What is stopping you from reaching your fat loss goals? Maybe you are on track. If so then you can skip this article and go read something else…however…if your body isn’t where you want it to be then keep reading.
It is not uncommon that I talk with someone about their weight loss and they are completely baffled about why they can’t lose more weight. They are training hard and they are using a solid high protein, reduced carbohydrate, low calorie diet but they just aren’t losing weight fast enough.
The first question I always ask is - “Do you track your compliance?”
They respond “Huh?”
The truth is that you may have an amazing training and diet program but if you aren’t following the plan then you might as well have a bad training and diet program.
You may be thinking. “Yeah, compliance…I’ve heard that before, I actually DO track what I eat.” That’s well and good but let’s takes this compliance thing one step further and look at the little things.
Let’s be honest. You can eat an extra piece of toast and not mark it down. You can make that teaspoon of peanut butter more like a tablespoon and not tell anyone but in the end the tape measure never lies.
It is these small food indiscretions that most people don’t may attention to but in the end they can be the deciding factor in your fat loss. You can overlook them and lie to yourself now but you’ll be disappointed later on when the time comes to measure your progress - the tape measure never lies.
It is better to be honest about your compliance so you can make strides to fix the holes in your plan, then lie to yourself, not lose the weight, and be stuck saying “I don’t know why I’m not losing any weight.”
Are you making this mistake? Be honest with yourself. Let’s look at some things that you should be doing on a daily/weekly basis. If you aren’t physically tracking your compliance then you need to start there.
How many of your planned meals are you eating? How many are you missing? That is step one.
The next step is to ensure that you are accurately tracking your compliance. This is an area we are all tempted to cheat in.
One of the not so obvious reasons why I recommend that people “chunk” their food prep and do in 1-2 times a week is because many people snack while cooking (I’m very guilty in this area).
A slice of chicken here, a couple carrots there, you know what I’m talking about.
These things add up. If you can’t cut out your nibbling when cooking it is very important that you “chunk” your prep. The difference could be as much as 500 calories a week saved (maybe more!).
Your mission is to get your compliance in check.
In order to guarantee your success this is the only change that you should make over the next 2 weeks.
Don’t change your diet, don’t change your training - just focus on accurately tracking your compliance and under the radar snacking.
If after 2 weeks you notice that your measurement are going down or the the scale shows that you’ve lost more weight then we know that was the problem.
Wednesday, 20 May 2009
Tuesday, 12 May 2009
Healthy Breakfasts
After hours of sleep we need food, but many of us choose to give breakfast a miss. This is a BIG mistake! Our first meal of the day is key to our wellbeing so to help you get your day started the right way I thought I would give you seven healthy options that are easy to prepare.
If you want to keep in trim, its tempting to skimp on breakfast and save up calories for a splurge later in the day. But this could make the battle of the bulge even more difficult.
Research tells us that eating a hearty, healthy breakfast helps to keep us slim.
In fact it looks increasingly likely that obesity and skipping breakfast are linked.
Researchers at the Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge recently published results of a four-year study showing that people who ate more at breakfast gained significantly less weight than those who skipped breakfast and ate later in the day.
Its not clear why skipping breakfast affects weight control, but Dr Forouhi, who led the study, thinks that after a long period of starving, metabolism may subtly change, causing the body to lay down more fat.
Make it a healthy start to the day
After eight hours without food, breaking-the-fast is important to get your body and brain functioning properly in the morning.
But a double espresso and a Danish is just about the worst thing. It acts as rocket fuel, giving fast energy but burning up fast - leaving you drained and hungry by mid morning.
Eating whole grains, fruit and a source of protein at breakfast means you are less inclined to snack and more likely to eat a lighter lunch.
And as long as you are sensible about your breakfast food choices, in the long run this translates to fewer calories overall in the day.
One week of healthy breakfasts
Here are seven breakfasts that are easy to prepare, including a treat for the weekend.
Try to set your alarm 10 minutes earlier to sit and eat your breakfast.
But if you are in a hurry, the breakfasts for days five and six can be eaten on the run.
Day 1
60g bowl of porridge (not instant types), low-sugar low-salt muesli or bran flakes, made with semi-skimmed milk and served with 25g sunflower seeds and 5Og raisins
Why is it healthy?
Oats and other wholegrain cereals have a low GI. This means they give slow release energy that will keep you going until lunchtime
Sunflower seeds are a protein source and the fibre in all three ingredients helps to keep blood sugar level stable and so control appetite.
Day 2
125g plain yoghurt with half a grated apple, 50g chopped dried apricots and 25g walnuts.
Why is it healthy?
Yoghurt is a source of protein and so doesn’t adversely affect blood sugar.
Walnuts boost protein levels further and are sources of healthy omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids, while dried apricots provide iron and beta-carotene.
Day 3
A small can of reduced salt baked beans on two slices of wholemeal toast (no butter or spread). Finish off with an orange.
