mistakes to Avoid

If you want to get in shape here are some things to avoid. Don't start without a plan. This can slow your progress or even get you hurt. Include stretching after you workout when your warm not before when your cold. Don't do too many sets or exercises. Start slowly and gradually increase your intensity. Push yourself hard enough to get results. Don't baby yourself. They call it progressive resistance for a reason. Vary the routine or you will never make progress. Doing the same thing for more than a month will kill one's momentum. Do complete workouts. Doing cardio alone won't develop fat burning muscles and doing quad muscles without hamstrings will create back problems. Make sure you're balanced. Be sure to maintain focus. If you move from exercise to exercise you can get done in 30 mins. If you get distracted you can talk for 30 mins. Don't drink too many sports drinks. They contain a high amount of cals. and can add unwanted lbs. Be active even when you're not working out. Even if you workout you still need to increase activity to lose weight. Shoot for 3-5 times per week to do something. Plan a balanced diet for the week on Sunday. Include lean protein and water based carbs. If you plan in advance you can often eliminate impulse eating.

Increase Your Metabolism

If you want to lose weight or just have more energy here are some helpful tips. Don't skip breakfast. Also have several small meals 3-4 hours apart. Have high protein foods like turkey, chicken and fish. Always have high energy foods like fruits and veggies. Avoid sugar and refined carbs. They slow down your system and promote fat storage. Drink more water. This helps flush out toxins and waste products and if you drink enough it will beat even coffee or tea. Do strength training at least 2 times a week. Muscle burns more calories than fat and raises you metabolism 30-50 calories per lb of muscle you add. Cardiovascular exercise like walking can increase you metabolism for up to 3 hours even after your done. Try a walk after dinner and make it a habit, you'll be glad you did.

"No Pain No Gain."

The biggest myth in fitness is "No Pain No Gain."

You don't have to kill yourself and you don't have to hate the process. What you do need to do is to move. Most of my clients have come to me for the past 20 years, pretty much wanting the same thing. People usually just want to lose a few lbs. (or several lbs.) and to tone up. The same rules apply if you are a couch potato or an elite athlete. You need to do more than you're doing or change what you ARE doing.

The majority of men and women who come to me want to take off the weight that the past few years has added. They want to look more like they did in their 20's now that they're in their 40's and up.

The good news is, the less you're doing now the easier it is to get to the next level of improvement. Start slow and remember you didn't get this way overnight. Walking is a good place to begin and many body parts can be toned even without weights or machines. One more important tip, it's not how much you lift but how well you lift. Use good form and never worry about how big the weights are!

Burn That Stubborn Fat

If you burn more calories than you take in, you'll lose weight. It really boils down to simple math. There are however some tricks to help you burn that hard to lose fat that we all hate and want to lose. The first thing to do is replace starchy carbs. (breads, pastas and white rice etc.) with water based carbs. (veggies and most fruits). Fruits and especially veggies are fast burning carbs. that provide us with energy. This helps us move more and burn more calories. Starch is slow burning and the excess is stored as fat. Have at least 10 servings per day and see the difference. A tip you'll like is drink 16 glasses of water a day. 8 is fine for general health but if you want to lose fat, increase the water. You'll flush out toxins, supercharge your cells, increase your metabolism and make it hard for fat to stick to your body. Additional benefits include increased energy and concentration. Who doesn't want more energy! Drink filtered or boiled water versus tap however. The final tip is, go longer when doing cardio. Your body doesn't start to use fat as an energy source until 20 mins. into your workout. (target heart zone). Most people stop right when they start burning fat. Use a heart rate monitor during your workout and keep it over 65% of your maximum heart rate. If you have time to do weights separately, start with weight and then fallow it with cardio. You'll increase your metabolism up to 200 % and burn more calories even while you sleep.

