8 Short Exercise Tips

Get back to the basics! A long-term commitment to a healthy lifestyle can only be born from a simple, easy to follow diet and exercise regimen.

  1. Do you cardiovascular work in the mornings on an empty stomach to maximize fat burning!
  2. Focus on correct form always! Never compromise form for pushing to get out that one last rep or heavier weight. This will increase your likelihood for injury.
  3. Women! Don’t be afraid to strength train. You won't bulk up unless you are really really really trying to! (Don’t worry, I don’t train my girls that way)
  4. Concentrate on the muscle group that you are working during a specific exercise and don’t try to work on more than one muscle group per exercise. Fatigue one group completely and then move on to the next.
  5. Work all the big muscles. Your larger muscles are the ones that your metabolism through the roof! Also be sure to train the big muscles before the smaller ones because you don’t want to fatigue those smaller assister muscles that help work the big guys!
  6. Don’t take an all or nothing approach. It is better to a little training than none at all. So even if you can only fit in one or two hours per week, your body will still receive some of the benefits. Remember – move it or loose it!
  7. Make sure that you always start with a five to 10 minute warm up and a 5 minute cool down. Never start cold, that could cause an injury and stopping abruptly can cause the blood to pool in the extremities and possible fainting.
  8. Strike a balance between strength training, cardiovascular work and stretching. You will improve your range of motion faster, prevent injuries and burn more calories!!

Top 8 Foods to KEEP!

  1. EAT!
    Not eating enough food does harm than good. A low caloric intake only slows down your metabolism and forces your body to store the calories in the form of fat. 1500 to 2000 calories a day is a good range for a healthy adult female. Find a good ratio of protein, carbs and fat so that you are not hungry. A good rule of thumb to keep in mind is, eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like you are broke! Keep your dinners small and lean, aim to eat protein, veggies and a good fat. Avoid carbs if you are trying to loose weight.
  2. GO NATURAL!
    Concentrate on natural foods and avoid anything refined or processed. Unprocessed, natural foods are used more efficiently by the body and are less likely to be stored as fat. I like to avoid anything that has more than a few ingredients! Choose fresh fruits and a ton of vegetables. Your protein sources should come from white meat poultry, fish, lean cuts of red meat, low fat yogurt, skim milk and cottage cheese.
  3. LIMIT SUGAR CONSUMPTION
    Eating to much sugar at once will trigger a surge of the hormone insulin which activates the enzymes that induce fat storage. So yes, from your lips to your hips does have some truth! Eating too much sugar also causes fatigue, concentration loss and lowers the immune system.
  4. CARBOHYDRATES ARE GOOD, JUST THE RIGHT ONES!
    Your body needs carbs. The only food your brain lives on is glucose. Glucose comes from carbs! Not only are they essential for your brain, but your body needs them for energy. The best sources are whole grain breads, steel cut oatmeal, grains such as millet, quinoa, and barley, brown and wild rice and finally yams which are vitamin packed! Avoid processed carbs like bread, white rice and pasta.
  5. EAT 4-5 MEALS A DAY
    This is great news for people who love to eat, like me! Think of your metabolism as a fire place, the more logs you throw in, the more the fire burns. If you let the fire cool, the logs will take a long time to burn. Your metabolism will keep running as long as you are giving it the fuel, if you go over 4 or 5 hours without eating, your metabolism will be slow and unable to burn the calories before they are turned to fat. Eating frequent meals not only keeps your blood sugar stable so that you don't crave sugary bad foods, but it also prevents you from overeating and stuffing yourself.
  6. H2o
    Make sure you get plenty! Aim for 64 to 96oz a day. Water helps the body rid toxins and waste, improve liver function, alleviate fluid retention, increase metabolic rate and increase energy. It’s especially important to stay well hydrated when following a comprehensive training and nutrition program. Drink at least one glass of water with each of your meals, and more throughout the day. If you have an occasional diet soda, coffee or tea, you’ll need to drink an additional glass to compensate for the diuretic effect of these beverages.
  7. CHOOSE "APPROPRIATE" PORTION SIZES
    USDA statistics show that because of increased portion sizes, the average total daily calorie intake has risen almost 10% over the last 20 years. That increase in calories and decrease in daily activity (we are becoming more and more sedentary as technology advances) is contributing to the obesity epidemic. Portion size is important to weight management. Employ a common sense approach, such as using the palm of your hand or your clenched fist for gauging the portion sizes of food.
  8. STRIVE FOR CONSISTENCY NOT PERFECTION
    You can be sure there will be the occasional cheat meal or snack! When you get off track in this way, don’t allow it to slow you down. Enjoy the divergence, recommit to your goal, and get back on track with your next meal. Don't beat yourself up.
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