Why is it healthy?
Beans are loaded with fibre and are low-GI, while the fruit provides vitamin C. Like all pulses, beans can count towards one of your five portions of fruit and veg a day - so this breakfast gives you two portions in total.
Day 4
Blend 80g soft fruit (eg strawberries, banana or pear) with 100g low-fat yoghurt. Top with 60g cluster cereal (granola) and chopped dates.
Why is it healthy?
This breakfast gives a satisfying start to the day and gives you slow-release energy and fibre aplenty. By eating two different fruits at this time of the day you are boosting your antioxidant levels to help your immune system.
Day 5
Two or three rye crackers, or three or four oatcakes, topped with two teaspoons of low-sugar peanut butter and two teaspoons of apricot jam. Follow with a banana.
Why is it healthy?
Peanut butter is quite high in calories, but if you eat it in moderation it’s a great alternative to butter because it’s a source of polyunsaturated fatty acids. This breakfast is high in fibre, which helps to keep mid-morning hunger pangs at bay.
Day 6
Make a smoothie from 150ml semi-skimmed milk, one medium banana and either a handful of raspberries or a cupful of frozen berries. Process in a blender, then tip the mixture into a plastic cup to enjoy while on your travels.
Why is it healthy?
This is a blameless alternative to high-cal Frappuccinos. Milk is a source of calcium and contains vitamin B12 and the minerals zinc and magnesium. Both fruits provide vitamin C and count towards your five a day, and bananas are also rich in vitamins A and B.
Weekend treat
Poach one egg and serve with 2 slices of grilled lean bacon, grilled tomatoes and mushrooms and a slice of wholemeal toast. Start or finish with half a pink grapefruit.
Why is it healthy?
If you grill instead of fry and keep added oil levels to a minimum, there is no reason not to enjoy a full English breakfast.
It is also a source of antioxidants, fibre, protein and whole grains. The grapefruit, tomatoes and mushrooms make it count towards your five a day.
So there you go, a whole weeks worth of healthy and tasty breakfasts.
Give them a go and let me know what you think.
If you want to keep in trim, its tempting to skimp on breakfast and save up calories for a splurge later in the day. But this could make the battle of the bulge even more difficult.
Research tells us that eating a hearty, healthy breakfast helps to keep us slim.
In fact it looks increasingly likely that obesity and skipping breakfast are linked.
Researchers at the Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge recently published results of a four-year study showing that people who ate more at breakfast gained significantly less weight than those who skipped breakfast and ate later in the day.
Its not clear why skipping breakfast affects weight control, but Dr Forouhi, who led the study, thinks that after a long period of starving, metabolism may subtly change, causing the body to lay down more fat.
Make it a healthy start to the day
After eight hours without food, breaking-the-fast is important to get your body and brain functioning properly in the morning.
But a double espresso and a Danish is just about the worst thing. It acts as rocket fuel, giving fast energy but burning up fast - leaving you drained and hungry by mid morning.
Eating whole grains, fruit and a source of protein at breakfast means you are less inclined to snack and more likely to eat a lighter lunch.
And as long as you are sensible about your breakfast food choices, in the long run this translates to fewer calories overall in the day.
One week of healthy breakfasts
Here are seven breakfasts that are easy to prepare, including a treat for the weekend.
Try to set your alarm 10 minutes earlier to sit and eat your breakfast.
But if you are in a hurry, the breakfasts for days five and six can be eaten on the run.
Day 1
60g bowl of porridge (not instant types), low-sugar low-salt muesli or bran flakes, made with semi-skimmed milk and served with 25g sunflower seeds and 5Og raisins
Why is it healthy?
Oats and other wholegrain cereals have a low GI. This means they give slow release energy that will keep you going until lunchtime
Sunflower seeds are a protein source and the fibre in all three ingredients helps to keep blood sugar level stable and so control appetite.
Day 2
125g plain yoghurt with half a grated apple, 50g chopped dried apricots and 25g walnuts.
Why is it healthy?
Yoghurt is a source of protein and so doesn’t adversely affect blood sugar.
Walnuts boost protein levels further and are sources of healthy omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids, while dried apricots provide iron and beta-carotene.
Day 3
A small can of reduced salt baked beans on two slices of wholemeal toast (no butter or spread). Finish off with an orange.
Why is it healthy?
Beans are loaded with fibre and are low-GI, while the fruit provides vitamin C. Like all pulses, beans can count towards one of your five portions of fruit and veg a day - so this breakfast gives you two portions in total.
Day 4
Blend 80g soft fruit (eg strawberries, banana or pear) with 100g low-fat yoghurt. Top with 60g cluster cereal (granola) and chopped dates.
Why is it healthy?
This breakfast gives a satisfying start to the day and gives you slow-release energy and fibre aplenty. By eating two different fruits at this time of the day you are boosting your antioxidant levels to help your immune system.