Watch What You Drink

Many people I work with tell me that they eat right and still can't lose weight. It may be hidden calories, sometimes portion size, most times its bad choices they think are OK. One of the easiest things to fix is what you drink.
Let's start with coffee. Fix it at home and add cream and sugar-150 or more calories. Have a few cups and that make a good eating day a push at best. Go to Starbucks and get a fancy cup and you may be adding 400-600 extra calories. A great example is Vitamin Water- more calories than a beer or a glass of wine. Take sport drinks and its pretty much the same thing. Sodas have 10-12 tsps. of sugar and diet sodas can also trick the body into releasing extra insulin (the fat hormone) into the body. Ensure (Doctor recommended) has 6 grams of fat and only 9 grams of protein. Many fruit juices have corn syrup and sugar, so have 100% real fruit juice. If you're serious have a 1/2 glass of fruit juice and the other 1/2 sparkling water. Then there's alcohol. 80 proof is 80 calories and oz. A shot (baby drink) is 120 calories just for the booze. Add the mixer, make it strong and its 400 calories. Try a light beer 75-100 cals. or wine with some seltzer. Drink only WATER for a week and 99% of you will lose weight. I guarantee you'll feel better!

You're Making Progress- Signs You Need to Know

Many times when you first start a fitness routine, the progress seems to never appear. If you take note of the following, it may help you to finally stick with it this time. You may notice a little pep in your step. Walking a little faster means your getting more fit. Medical tests can show an improvement in triglycerides, blood pressure, resting heart rate and even cholesterol levels. A more positive and energetic attitude are always a good reason to keep doing what your doing. Believe it or not you will even start looking forward to your exercise sessions. This will become one of the best examples that your making progress. Clothing you wear will start to fit more loosely and this shows that inches are coming off in the right places. Take a pair of tight jeans or mark a belt size on the bottom with ink. Even if the scale doesn't move, you may be adding muscle and improving body composition. In the past you may of craved food that was unhealthy or fattening. As you become more fit you usually start to crave food that will help you lose weight and become more healthy. Bottom line, it takes time to turn your body into a fat burning machine. You need to be patient but the changes you want will come. Hang in there and notice the little improvements along the way. It can be the difference you need to finally succeed this time.

Eat Five Meals a Day and Lose Weight

In a word eat "frozen" or "prepared meals". There are several perks when it comes to frozen dinners. They have built in portion control, a vegetable in each meal, are easy to make and clean up, great for single servings and quick to prepare. Most diets are 1500 calories for women and 1800 or more for men. Most frozen dinners are 250-350 calories. 5 times 250 is 1250 and 5 times 350 is 1750.
Some things to do and to avoid are don't get dinners with a crust or any Hungry Man dinners. Avoid dinners that are over 400 calories. The things to do are try dinners that: have over 15 grams of protein, are lower in sodium (under 500 m. if you have high blood pressure), and are low in saturated fat.
You can also eat less obviously, than 5 meals. You can have a quick breakfast (make sure to have 15-20 g. of protein) and then have two to three dinners. If you have less than 5 dinners you may want to round out the holes in protein and fiber. Have a salad with low calorie dressing, a glass of 1% milk or a piece of fruit. The idea is to eat every 3-4 hours so you don't get hungry and overeat.

Walking to Lose Weight

Many people know that walking is a good way to lose weight. If you're not walking and you want to start, here are a few tips. Start with a flat route and start small. Time your walk and use a watch. The idea is to increase the time incrementally. Depending on your fitness level, you can start at anywhere from 10-20 mins. If you like music this can make a big difference. Put together a playlist that is uptempo. The more fun you have the better you'll stick to your new HABIT.
If you already walk and have stopped losing the lbs., here are a few tricks. The good news is you've become more fit. To increase your progress you need to increase your efforts. The best thing to do is interval walking. Bring a watch and do a faster 2-4 mins faster, followed by a slower 2-4 mins. The nice thing is, the attention to the watch makes the time go by faster as well. If you like music, you can put together songs that vary from fast to slow. You won't need a watch and you'll probably have a better time. The best payoff from fast/slow walking is a faster metabolism. You'll not only burn more calories during the walk but more importantly you'll burn more calories even after you stop.
Other tips include trail walking or just vary your route. Like an exercise routine that you never change, a walk that you never change becomes less and less effective.

