Category Fitness

This article is only for those who are completely fed up with trying to lose fat and inches through diet and exercise…
You’re probably thinking: What’s the deal? Why won’t the weight come off? You are doing everything you can think of to make it happen.

There’s one simple thing standing between you and a slimmed down, amazingly fit body. One. Simple. Thing.

And here it is…You eat too many calories.

That’s it.

Solve this problem and your dream body will quickly and easily become reality.

Wait, don’t give me the excuse that, “I only eat healthy calories.” That’s great, but even healthy calories add up to extra pounds when we let them go unchecked.

Back to Basics: Why Calorie Counting Works

You may have heard about the professor from Kansas State University, Mark Haub, who performed a famous junk food diet. Professor Haub proved a powerful lesson for anyone who still has weight to lose.

In a demonstrative experiment for his nutrition class, Professor Haub ate a diet of pure junk food for 2 months. I’m talking candy bars and packaged snacks – the kinds of things you find in a snack machine.

You’d expect him to gain weight, right? Well, there was one catch. He was only allowed to eat 1800 calories each day. Yes, those calories were pure junk, but the limit was firmly put at 1800 calories.

Before the experiment, Professor Haub’s typical calorie intake was closer to 2600 calories. So his junk food diet put him at an 800 calorie per day deficit.

Boy did that calorie deficit pay off. Within 2 months he had dropped 30 pounds, bringing his BMI from overweight down to normal.

No, I’m NOT recommending a junk food diet as your answer for fat loss. What I am pointing out is how powerful a reduction in calories is when it comes to lowering your body weight.

Do you know how many calories you eat each day?

If you’re not sure, don’t worry. You’re about to learn the one fat loss tool that will change everything for you. First we need to get to the bottom of how many calories you’re eating each day.

Yes, even those healthy calories.

Let me explain. Food journaling doesn’t involved lugging around a journal, writing down each food item throughout the day then looking everything up at the end of the day to manually tally calories like it used to.

These days food journaling has gone digital, and tracking your calories only takes seconds of your time.

Here’s what I need you to do:

#1: Download a food journal application to your smart phone. At the touch of your fingers, you’ll be able to look up food items and instantly see your running calorie tally. My Fitness Pal is a great app for this.

#2: Meet with your doctor to find a daily calorie count that will allow for safe weight loss and then diligently maintain that number. Eat healthy, fresh foods and when you decide to indulge, make sure to do so within your target calorie range.

#3: Meet with me for a consistent and challenging exercise routine. My exercise programs are specifically crafted to get you into amazing shape as quickly as possible.

These three, simple steps will give you structure and clarity that you need when it comes to making food choices and will quickly result in pounds lost and goals achieved.

Once your goal weight is met, your target calorie range will be adjusted for maintenance. Sounds good, right? If so, start today with steps 1, 2 & 3 above, and you’ll be on your way to your goal weight!

20 Reasons to Exercise

Today I’m writing to motivate you to take action, especially if you’ve fallen off the exercise wagon lately.

I understand the frustrations that you have when it comes to your body. We all experience different insecurities at times which can result in a feeling of hopelessness.
The answer to your body frustrations is to consistently come into the gym, day after day. So here’s my pep talk in bullet form—20 rewards that you will gain from regular exercise.

Exercise Concept for Weight Loss and Health

Do yourself a favor and print this list and post it where you’ll see it every day. When you need motivation or encouragement, simply read over this list and take action.

Remember that action alleviates anxiety. So whenever you’re feeling anxious over the current shape of your body, take that as a reminder to jump into action. And then begin to reap these 20 rewards of exercise…

1. You’ll reset your body: Exercise has been described as a giant reset button. A good workout will block appetite swings, improve your mood and even help you sleep.

2. Your clothes will fit better: Consistent exercise will tone and tighten your body, causing your clothes to not only fit better, but to also look nicer.
3. You’ll be less stressed: You have enough stress in your life—it’s time for a break. A good workout invigorates your muscles, leaving you relaxed and less stressed.

4. You’ll have more energy: Most of our cells contain components called mitochondria, often referred to as the cell’s “power plant.” Mitochondria produce the chemical that your body uses as energy, known as ATP. Physical exercise stimulates the development of new mitochondria within your cells, meaning that your body will be able to produce more ATP over time. That gives you more energy to exert yourself physically, but it also means more energy for your brain, boosting your mental output.¹ Next time you feel fatigued, fight it with the most powerful tool available: exercise.

5. You’ll be stronger: Exercise improves muscle strength and endurance, two things that you use throughout each day. When you exercise consistently you’ll be pleasantly surprised when difficult tasks begin to seem easy.

6. You’ll be less likely to binge: Exercise has a powerful anti-binge effect on the body. This is due in part by an increase in sensitivity to leptin, a protein hormone, which has an appetite-taming effect.

7. You’ll burn calories: You know that excess body fat is made up of stored and unused calories. Fight back by burning loads of calories with fat-blasting workouts.