Day 5
Two or three rye crackers, or three or four oatcakes, topped with two teaspoons of low-sugar peanut butter and two teaspoons of apricot jam. Follow with a banana.
Why is it healthy?
Peanut butter is quite high in calories, but if you eat it in moderation it’s a great alternative to butter because it’s a source of polyunsaturated fatty acids. This breakfast is high in fibre, which helps to keep mid-morning hunger pangs at bay.
Day 6
Make a smoothie from 150ml semi-skimmed milk, one medium banana and either a handful of raspberries or a cupful of frozen berries. Process in a blender, then tip the mixture into a plastic cup to enjoy while on your travels.
Why is it healthy?
This is a blameless alternative to high-cal Frappuccinos. Milk is a source of calcium and contains vitamin B12 and the minerals zinc and magnesium. Both fruits provide vitamin C and count towards your five a day, and bananas are also rich in vitamins A and B.
Weekend treat
Poach one egg and serve with 2 slices of grilled lean bacon, grilled tomatoes and mushrooms and a slice of wholemeal toast. Start or finish with half a pink grapefruit.
Why is it healthy?
If you grill instead of fry and keep added oil levels to a minimum, there is no reason not to enjoy a full English breakfast.
It is also a source of antioxidants, fibre, protein and whole grains. The grapefruit, tomatoes and mushrooms make it count towards your five a day.
So there you go, a whole weeks worth of healthy and tasty breakfasts.
Give them a go and let me know what you think.
Tuesday, 5 May 2009
The Countdown Has Begun....
The countdown is on. We have now reached the month of May and that means Summer is nearly here and the much-feared "reveal your body to the world" swimsuit season.
Not quite ready?
Don't worry. I'm not suggesting that it's going to be easy - but there is still time to cut 6-10lbs of ugly fat from your torso if you step up and follow these simple rules.
Here's the fat loss basics:
You need to create a caloric deficit - no two ways about it - you must burn more than you consume.
The most effective way to create that deficit is to use a combination of diet and exercise.
Your diet should consist of lean proteins, fruits and vegetables. Keep starches and refined carbs to a minimum. Keep your fluid intake high (iced water only), and try to eat at least 4-5 small meals per day. This will help maintain blood sugar levels and keep you from blowing your diet. Follow this plan 90% of the time (which means 32/35 meals need to be "on" - but also allows for one or two slip ups or missed meals).
Exercise - strength training and metabolic training will provide the most bang-for-your buck.
Try to exercise at least four days per week - two days of strength training and two days of metabolic training.
Not quite ready?
Don't worry. I'm not suggesting that it's going to be easy - but there is still time to cut 6-10lbs of ugly fat from your torso if you step up and follow these simple rules.
Here's the fat loss basics:
You need to create a caloric deficit - no two ways about it - you must burn more than you consume.
The most effective way to create that deficit is to use a combination of diet and exercise.
Your diet should consist of lean proteins, fruits and vegetables. Keep starches and refined carbs to a minimum. Keep your fluid intake high (iced water only), and try to eat at least 4-5 small meals per day. This will help maintain blood sugar levels and keep you from blowing your diet. Follow this plan 90% of the time (which means 32/35 meals need to be "on" - but also allows for one or two slip ups or missed meals).
Exercise - strength training and metabolic training will provide the most bang-for-your buck.
Try to exercise at least four days per week - two days of strength training and two days of metabolic training.
Tuesday, 28 April 2009
Women Have It All Wrong!
By Rachel Cosgrove
Women have it all wrong when it comes to weight loss. The average woman when she joins a gym looks at how many treadmills there are and the aerobics schedule to see if there are classes that fit in her schedule.
When women want to lose weight they torture themselves with repetitive movement for hours on end spinning their wheels or running to nowhere like a hamster on a wheel! If you take a look at all of the women walking on the treadmills you'll notice none of them have the body most women want.
The problem is that most personal trainers haven't figured it out yet either. They get a female client who hires them to change their body and they think, "Oh man... another one of those stupid toning programs in the ladies only section with the pink dumbbells doing lots of reps..."
Most trainers don't realize that they need to challenge women to get their bodies to change and to stop being afraid of pushing her to gain muscle to boost her metabolism to change the way her body looks, permanently.
Weight Loss Program the average woman does:
•Endless hours of cardio or aerobics classes
•Avoids strength training because she doesn't want to get "big and bulky" or maybe she uses some rinky dink pink dumbbells to "tone" for lots of reps
•Cuts back her diet to practically starve herself
•Focuses on the scale weight and a number she wants it to say
What works about this plan: NOTHING!
What is wrong with this plan: EVERYTHING!
She will lose weight but it will be a mixture of muscle, water and maybe some fat so she'll end up looking like a smaller version of her same self but in the process she will have dropped her metabolism so there will be no way she can keep the weight off and will gain it back guaranteed.
This is the cycle most women have been through many times throughout their lifetime. Yet, when they want to lose weight they do the same thing again. The definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over and expect a different result.