Clean Up Your Diet and Get Healthy

If you want to be healthy and clean up your diet, here a few ideas. The first place to start is by cutting out empty calories. We all know that too many sweets and too much alcohol will slow down any weight loss program. Other things to consider are food additives. It is estimated that the US diet has about 1400 chemicals in its food supply. Most things in moderation are OK, but in my opinion it would be a good idea to cut down the following five items: Artificial sweeteners claim to be calorie free but often increase sweet cravings. Some studies even show that no calorie sweets can even raise insulin levels. What ever insulin isn't converted to energy is stored as fat. That's why insulin is called the fat hormone. Artificial colors not only cause allergies and hyperactivity but have also been shown to be carcinogenic. Preservatives (BHA,BHT,EDTA) have been linked to cancer, allergies, hyperactivity and are toxic to the liver. Nitrites & nitrates transform into nitrosamines in the stomach which also can cause cancer. Finally, MSG is the popular ingredient in Asian food so many restaurants have taken the hint. Be careful however to look in sauces and processed foods. This ingredient can dramatically increase shelf life but hurt your life in the process.

A Great Reason to Exercise - Your Mind

Along with all the other reasons to exercise, how about keeping your wits as you get older. Regular exercise sessions have been proven in scientific journals to increase an area of the brain called the hippocampus. This area of the brain starts to decline at about the age of 30 and is associated with cognitive function. Another neurological study shows how exercise my slow brain shrinkage in patients with Alzheimer disease. Here are a few byproducts of being fit as you age: Improved memory and concentration, reduced gray matter loss, improved neurogenesis (generation of new brain cells), increased brain blood flow ( helps your neurons fire more quickly ) and a positive change in gene patterns ( helps genes that normally become less active to become more active).
A few mental steps can help the physical thing you do in the form of exercise: Read something new every day, try to play your own trivial pursuits ( look at old pictures and try to pick out details),crossword puzzles, old pop culture games, de-stress ( this has been show to shrink the hippocampus), 8 hours of sleep / naps, eat brain food ( walnuts, salmon and food rich in Omega-3's). Challenge your mind and your body and you can appreciate how good you look

Don't Skip Breakfast

Most people I've worked with don't seem to like to eat in the morning. If you skip breakfast or have a breakfast low or without enough protein you are really hurting yourself. Think of the word itself BREAK FAST. You are eating after being without food all night and hopefully since the last nights dinner (12-16 hours). Especially if you're weight training, you need to feed those muscles with protein. Skip breakfast and you'll probably will be short of the minimum requirement for the day. One key thing to remember is when you eat in the morning you jump-start your metabolism. Eat within the first hour after waking for the best results.
If you just don't want to eat in the morning, drink your breakfast. My favorite is whey isoloate protein powder and some OJ. If you want something low fat/high protein try cottage cheese. If you hate the taste of cottage cheese cover it with fruit. Another good idea if you have a little time is egg beaters. They taste a little bland so try the flavored ones (southwest) or spice them up with what ever you like. Your body can only assimilate 30-40 grams of protein at a sitting. Start the day with 30 grams and you should be good for the rest of the day.

The Mental Benefits of Exercise

The American Heart Association recommends 20-30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week. Most of us have heard of the term "runner's high". During exercise the body's pituitary gland causes a release of endorphins that cause this good feeling. These neurotransmitters not only reduce the body's awareness to pain but also will elevate one's mood. Studies have also shown that people who suffer from depression also have low levels of serotonin. Serotonin or 5-HT is produced by the body's pineal gland by an amino acid called tryptophan when you keep you heart rate up for 20-30 minutes. Increased serotonin will elevate your mood and help you sleep better as well.
Finally with exercise comes an undisputed increase of blood flow to the brain. This increase in blood flow will make you more alert. With increased blood flow, the brain is also able to eliminate waste products that accumulate during the thinking process. This may explain why we often have so many good ideas when we walk.

How to Improve Your Balance

As we age there are many things that are inevitable. There are also several things we can do to be proactive and maintain quality of life and independence. Along with walking which should be a given, weight training is a proven way to maintain muscle strength and tone. Unfortunately many people know this but don't follow through and make routine exercise a part of the day to day.
If you want work on balance, here are a few easy exercises. These can go along with your walking and resistance routine or possible be a good place to start. The first one is to look at a clock with a second hand and stand on one leg (without holding on to something.) Have something close by and just tap it to steady yourself as you need it. Start with 20-30 seconds and work up to a min. Repeat the other leg and do the same thing. You usually find one side is easier than the other. This will not only help your balance but also strengthen the feet and ankles. The other thing to do is what I call the Drunk Test. Walk heel to toe across a long room. After this becomes easy you can make it more challenging by pausing a few secs. after each step and then crossing your arms as you pause. If you're better than me you can close your eyes and try. Make sure you have someone you trust in back of you.

