HOW TO GET LEAN! The 7 simple things you can start doing today to build the body of your dreams!

Most of the clients I work with, have similar goals...lose fat, build muscle and GET LEAN! Long, lean, sculpted, strong muscles is what most of us are working and striving for.  It motivates us to get our workouts in, eat clean and live a healthy lifestyle.  We want to see the definition of our muscles and feel our bodies getting toned and tight. Make it happen this summer! You can absolutely get the lean, beautiful physique you want, by just adopting 7 simple practices. It is all about the choices you make. What you choose to do everyday makes a huge difference in how you look and feel.  What do you choose for yourself? What's it going to be? Choose to get lean! Here are 7 things you can start doing today to build that dream body! Let's get to it!!!

1 - Increase the intensity of your cardio workouts and switch up your resistance training program. You have to bump up your cardio...you can do that by increasing the duration, speed or intensity. Take your cardio up a notch and watch the fat melt off our body. ;) Same with your resistance training program.  How long have you been doing the same exercises in the same order with the same weights?  Change it up!  Dropsets, supersets, change the number of reps, change the exercises you are doing.  Shake things up!  Make those muscles work!!!

2- Want lean muscle? Eat protein.  As simple as that. ;) Guys...make sure you are consuming 1.5-2 grams of protein per pound of body weight. Girls...you are going to want to try and hit 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.

3- Limit your consumption of fruit to 2 servings a day.  Yes, fruit is good for you but, fruit also has a lot of sugar and calories. Most people rely too heavily on fruit for snacks and as part of their meals. Eat more veggies and lean protein and less fruit.  No more than 2 servings a day.

4- No carbs or sugar after 3 pm.  If you think about it...what snacks are you reaching for late afternoon, early evening and worst of all, midnight? Carbs and sugar. When our energy is low and our hunger levels are high, we tend to crave carbs and sugar.  Definitely not the way to go if you want to get lean. By establishing a cutoff time and staying away from carbs and sugar in the evening, you will not only see the muscle definition you want, you will also notice your cravings start to dissipate.

5- Dry out and ditch the booze. Not only is alcohol full of empty calories, it also lowers your inhibitions, decreases your ability to burn fat and decreases the quality of your sleep. If you want to get lean, you absolutely have to eliminate or decrease the amount of alcohol you consume.

6- Make sure you are drinking enough water...64-96 ounces a day. Water is essential. You need to be hydrated in order for your muscles to work properly. If you are not drinking enough water it will decrease your metabolism and you will burn less calories.  Drink up!  It makes a difference!

7 - Sleep. There is no way around it!  If you want a healthy, lean physique, you absolutely have to make sure you are getting enough sleep every night.  You need to give your body a chance to recover and repair your muscles so you are ready to take on your workouts the next day.  It also regulates the hormones associated with weight gain and fat storage.  Too little sleep can cause your body to produce a hormone called cortisol.  Google it. ;) Lack of sleep is directly related to increased belly fat and weight gain.  It is not about hitting snooze. ;)  It is making sure you go to bed early to give your body the proper amount of sleep it needs to build those beautiful muscles and rejuvenate your body!

Let's do it!  Start making these changes today and you absolutely can have a lean, sculpted, beautiful body!

CAN SMART PHONE APPS HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT?

I had the awesome opportunity Monday of doing an Interview with Shaul Turner from Fox 31 News Denver. Check it out when you get a chance! :) Really interesting topic!  The first study has come out looking at the effects of smart phone apps on weight loss.  They found that tracking your exercise and nutrition using a smart phone app is more effective than traditional pen and paper.  Participants who used smart phone apps lost an average of 15 pounds more than the pen paper folks.  The smart phone app users also worked with a fitness coach and attended nutrition classes. It doesn't surprise me that having a coach available and understanding nutrition were integral to the weight loss.  The encouragement, motivation and knowledge you get from working with a fitness professional is so valuable!  I have quite a few clients using My Fitness Pal and they love it! Staying accountable and tracking your progress are two things that definitely help you SUCCEED! If you are not using a smart phone app, this might be the perfect time to look into it and see which one suits you best! :)