Weight Loss Program the average Women SHOULD do:
•Metabolically demanding full body strength training program lifting challenging weights. This should be their priority workouts 2-4 days a week.
•Boost their intensity and drop the duration on their cardio sessions performing interval style workouts for no more than 30 minutes at a time.
•Fuel their body with healthy food every couple hours getting their metabolism revving.
•Focus on how her clothes fit and how she looks and feels and not on a number on the scale. Focus in Fat Loss, not Weight Loss.
What works about this plan: It will boost her metabolism, it will change her body, it will make her feel confident about herself, she can eat and she will be able to maintain her new body!
What is wrong with this plan: NOTHING!
To really change their bodies permanently women need to start checking out the strength training floor. They need to get out of their comfort zone and push their bodies beyond what it is used to.
No more walking to nowhere on the treadmill!
I am not talking about bodybuilding routines where you split up each body part and bomb and blitz the pecs or pump up the biceps. It is not necessary for a woman to isolate any muscle group to get the defined look she wants.
Instead a woman should do a full body, metabolically demanding program in which she alternates between an upper body compound movement such as a push up or chin up with a lower body compound movement such as a squat or lunge.
Keep the rest periods short and use a weight that is challenging. Use 3-4 pairs of exercises working out for no more than an hour at a time.
The woman with toned arms and defined legs looks that way because she has the very thing most women are terrified of, muscle. They are so afraid to lift weights in fear of bulking up that they never get their bodies to look the way they want them to.
They have it deeply seeded in their subconscious that as soon as they touch anything over 10 pounds, they will sprout humungous muscles! Even if they do use weights, they probably still aren't lifting heavy enough and pushing themselves hard enough to get the look they want.
Most women don't know what their bodies are capable of and tend to not push themselves hard enough. There was actually a research study done on this where they showed that women when left to train on their own, lifted loads below what they were capable of.
Maybe it is because women have been conditioned our whole lives to exercise from the point of view of what we "can't" do, rather than what we can do. Women grew up doing "girl" push ups, because we were told we "can't" do actual push ups or hanging from the bar instead of a chin up because girls "can't" do chin ups.
The first woman to run the marathon had to sneak in dressed as a man because women "can't" run a marathon, and that was only in the 70's, not that long ago. Women "can't" lift too heavy, they will hurt themselves. We still subconsciously hold ourselves back when it comes to training whether we realize it or not.
We need to start training from the standpoint of- What CAN you do? How much CAN you lift? How strong CAN you get? And stop letting "can't" enter our vocabulary. As women start to push themselves in the gym, lifting weights and building lean muscle tissue, their metabolisms will be revving and they will be the toned, defined body they have always wanted.
So how do you get your body to change? You have to lift enough weight to build muscle to increase your metabolism, fuel your body with healthy food and turn your body into a fat burning machine. Stop pounding your body with hours of cardio and stop starving yourself!
Women have it all wrong when it comes to weight loss. The average woman when she joins a gym looks at how many treadmills there are and the aerobics schedule to see if there are classes that fit in her schedule.
When women want to lose weight they torture themselves with repetitive movement for hours on end spinning their wheels or running to nowhere like a hamster on a wheel! If you take a look at all of the women walking on the treadmills you'll notice none of them have the body most women want.
The problem is that most personal trainers haven't figured it out yet either. They get a female client who hires them to change their body and they think, "Oh man... another one of those stupid toning programs in the ladies only section with the pink dumbbells doing lots of reps..."
Most trainers don't realize that they need to challenge women to get their bodies to change and to stop being afraid of pushing her to gain muscle to boost her metabolism to change the way her body looks, permanently.
Weight Loss Program the average woman does:
•Endless hours of cardio or aerobics classes
•Avoids strength training because she doesn't want to get "big and bulky" or maybe she uses some rinky dink pink dumbbells to "tone" for lots of reps
•Cuts back her diet to practically starve herself
•Focuses on the scale weight and a number she wants it to say
What works about this plan: NOTHING!
What is wrong with this plan: EVERYTHING!
She will lose weight but it will be a mixture of muscle, water and maybe some fat so she'll end up looking like a smaller version of her same self but in the process she will have dropped her metabolism so there will be no way she can keep the weight off and will gain it back guaranteed.
This is the cycle most women have been through many times throughout their lifetime. Yet, when they want to lose weight they do the same thing again. The definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over and expect a different result.
Weight Loss Program the average Women SHOULD do:
•Metabolically demanding full body strength training program lifting challenging weights. This should be their priority workouts 2-4 days a week.
•Boost their intensity and drop the duration on their cardio sessions performing interval style workouts for no more than 30 minutes at a time.
•Fuel their body with healthy food every couple hours getting their metabolism revving.
•Focus on how her clothes fit and how she looks and feels and not on a number on the scale. Focus in Fat Loss, not Weight Loss.