Diet Tips Guraranteed to Help You Lose Weight

The following are some basic ideas that have been proven to help you win the weight loss battle: Have a realistic goal, ask your doctor or a fitness pro. Keep a food journal, it will double your success rate. Shop on a full stomach with a list, don't impulse buy. Shop around the perimeter where the healthy foods are. If you plan on being out, bring healthy snacks so you don't get too hungry and overeat. Keep healthy items in the front of the frig and the pantry. This will help your willpower because you usually eat the first thing you see. Rework your recipes by substituting. Add turkey instead of beef, use reduced cheese and low fat items where ever possible. Drink more water and even add a glass before every meal to feel fuller. At restaurants you can often split an entree. You should get assertive and tell the waiter no bread or chips. If you are real hungry start with soup or salad before your 1/2 entree. It takes about 20 mins. to feel full so eat slowly. You can avoid stuffing yourself if you take your time. If you blow it, don't beat yourself up. Just make sure you're extra careful for the next day or two. Bring low calorie snacks to casual parties, other will also be glad you did. Finally, throw your fat clothes away. The worst thing you can do is buy new fat clothes.

Super Size for a Thunder Thighs and a Big Butt

Next time you want to save some money and super size, you may want to look at the calorie breakdown. Small fries are about 230 cals. where the SS is a whopping 500 cals. A small soda is about 85 cals. versus the big gulp alternative at 300 cals. The same goes for home or other restaurants. Take pasta for example, a 2 cup serving is about 280 cals. but a large serving is about 4 plus cups and 500 cals. A small bagel is 140 calories but a SS serving can be between 350 and 500 cals.
I have worked with hundreds of people over the past 20 years and most have wanted to lose weight. I can't tell you have many have told me they eat pretty well. Avoiding the obvious joke, the problem is not always what people eat but how much they eat. My suggestion is to start looking at how many calories are in the staples in your diet. Get an ounce scale and spend a week measuring some of the foods you eat all the time. Most of the calories are right on the container, but you need to see what size equals what calorie count. You may be in for a big surprise but a good lesson and some useful information.

10 Reasons to Lose 10% of Your Fat

First of all losing only 10% is a doable figure. When you lose the first 10% then you can feel good about losing the next 10%. Second, losing 10% can help you avoid getting diabetes. You can also lower your numbers if you have a problem. Third, losing a little weight will make you feel empowered and even more confident. Fourth, by losing 1o% of your weight you reduce your chances of heart attack and strokes. Being overweight increases internal body inflammation which can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other diseases. Fifth, with 10% less to haul around you'll have more energy to exercise and be more active. Sixth, with less weight comes less joint pain and systemic inflammation. Seventh, studies have shown better sleep and less sleep apnea in people who are at a proper weight. Number eight is possible the biggest reason to lose that first 10%, you'll live longer. Nine is better digestion. Number 10 goes great with number 8. Living longer doesn't matter if you don't feel pretty good about yourself, this can also lead to a better sex life.
If you need more reasons, think of how happy you'll make all the people who will be happy for you!

Do You Have a Cold or the Flu

Here are some tips if you get sick and wonder if you have a cold or the flu. You basically wait out a cold. Fortunately you can get an antiviral from your doctor if you have the flu and catch it early. Here are some tips to let you know when to wait it out and when to get some medical attention. If you have a fever over 100 its the flu 80% of the time. When muscles aches are severe, chances are its not a cold. Having chills and feeling exhausted are usually more noticeable with the flu than with a cold. Headaches are more common in flu cases where as sore throats are possible in flu and colds. Nausea is a popular flu symptom but not in colds. Runny noses are common cold symptoms in adults and children but more likely the flu with children.
If you get the flu and you want to feel better here are some tips: Get some extra sleep, take Tylenol or Advil, stay warm, drink fluids and stay away from others.
To avoid getting the flu .... exercise on a regular basis. Every time you workout your body gets an elevated T cell count. Its kind of like a cleaning lady moving through your body removing free radicals that lead to illness. Over a period of time this "cleaning" effect can actually prevent you from getting sick!