THINK BEFORE YOU BITE

My original thought for this post was to terrify all of you with staggering statistics about holiday weight gain and the average calories in cocktails, cookies and cheese trays. ;) Fear tactics aren't really my style though. I truly believe that in the end we all do what we WANT to do and what makes us the happiest. SO...with that in mind...I want you all to take a minute and think about what would make you the happiest during the next 6 weeks. Eating too much, drinking too much, sleeping too little, hungover, trying to squeeze your muffin top into your sexy holiday outfit, sluggishly running errands, missing your workouts and stressing out at work??? OR... Eating healthy, staying hydrated, indulging a little, sleeping great, feeling great, looking hot in that little black dress, energized, making those workouts happen, having a blast at the gym, successfully dealing with the time crunch and overwhelming amount of stuff you have to get done??? Sounds good to me ;)
You too? Alright...what I want you to try this holiday season is to THINK BEFORE YOU BITE. What I mean by that, is to stop yourself and think about it before you just mindlessly shove a cookie in your mouth and wash it down with a sugary cocktail. Just because it is there, does not mean it has to go into your mouth. Be mindful of what you are putting into your body and decide if it is something you really want to indulge in or not.  Being a little more discerning about how you celebrate this holiday season will make a difference. There are several reasons we eat besides hunger...boredom, stress, lack of energy, cravings, social situations, etc. SO...for the next 6 weeks...think before you bite and see how it goes.  Make sure you are eating because you are hungry and that you are putting the best fuel possible in your body. Be aware of what you are eating and drinking and I promise, you will be more energized, less stressed and look amazing when that ball drops. ;)  Let me know how it goes!  Would love to hear what you turn down at the office and get your feedback from you on this!

Tosca Reno is the official queen of Clean Eating. I was turned on to her books several years ago and have since enjoyed her articles and recipes in Oxygen and Clean Eating magazines. She recently re-published her 10 Principles of Clean Eating.  Following the simple principles that define Clean Eating can make such a difference in not only your physique, but also your energy and athletic performance. Nutrition truly is the key!  Check out the 10 Principles of Clean Eating below.  Where are you at with your nutrition??? Are there some things you can do to clean it up???  Maybe you just need a reminder of how to eat to clean??? Have you always wondered what clean eating is all about???
Whatever the case is...here you go! :)

The 10 Principles of Eating Clean:

1. Eat more! Eat 6 small meals each day spaced at intervals of 2-3 hours.
2. Eat breakfast every day, within an hour of rising.
3. Make your last meal three hours before bed.
4. Eat a combination of lean protein plus complex carbohydrates at each meal.
5. Eat sufficient healthy fats every day.
6. Drink 2 to 3 liters of water each day.
7. Pack your own lunch and snacks and bring clean foods with you every day.
8. Depend on fresh fruits and vegetables for nutrients, vitamins, enzymes and fiber.
9. Eat only foods that have not been overly processed or saturated in chemicals, saturated and trans fats and/or toxins.
10. Adhere to proper portion sizes.

Avoid these:

• Over-processed, refined foods
• Chemicals and preservatives
• White flour
• White sugar
• Artificial sugars
• Saturated and trans fats
• Alcohol - avoid or minimize intake
• Calorie-dense foods with little or no nutritional food value

I hear it in the gym and out and about all the time... "I shouldn't be eating this, but it's okay, I worked out today." or "I really have to kill it on the treadmill this morning, I need to burn off that burger from last night." Once and for all guys...truly, truly, truly...YOU CANNOT WORK OFF AN UNHEALTHY DIET.  It's not gonna happen! ; ) Check out this great article I came across that really lays it out for you! 2 1/2 hours of swimming to burn off a Big Mac, 1 hour of hill climbs with 20-40 pound weights to work off the calories from a Starbucks LOWFAT (did you see the LOWFAT part?) Mocha. Biggest take away is, make your indulgences worth it and keep it to special occasions...make it an exception to your daily nutrition not a habit.  Those extra calories do add up and it is much harder to burn them off than you think!  SO much easier to eat healthy and maintain a consistent fitness regime. Eat clean and train mean...it is the way to live healthy, happy and FIT!

http://www.alternet.org/sex/145016/9_hours_of_sex_5_things_you_can_do_to_burn_off_gross_fast_food_meals/

LOVE this article!  Awesome tips...simple ways to create a healthier lifestyle!!!

Definitely check it out when you get a chance!

http://eatthis.womenshealthmag.com/slide/skinny-habit-1-eat-early-dinner?slideshow=186550#sharetagsfocus

When it comes to achieving fitness and weight loss goals, the "reasons why" you want to get stronger, fitter and to a healthier weight sometimes get lost in the "numbers". Focusing on the number of pounds we need to lose, the number of workouts we need to get in each week and the number of reps we need to complete can become overwhelming, stressful and de-motivating. Focusing on the reasons why you want to lose the pounds, workout hard and get to your goal is much more motivating, inspiring and more likely to get you into the gym than the numbers. Take a minute today and write down the reasons why you want to improve your fitness and get to your goals. Then post your "reasons why" somewhere you will see them everyday. Post them on your bathroom mirror, your fridge, your computer...wherever you need to! Remind yourself why you are working so hard! These constant reminders of "reasons why" will help you stay focused, commited and motivated!