What works about this plan: It will boost her metabolism, it will change her body, it will make her feel confident about herself, she can eat and she will be able to maintain her new body!
What is wrong with this plan: NOTHING!
To really change their bodies permanently women need to start checking out the strength training floor. They need to get out of their comfort zone and push their bodies beyond what it is used to.
No more walking to nowhere on the treadmill!
I am not talking about bodybuilding routines where you split up each body part and bomb and blitz the pecs or pump up the biceps. It is not necessary for a woman to isolate any muscle group to get the defined look she wants.
Instead a woman should do a full body, metabolically demanding program in which she alternates between an upper body compound movement such as a push up or chin up with a lower body compound movement such as a squat or lunge.
Keep the rest periods short and use a weight that is challenging. Use 3-4 pairs of exercises working out for no more than an hour at a time.
The woman with toned arms and defined legs looks that way because she has the very thing most women are terrified of, muscle. They are so afraid to lift weights in fear of bulking up that they never get their bodies to look the way they want them to.
They have it deeply seeded in their subconscious that as soon as they touch anything over 10 pounds, they will sprout humungous muscles! Even if they do use weights, they probably still aren't lifting heavy enough and pushing themselves hard enough to get the look they want.
Most women don't know what their bodies are capable of and tend to not push themselves hard enough. There was actually a research study done on this where they showed that women when left to train on their own, lifted loads below what they were capable of.
Maybe it is because women have been conditioned our whole lives to exercise from the point of view of what we "can't" do, rather than what we can do. Women grew up doing "girl" push ups, because we were told we "can't" do actual push ups or hanging from the bar instead of a chin up because girls "can't" do chin ups.
The first woman to run the marathon had to sneak in dressed as a man because women "can't" run a marathon, and that was only in the 70's, not that long ago. Women "can't" lift too heavy, they will hurt themselves. We still subconsciously hold ourselves back when it comes to training whether we realize it or not.
We need to start training from the standpoint of- What CAN you do? How much CAN you lift? How strong CAN you get? And stop letting "can't" enter our vocabulary. As women start to push themselves in the gym, lifting weights and building lean muscle tissue, their metabolisms will be revving and they will be the toned, defined body they have always wanted.
So how do you get your body to change? You have to lift enough weight to build muscle to increase your metabolism, fuel your body with healthy food and turn your body into a fat burning machine. Stop pounding your body with hours of cardio and stop starving yourself!
Tuesday, 21 April 2009
Get Your Body Ready For The Beach
5 Essential Fitness Tips To Get You Looking Your Best This Summer
1.Make sure you involve some form of resistance training in your fitness program. Countless studies have proven that this is the only way to achieve a lean, toned athletic look. Women should not be afraid to lift weights. It is a myth that women will get big and bulky.
2.Do the proper amount of cardiovascular exercise. This is where many females make a mistake. Less is actually more with cardio. You should not be doing more then 20-30 minutes 3-4 days a week. Start with 20 minutes after your weight training program and increase as you need to. You want to do the least amount necessary to achieve the results you want. If you have been doing an excessive amount of cardio you will need to take at least 2 weeks off, and don't do any to let your body rest. Your body will adapt to cardio very quickly. The best way to avoid this is to include intervals as part of your cardio workout.
3.Don't get stuck doing the same routine for months and months. You have to change it up once every 4-6 weeks. In order to keep your body changing, you have to continue to change your routine, as your body adapts make a change.
4.Take at least one day off a week. You don't get results from your workouts, you get results from your recovery. Let your body rest at least one day a week.
5.Hire someone to write an individualized program for you. You won't get the results you could by writing your own programs. Most people will do the exercises they are good at or like doing but not the ones they need to do. I highly recommend hiring someone to write a scientifically designed, individual program once every 4-6 weeks.
1.Make sure you involve some form of resistance training in your fitness program. Countless studies have proven that this is the only way to achieve a lean, toned athletic look. Women should not be afraid to lift weights. It is a myth that women will get big and bulky.
2.Do the proper amount of cardiovascular exercise. This is where many females make a mistake. Less is actually more with cardio. You should not be doing more then 20-30 minutes 3-4 days a week. Start with 20 minutes after your weight training program and increase as you need to. You want to do the least amount necessary to achieve the results you want. If you have been doing an excessive amount of cardio you will need to take at least 2 weeks off, and don't do any to let your body rest. Your body will adapt to cardio very quickly. The best way to avoid this is to include intervals as part of your cardio workout.
3.Don't get stuck doing the same routine for months and months. You have to change it up once every 4-6 weeks. In order to keep your body changing, you have to continue to change your routine, as your body adapts make a change.
4.Take at least one day off a week. You don't get results from your workouts, you get results from your recovery. Let your body rest at least one day a week.
5.Hire someone to write an individualized program for you. You won't get the results you could by writing your own programs. Most people will do the exercises they are good at or like doing but not the ones they need to do. I highly recommend hiring someone to write a scientifically designed, individual program once every 4-6 weeks.