Get Balanced & Burn More Calories

If you want to improve your balance, it's easier than you think. You need to practice and you need to challenge yourself. Next time you have to stand and do something, just lift one leg and see if you can continue your action. If you can, very good and keep it up.
If you already exercise, you can improve your balance and burn more calories by standing on one food while performing the exercises. An example is lateral raises or dumb bell curls. Stand on one foot instead of two while you go through your repetitions.
Most people start to lose balance in their 50's and 60's. If you work on balance before that, its a lot easier that to playing catch up. If you think you're pretty good, stand on a BOSU ball. Its a blue half dome that stands about 12" and is about 18" in diameter. ($99 new $45 used) You can start with two feet, then one foot or try kneeling with your toes up in back. You can do all the standing exercises and challenge yourself and actually have some fun. You may not realize it now but as you get older balance equals independence. Start now, you will improve in a matter of weeks.

How to Break Weight Loss Plateaus

If you're trying to lose weight and you start to stagnate here are some helpful tips.

1. Add weight training to build muscle. Every pound of muscle needs 30-50 calories to stay alive. Fat is like dirt and needs little if any energy to sustain itself. Muscle is like grass, it needs water and food daily.
2. Increase your activity. Park in the farthest spaces from the store. You'll get less door dings and burn extra calories. Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
3. Watch out for hidden calories. Juices are high in calories and so are many other healthy foods. Look at the serving size and you may be surprised how small a serving is. Watch out for the little things. The tasty coffee creamer may be more than 100 calories per packet.
4. Eat more often. If you wait too long to eat you may overeat when you do. A good rule of thumb is never wait to eat until you're hungry and eat every 2-4 hours. If you check your pulse you'll find that it goes up every time you eat. The body is a machine and needs energy to digest food.
5. Mix it up when it comes to exercise and even food. You body works hard to maintain homeostasis or equilibrium. When you change your workouts and your diet, the body adapts and improves. Try working out faster or slower in addition to changing the exercises. Even changing the types of foods you eat can help you lose weight.

Thin May Not Be In/ Strength Train For Health

Most people who are thin look pretty healthy. You may think they look good but skinny can be flabby and unhealthy. The following are reasons to strength train in addition to just losing weight. #1 When you lift weights you feel stronger, younger and have increased energy. #2 You can eat more because of an improved metabolic rate. #3 With muscle strength you can do more on your own and be independent. #4 You increase bone density and have less chance of breaking something or getting hurt. #5 You decrease the chance of heart disease, strokes and high blood pressure. #6 With muscle strength comes joint health. As muscles get stronger your tendons and ligaments become more stable. You're only as healthy as your last bad move. As we age, simple movements can turn into nagging injuries. If we develop strength and stability, we can avoid lots of trips to the chiropractor or even the surgeon. If you've done nothing for a long time, you may have a few aches and pains when you start to strength train. This is the rule vs. the exception. Hang in there, its worth the effort. The little pains now or far better than the pains down the road that can really sideline you .

Work Out a Little and Get a Lot

Most people who don't exercise routinely, use a lack of time for the reason. People mistakenly think you need at least 20-30 mins. to devote to a fitness workout. The truth is, you can fit in little burst here and there and still get where you want to go. The point is it all adds up. Break the body into 6 parts: chest, back, legs, biceps, shoulders and triceps. You can break a workout into three parts. #1 do three exercises for biceps and legs. #2 try three tonners for the chest and triceps. Later in the day do three exercises for the back and shoulders.
If you want to lose weight, along with the toning you need to walk and watch what you eat. I put these two together because one can help the other. If you take a few short walks (5-10 mins), you can't sit on the couch, watch TV and eat. There is also a mind connection that makes you more aware of what you're eating just because your salting in exercise throughout the day. As the old saying goes "A little bit of something is better than a lot of nothing"

Lower Your Cholesterol and Live Longer

If you don't know your what your numbers are regarding cholesterol, FIND OUT! If like most people you know what they are but want to get them down a little, read on. #1 , Reduce fat and cholesterol from your diet. #2 Increase your level of activity and maintain a healthy body weight. #3 Add the following to your diet: Salmon, avocado, beans, blueberries, tea, and apples.
Salmon is rich in omega 3 fatty acids. It lowers bad LDL's, raises good HDL's and lowers bad triglycerides. Avocados are a good source of mono unsaturated fats and help raise good HDL''s which help lower bad HDL's. They also are a rich source of beta sitosterols which help block the absorption of cholesterol from foods. Beans are a good source of soluble fiber. A cup a day can reduce cholesterol 10% in 6 weeks. Blueberries are rich in antioxidants called pterostibene (like those in red wine) which lower LDL's. Tea is rich in anti oxidants called flavanoids and can relax blood vessels and prevent blood clots. Apples are rich in fiber and pectin as well as some of the most powerful anti oxidants like quercetin, phloridzin and chlorogenci acid. These help lower the bad LDL's and raise the good HDL's.