8. You’ll be more confident: Who doesn’t wish they walked and talked with more confidence? A consistent exercise program will do just that. As your body becomes more fit, watch your confidence sky-rocket.

9. You’ll have fun: Believe it or not, exercise can be extremely enjoyable. Remember how fun it was to run around as a child? Tap into your inner child as you find a mode of exercise that gets you excited.

10. You’ll reduce your blood pressure: Exercise has been proven more effective than medication in reducing blood pressure to normal levels. A single workout has been shown to reduce blood pressure for the day and regular exercise reduces overall blood pressure in the long run.

11. You’ll lose the jiggles: Regular exercise tightens flabby arms, legs and waistlines. So say goodbye to the jiggles with a solid exercise program.

12. You’ll increase insulin sensitivity: Researchers at Laval University in Quebec discovered that exercise improved insulin sensitivity dramatically. Peak after-meal insulin levels dropped by more than 20 percent after as little as 3 weeks of consistent exercise.

13. You’ll sleep better: Do you toss and turn for hours before falling asleep? Exercise is a powerful sleep aid. Your tired muscles encourage your body to quickly fall asleep so they can get their overnight repair work done.

14. You’ll lower your risk of heart disease: Regular exercise strengthens your heart and makes it more resilient against disease. A sedentary lifestyle is a major risk factor for heart disease, so rest assured that consistent exercise is your ally against disease.

15. You’ll feel great: Vigorous exercise releases natural endorphins (happy hormones) into your blood stream that dissolve pain and anxiety. You’ve probably heard of ‘runner’s high’? this can be achieved by any great workout.

16. You’ll lower your risk of diabetes: Studies show that exercising as little as half an hour each day can dramatically reduce your risk of diabetes. If you are at risk of diabetes, or already have diabetes, regular exercise is the most effective treatment for reversing the disease.

17. You’ll meet cool people: You could benefit from a group of new, energetic friends, right? Gyms, yoga studios and even the jogging trail are all great places to connect with fun new friends.

18. You’ll improve your BMI: You know that maintaining a healthy BMI is key in disease prevention. Exercise is the best way to keep your BMI under control.

19. You’ll increase your endurance: Do you ever get out of breath when walking up stairs or through the mall? Regular exercise builds your endurance for everyday activities.

20. You’ll look amazing: Are you happy with the shape and size of your body? Regular exercise works wonders on your physique. Within a few weeks you’ll see shape and tone in all the right places.

¹Exercise Increases Productivity by Robert Posen. Huffington Post, October 24, 2014.

Whether you’ve been riding the healthy eating wagon for a week or a decade, staying on can be difficult. Fortunately, there are a number of ways you can hold on.

Keep reading to learn seven ways to protect yourself against the temptation to fall—or even jump off of the healthy eating wagon—on a daily basis.

1. Don’t Starve Yourself

   Eating is a basic human need. Cut your calories in half over night or slash any specific food group out altogether for a prolonged period, and you’ll land flat on your face in no time. When you’re eating for good health, you still need to eat. Just avoid eating more than your body needs to fuel itself through the day.

   2. No Excuses

   There are as many excuses to fall off the healthy wagon as there are days in a year. So if you’re going to stay on the wagon, you’re going to have to ignore the excuses and focus in on your goal: eating the right stuff. Which brings us to the next way to avoid falling off the wagon.

3. Stay Focused

Being mindful of your healthy eating ways is typically easy when you first start. After all, you’ve spent years eating one way and now you’re changing everything up. In a week or so, however, it can be difficult to remember your desire to eat healthily and the reasons why you should stick with it. Keep focused on your choices and why you made them to stay strapped tightly on the wagon.

4. Get on the Right Wagon

Every person’s health goals and expectations are different. If you hop on a healthy eating wagon for the first time in your life and expect to shed 30 pounds in a week, you’re going to be disappointed. Setting appropriate goals will help you stay on the wagon and realistically reach the next goal.

5. Avoid Naysayers

Always struggled with your weight? Tried every diet plan known to man without success? Then you’re going to have a lot of folks who scoff at your desire to eat healthily. Let them scoff on their own and find new friends if you have to. Once your lifestyle changes start to pay off, people will notice, and those who care about you most will offer encouragement and praise.

6. Stay Away from Triggers

The reason healthy eating is difficult for so many is that fat tastes so good! Understanding this and understanding when you most want unhealthy food options will help you stay on the healthy wagon. Have a hard time saying no to sweets at your best friend’s house? Invite him to your place or meet at the park. Eat everything in sight when you’re lonely? Give someone a phone call when no one is around.

7. Know How to Get Back On

You should aim to stay on the healthy eating wagon all day every day. But you should also be ready when you fall off. While you can find any number of ways to get back on the wagon, the best is to just do it! Admit you goofed up, recommit yourself to healthy living, and start living the healthy life you deserve once again.