Tuesday, 14 April 2009
The 5 Reasons You're Still Struggling With Your Fat Loss
By Dax Moy
You know what it's like.
You've tried everything in your power to finally shift that weight that's been hanging on for so long and yet, despite your best efforts (or so you believe) you're still far from the condition you're hoping to achieve and you're baffled.
What's wrong?
Why can't you shift that fat?
From my experience it comes down to one of these 5 things.
1. You're Cheating!
No getting away from this one. We've all done it.
You say you're going to commit 100% to your fat loss goal but then, as soon as you're within sniffing distance of your favourite foods you tell yourself 'just one won't hurt' and before you know it, you're chomping away on the very thing that contributed to your fat gain in the first place.
Here's the deal.
You're an addict.
'Just one' WILL hurt!
Like all addicts you need to go cold turkey to break the cycle of dependence. No ifs, not buts.
The thing is, cheating on your diet accomplishes nothing. it keeps things exactly how they are. It keeps YOU exactly how YOU are!
Don't cheat!
2. You've Lost Your Why
I can't remember who first said it but the quote goes 'those that have a strong enough why will overcome almost any how'. This means, of course, if you have a good enough reason for doing what you need to do, you'll find the way to to do it, even if it's hard.
The flip side of this should be obvious.
If you're not clear on why you're doing what you're doing then practically anything you need to do to accomplish your goal will appear difficult, if not impossible.
You'll experience everything as obstacles rather than opportunities and feel that you're more likely to fail than succeed.
That's not a great foundation to build your goals upon is it?
Identify your why.
Be honest with yourself, why do you want to lose that fat? Yes, to look good in your bikini, we know that but what else? What's the REAL reason? Dig deep and find the real why and you'll increase your likelihood to achieve it a hundredfold.
3. You don't know what you want
Sure, you've set a goal to 'lose weight' or 'get fit' or 'tone up' but you've never absolutely, positively set a specific target.
There's a big difference between a weight loss goal like the ones above and 'I'm going to lose 50lbs by June 1st 2009' isn't there?
See, the thing is, you can't hit a target you can't see. So be specific. Set a big, obvious, prominent target with a specific timeline and commit to THAT timeline rather than being vague about 'losing some weight'.
What goal are YOU aiming at?
This is critical to know. Ignore it at your peril!
4. You're Trying to do it alone
You're not an expert on fatloss. if you were, you wouldn't be trying to lose fat, right? : )
So why are you trying to do this alone or with limited knowledge on losing fat?
Stop it now!
If you didn't know about your car engine, I'm sure you wouldn't attempt to strip down the engine block on your own right? You'd get a mechanic to do the job.
Your body is far more important than your car so stop tinkering with and and guessing and hoping that what you're doing is going to work.
Instead, seek out fat loss experts who'll give you the PROVEN dietary and exercise guidance that they use to get results for their clients, follow their advice and get those results for yourself. Hardly rocket science, but the number of people actually doing this are few and far between. And funnily enough, practically all of them have great physiques!
Take a look at some of these results HERE for women and HERE for men and you'll see what a difference it makes to get professional advice.
5. You're Trying to do it alone part 2
Once you've gotten your professionally designed program, you're not cheating, you know your why and you have a laser like focus on the specific goals you want to achieve then make sure you find and join a support group to keep your motivation high. This is not just a suggestion, it's a necessity!
You see, those who are attempting massive changes in their health, fitness and appearance often undergo massive swings in motivation with huge highs and dramatic lows. It's during the lows that self-doubt and the feelings to quit come into play and, before you know it you've cheated, told yourself you'll never succeed and quit the program that you started out on with such high hopes.
Having support means that this won't happen.
Sure, you'll still get the swings, the highs, the lows but you'll be talking to people that are going through the same as you, experiencing the same problems and feelings and who know what you're going through. They'll drag you back up when you're flagging and you can return the favour when they need it.
This is win-win and is responsible for more people achieving their health and fitness goals than practically any other reason.
Get support and you're most of the way there, do it alone and the goal feels miles off.
There you have, the top 5 reasons why your fat loss goals fail.
And also the prescription you need to make sure they never fail again, right?
Apply all 5 steps and your fat loss is guaranteed!
You know what it's like.
You've tried everything in your power to finally shift that weight that's been hanging on for so long and yet, despite your best efforts (or so you believe) you're still far from the condition you're hoping to achieve and you're baffled.
What's wrong?
Why can't you shift that fat?
From my experience it comes down to one of these 5 things.
1. You're Cheating!
No getting away from this one. We've all done it.
You say you're going to commit 100% to your fat loss goal but then, as soon as you're within sniffing distance of your favourite foods you tell yourself 'just one won't hurt' and before you know it, you're chomping away on the very thing that contributed to your fat gain in the first place.
Here's the deal.
