1) Be selfish! I know a lot of you are so busy taking care of your families that you put yourself last. That is extremely admirable, but it doesn’t always translate into healthy habits. Your family loves you and they will understand.
2) Eat protein at every meal. Protein will help you to build muscle, raise your metabolism, decrease hunger and lower your overall caloric intake.
3) Use whole oats instead of instant oatmeal.
4) Eat sprouted bread instead of bread made with flour.
5) Give up the fruit juice and eat whole fruit instead.
6) Spend your resistance training time wisely by using multi-joint exercises that use more muscles and burn more calories. Examples are rows, pushups, pulldowns, squats, lunges, and step-ups. Single joint movements, such as bicep curls, tricep kickbacks, and leg extensions are not as effective for fat loss.
7) Use a fish oil supplement which can help you burn fat, build muscle, reduce inflammation and improve your immune system. Of course, check with your physician before using any supplement.
8) Learn how to swing a kettlebell. This exercise will give you a tremendous “bang for your buck”, giving you more strength, power, and a leaner body.
9) To squash a late night craving when you know you have already consumed your day’s calorie allotment, try brushing your teeth and using mouthwash. That should do the trick!
10) Put your workout time in your calendar, just like you do for everything else.
11) Pack your workout clothes, bring them in the car and go directly to the gym after work. This way, you are not tempted to skip it after you’ve gone home and put your feet up on your Lazyboy.
12) Do your weight training before your cardio! This is more effective for building muscle and losing fat.
13) Hire a coach to provide education, motivation, and accountability. This is my favorite tip of all.
For more help with all of your fitness needs, visit us at activelifefitness.net or email me at marty@activelifefitness.net
