Hey Everyone!

The national average for loosing weight is said to be around 8 pounds per month. That’s assuming you’re working out at least 3 times per week and following a well balanced diet. Here are some quick tips you can start following today to get a jump start on summer…

1) Stop eating sugar!

Sugar is the main cause of obesity. Your body deposits unused sugar calories directly into your fat cells. This includes juices, sodas, all candy, most “meal replacement bars” and whatever frapa-mocha concoction people order at cafe´s. It should be noted that this doesn’t mean by drinking sugar free versions of your favorite drink is a healthy alternative. Studies have shown that artificial sweeteners can be just as bad if not worse for you than sugar. Bottom line: Train your palate to enjoy less sweet tasting foods and you’ll start noticing results instantly.

2) Exercise 3-5 times per week.

Generally I see my clients 2-3 times per week. This is the bare minimum. Ideally I have my clients do an addition 2 workouts or “homework” on the days between our sessions. This keeps the momentum going. After 72 hours of inactivity your body starts to reduce its cardiovascular strength in an effort to conserve energy. Remember: we’re designed to adapt to our environment and if you don’t give your body a reason to change, it wont. Workouts don’t have to always be an hour long. An intense 20 minutes is fine. consistency is the key.

3) Plan your meals ahead of time.

One of the biggest mistakes I see people make is underestimating how much food they will need for the day. Bringing yourself to the brink of starvation is only going to raise stress hormones and increase the likelihood that you’ll fall of the wagon and find yourself gorging. Be realistic with the amount of meals you’ll need for the day. I’m a big fan of picking a day to cook a bunch of healthy meals for the week to bring with you while you’re out and about. Time to bring back the lunch box ladies and gentlemen. Rule of thumb: 3 balanced meals and two healthy snacks per day (scaled to fit your particular caloric requirements of course). Mixed nuts are always a good choice for mid mornings/afternoon cravings.

4) Train your full body.

The common belief is that long cardio workouts are the way to melt off body fat. Although cardio exercise does in fact burn more calories during the actual workout, full body circuit training burns more calories over the following 48 hours after your workout while your body repairs it’s self. Working the muscles in your back, chest, butt and legs gets your body cooking calories. So, get out of the mind-set that things like running or biking is the end-all-be-all when it comes to losing weight. It’s all about balance, and incorporating some resistance training into your routine could be just the thing your body needs to shed those extra pounds.

5) Get more sleep

We all know that carbohydrates are our body’s first choice for energy, or at least you do now. So, to compensate for not enough rest our bodies crave more of them for energy.  Studies have shown that lack of sleep (less than 7 hours) disrupts the secretion of hormones that regulate appetite. It is said that we have crave centers in the brain and when one is running a deficit, for instance sleep, we crave more of the another like food (energy). So do your best to get at least 7 hours. If you have a hard time falling asleep I recommend chamomile tea. Also, a 20 minute power nap will do wonders for energy.

There you have it folks. I hope this helps. Feel free to leave a comment and share your success stories or ask any questions you may have.

To your health,

Justin Schollard