You're an addict.
'Just one' WILL hurt!
Like all addicts you need to go cold turkey to break the cycle of dependence. No ifs, not buts.
The thing is, cheating on your diet accomplishes nothing. it keeps things exactly how they are. It keeps YOU exactly how YOU are!
Don't cheat!
2. You've Lost Your Why
I can't remember who first said it but the quote goes 'those that have a strong enough why will overcome almost any how'. This means, of course, if you have a good enough reason for doing what you need to do, you'll find the way to to do it, even if it's hard.
The flip side of this should be obvious.
If you're not clear on why you're doing what you're doing then practically anything you need to do to accomplish your goal will appear difficult, if not impossible.
You'll experience everything as obstacles rather than opportunities and feel that you're more likely to fail than succeed.
That's not a great foundation to build your goals upon is it?
Identify your why.
Be honest with yourself, why do you want to lose that fat? Yes, to look good in your bikini, we know that but what else? What's the REAL reason? Dig deep and find the real why and you'll increase your likelihood to achieve it a hundredfold.
3. You don't know what you want
Sure, you've set a goal to 'lose weight' or 'get fit' or 'tone up' but you've never absolutely, positively set a specific target.
There's a big difference between a weight loss goal like the ones above and 'I'm going to lose 50lbs by June 1st 2009' isn't there?
See, the thing is, you can't hit a target you can't see. So be specific. Set a big, obvious, prominent target with a specific timeline and commit to THAT timeline rather than being vague about 'losing some weight'.
What goal are YOU aiming at?
This is critical to know. Ignore it at your peril!
4. You're Trying to do it alone
You're not an expert on fatloss. if you were, you wouldn't be trying to lose fat, right? : )
So why are you trying to do this alone or with limited knowledge on losing fat?
Stop it now!
If you didn't know about your car engine, I'm sure you wouldn't attempt to strip down the engine block on your own right? You'd get a mechanic to do the job.
Your body is far more important than your car so stop tinkering with and and guessing and hoping that what you're doing is going to work.
Instead, seek out fat loss experts who'll give you the PROVEN dietary and exercise guidance that they use to get results for their clients, follow their advice and get those results for yourself. Hardly rocket science, but the number of people actually doing this are few and far between. And funnily enough, practically all of them have great physiques!
Take a look at some of these results HERE for women and HERE for men and you'll see what a difference it makes to get professional advice.
5. You're Trying to do it alone part 2
Once you've gotten your professionally designed program, you're not cheating, you know your why and you have a laser like focus on the specific goals you want to achieve then make sure you find and join a support group to keep your motivation high. This is not just a suggestion, it's a necessity!
You see, those who are attempting massive changes in their health, fitness and appearance often undergo massive swings in motivation with huge highs and dramatic lows. It's during the lows that self-doubt and the feelings to quit come into play and, before you know it you've cheated, told yourself you'll never succeed and quit the program that you started out on with such high hopes.
Having support means that this won't happen.
Sure, you'll still get the swings, the highs, the lows but you'll be talking to people that are going through the same as you, experiencing the same problems and feelings and who know what you're going through. They'll drag you back up when you're flagging and you can return the favour when they need it.
This is win-win and is responsible for more people achieving their health and fitness goals than practically any other reason.
Get support and you're most of the way there, do it alone and the goal feels miles off.
There you have, the top 5 reasons why your fat loss goals fail.
And also the prescription you need to make sure they never fail again, right?
Apply all 5 steps and your fat loss is guaranteed!
Monday, 6 April 2009
Healthy Eating – Meal Plans to get you in shape for summer!
This week I want to concentrate on the #2 Strategy for Losing Weight. Any idea on what the #2 Strategy for Weight Loss is?
If you guess nutrition then give yourself a pat on the back. Yes Nutrition is the #2 Strategy.
I guess you are now wondering what the #1 Strategy for Weight Loss is?!! It’s not exercise! That comes in at #3.
The #1 Strategy for Weight Loss is Social Support – the support of your partner, your family, your friends and your trainer.
Any way, moving on to nutrition, I wanted to give you some ideas of how to put together a healthy eating plan. Everyone has individual tastes so this might not be for everyone but hopefully it gives you an idea of the types of food and the volume of food you should eat to lose weight.
I have given a number of different options for each meal.
Let me know what you think.
Breakfast:
Start the day with two glasses of water and a cup of green tea, black tea or black coffee (add a small amount of milk if necessary).
• Porridge with skimmed or semi skimmed milk, ½ oz nuts plus blueberries.
• Porridge with skimmed or semi skimmed milk, ½ oz sunflower and/or pumpkin seeds plus strawberries.