Look Out for Corn Sweetener

It has recently come to light that corn syrup may be a bad thing. In 2010 an experiment was conducted at Princeton University. Researchers did a control study with rats. In one group rats were given corn syrup, in another group rats were given an equal calorie amount of sugar. The rats given corn syrup in the control group gained an excess amount of abdominal fat. They also showed a significant increase in triglycerides over the rats given sugar. The reason that many products now substitute corn syrup is #1 cost and #2 shelf life. Shoppers BEWARE!
You may also have noticed that the corn producers have gotten wind of the bad press. In an attempt to fool the informed, they have come up with a clever alternative....corn sugar. This is basically the same thing under a different name, a synthetic liquid that makes you fatter than sugar. Look at labels and avoid any sweetener with the word corn in the ingredients.

The Biggest Weight Loss Mistakes

One of the biggest new years resolutions is to lose weight. The following are some of the things to avoid if you want to be successful. Don't eye ball items that you think you know the caloric value of. Take a little time to learn the calorie counts of the staples in your diet. Most people eat the same thing 80% of the time. Once you learn how much to put in the cereal bowl, you're done for a while. Do this and you may be surprised that that pasta dish is 2000 calories not 500. Don't do fad diets they don't work in the long run. Avoid unreal expectations (i.e. Biggest Loser) . Use the scale, but don't weight too much it will make you crazy. Limit alcohol, cut from three to two or from two vino's a night to one. Try just drinking on the weekends. Make exercise a part of your plan. If you limit calories you slow down your metabolism. Exercise helps speed it back up. Make friends aware you are serious this time. Friends and family can be a big help but may not be on the same page. Be firm if they don't cooperate, its OK if THEY want to be fat. The most important thing may be to plan a day ahead. If you wait until dinner to realize there's nothing in the fridge, pizza is always a good idea. Same goes for lunch. Bring a brown bag or something low calorie in advance.

Do I Need a Personal Fitness Trainer?

Although many fitness instructors disagree about methodology, most agree on a few key concepts. You need to adopt healthy eating habits and a routine exercise program. The problem is that many people who exercise, do the same thing every day. If you lift five pounds for 15 repetitions over a period of five years, the body begins to adapt. You will actually be stronger in year two than year five. You can't continually lift more weight either or everyone would be benching 1000 pounds.
If you want to successfully maintain an ideal weight, an experienced fitness trainer will continually keep you challenged. You may wind up doing things you never imagines or would of done on your own. You'll feel confident when you prove to yourself over and over again, that you CAN do this and CAN accomplish that.
You should try to do something three to five days a week. Walking, riding or many activities can also count as workouts. A good trainer will also keep you accountable. Try to weight in once a week in front of your personal trainer. If you want to lose weight, try a food diary. It has been statistically proven that a food diary doubles your chances of permanent weight loss

Losing a Spare Tire or a Muffin Top

One of my clients last week asked me how to get rid of back fat. The same question has been posed to me a variety of ways. What is a good exercise to get my butt smaller? What can I do to lose my belly or how can get my thighs smaller? The answer has never made anyone happy. You can do many things to make a body part bigger. You can sculpt an arm or a leg. You can get more definition in your shoulders. The only way to get a body part smaller, unfortunately is to eat less than you burn.
The same rules of weight loss apply to smaller thighs, a smaller butt and a trim waist. You need to reduce your fun carbs, eat smarter and exercise more. I suggest to make a plan that involves two to three days of weights and two to three days of cardio. It may sound like a lot but you don't need to do your cardio for an hour. Walk with a friend and enjoy some conversation. You don't need to hate the process. Remember there are 168 hours in a week. You only need 4 to make you happy the other 162.