• 2 eggs (poached or scrambled) on 2 pieces wholemeal toast plus one piece of fruit
• 2 egg omelette with spinach, mushrooms and low fat cheese
• 3 shredded wheat with skimmed or semi-skimmed milk, banana and glass of orange juice
• 3 weetabix with skimmed or semi-skimmed milk, strawberries and a tablespoon of yoghurt
• Super Shake (see list of shakes)
Morning Snack:
Drink two glasses of water and a cup of green tea, black tea or black coffee (add a small amount of milk if necessary) during the morning.
• 1 oz of almonds or walnuts and 1 apple
• Pineapple chunks, blueberries and 1 cup of low fat cottage cheese
• ½ serving of lunch/dinner option
• 1 sliced apple with 150g low fat yoghurt
• Super shake
• Peanut butter sandwich on wholemeal bread
• Home made muesli bar (ask me for a recipe)
Lunch:
Drink two glasses of water with lunch.
• Chicken breast and stir fry veggies with ½ cup wholemeal pasta and 1 oz cashew nuts
• Chicken breast with mixed salad leaves drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and a piece of fruit
• Salmon and spinach salad drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and a piece of fruit
Afternoon Snack:
Drink two glasses of water and a cup of green tea, black tea or black coffee (add a small amount of milk if necessary) during the afternoon.
• 1 oz of almonds or walnuts and 1 apple
• Pineapple chunks, blueberries and 1 cup of low fat cottage cheese
• ½ serving of lunch/dinner option
• 1 sliced apple with 150g low fat yoghurt
• Super shake
• Peanut butter sandwich on wholemeal bread
• Home made muesli bar (ask me for a recipe)
Dinner:
Drink two glasses of water with dinner.
• Lean steak with broccoli and salad and extra virgin olive oil and fruit salad
• Chicken breast and stir fry veggies with ½ cup wholemeal pasta and 1 oz cashew nuts
• Salmon and ½ cup of brown rice and broccoli and salad and extra virgin olive oil
• Turkey breast and asparagus and salad and extra virgin olive oil
• Grilled white fish with sweet potato, carrots and courgettes
If you guess nutrition then give yourself a pat on the back. Yes Nutrition is the #2 Strategy.
I guess you are now wondering what the #1 Strategy for Weight Loss is?!! It’s not exercise! That comes in at #3.
The #1 Strategy for Weight Loss is Social Support – the support of your partner, your family, your friends and your trainer.
Any way, moving on to nutrition, I wanted to give you some ideas of how to put together a healthy eating plan. Everyone has individual tastes so this might not be for everyone but hopefully it gives you an idea of the types of food and the volume of food you should eat to lose weight.
I have given a number of different options for each meal.
Let me know what you think.
Breakfast:
Start the day with two glasses of water and a cup of green tea, black tea or black coffee (add a small amount of milk if necessary).
• Porridge with skimmed or semi skimmed milk, ½ oz nuts plus blueberries.
• Porridge with skimmed or semi skimmed milk, ½ oz sunflower and/or pumpkin seeds plus strawberries.
• 2 eggs (poached or scrambled) on 2 pieces wholemeal toast plus one piece of fruit
• 2 egg omelette with spinach, mushrooms and low fat cheese
• 3 shredded wheat with skimmed or semi-skimmed milk, banana and glass of orange juice
• 3 weetabix with skimmed or semi-skimmed milk, strawberries and a tablespoon of yoghurt
• Super Shake (see list of shakes)
Morning Snack:
Drink two glasses of water and a cup of green tea, black tea or black coffee (add a small amount of milk if necessary) during the morning.
• 1 oz of almonds or walnuts and 1 apple
• Pineapple chunks, blueberries and 1 cup of low fat cottage cheese
• ½ serving of lunch/dinner option
• 1 sliced apple with 150g low fat yoghurt
• Super shake
• Peanut butter sandwich on wholemeal bread
• Home made muesli bar (ask me for a recipe)
Lunch:
Drink two glasses of water with lunch.
• Chicken breast and stir fry veggies with ½ cup wholemeal pasta and 1 oz cashew nuts
• Chicken breast with mixed salad leaves drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and a piece of fruit
• Salmon and spinach salad drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and a piece of fruit
Afternoon Snack:
Drink two glasses of water and a cup of green tea, black tea or black coffee (add a small amount of milk if necessary) during the afternoon.
• 1 oz of almonds or walnuts and 1 apple
• Pineapple chunks, blueberries and 1 cup of low fat cottage cheese
• ½ serving of lunch/dinner option
• 1 sliced apple with 150g low fat yoghurt
• Super shake
• Peanut butter sandwich on wholemeal bread
• Home made muesli bar (ask me for a recipe)
Dinner:
Drink two glasses of water with dinner.
• Lean steak with broccoli and salad and extra virgin olive oil and fruit salad
• Chicken breast and stir fry veggies with ½ cup wholemeal pasta and 1 oz cashew nuts
• Salmon and ½ cup of brown rice and broccoli and salad and extra virgin olive oil
• Turkey breast and asparagus and salad and extra virgin olive oil
• Grilled white fish with sweet potato, carrots and courgettes
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