Drink 8 -12 glasses of water a day

1. Drinking water enhances fat loss

Water is an essential nutrient. All chemical reactions in the body depend upon it. If you’re trying to lose weight, this can’t be ignored. You won’t be able to lose weight without water to flush out the by-products of fat breakdown. When there isn’t enough water to dilute the body’s waste products, kidney stones may form. When the kidneys aren’t working to their full potential, the liver must step in and help. Once this happens the liver can’t optimally perform its other important functions. As a result, burning fat has to wait.

2. Combat ailments by drinking more water

In many cases, fatigue, headaches and back pain may be caused by dehydration. If you suffer from an afternoon nodoff, try drinking more water at lunch. If you or your children complain of frequent headaches, the amount of water you’re drinking could be responsible. And, muscle spasms can also be caused by not being adequately hydrated.

3. Drinking water can reduce hunger

Experts say that hunger pangs are often misinterpreted cravings for water. Try drinking water before your regular meals and see if it helps you cut down on the amount of food you eat. It really works as an effective appetite suppressant. Avoid counting tea, coffee, sodas and juices in your fluid intake. Coffee and tea contain caffeine which has a diuretic effect and makes you lose water. Sodas and juices are too sweet—- the body must dilute them, causing more dehydration.

4. Look younger - drinking water hydrates your skin

When the skin is properly hydrated, it looks plump and more radiant. Water will keep the toxins flushed out and help you to cool off through perspiration. Muscles need to have enough water to make them look full too. Deprive yourself of water and you’ll see the difference in the mirror.

Are you dehydrated?

Just how do you know if you’re getting dehydrated? If you have a dry mouth, produce less urine, have very dark urine and/or feel dizzy or faint you probably need water, quick. Drink at least 8 glasses a day. Experts now recommend even more, up to 12 glasses a day. To be more precise, drink ½ ounce per pound of body weight. If you exercise or are very active increase the number to 2/3 ounce per pound. Try monitoring your water intake closely for the next month. When you drink enough, you’ll look and feel better.

Back to Top

2. Push the intensity of your workouts. Don't kill time, burn calories by maintaining a challenging intensity.

3. Use smaller plates at home. This effortlessly reduces calorie intake and promotes weight loss.

4. Build accountability into your workouts so that you resist the temptation to take days off. The best way to ensure accountability is to workout with a partner. This can be a friend or with a personal trainer doing either one-on-one or group training.

5. Drink water throughout your day. Do this by carrying a water bottle and opting for water rather than calorie-filled beverages. This simple action is extremely beneficial.

6. Maintain your metabolism by eating a healthy snack or meal every three hours. This food should be unprocessed, low in fat and high in fiber.

7. Incorporate High Intensity Interval Training into your cardio workouts by performing bursts of high intensity rather than exercising at a single steady pace.

8. Do not eat processed foods. These items are high in empty calories and contain a plethora of chemicals that are harmful to your health.

9. Stop talking about losing weight. Start doing it.

10. Fat contains twice the caloric density of carbohydrates and protein, so limit the amount that you consume. Fill your diet with lean protein and carbohydrates from plants and whole grains.

11. Be wary of products that are labeled as ‘health food'. Always read the nutrition labels.

12. Find a workout partner who is in better shape than you, or work with a personal trainer to guarantee dramatic results.

13. Make a habit out of reading nutrition labels. Avoid items that are high in fat and carbohydrates.

14. Avoid the trap of high-calorie beverages after your workouts.

15. Be consistent with your workouts. Exercise three to four times each week.

16. High fructose corn syrup should not be in your diet. It is high in calories and will quickly derail your weight loss efforts.

17. Challenge your body with each workout. Use different weights, do different exercises and break through plateaus.

18. Eat lots of whole plant foods. Vegetables, fruits and whole grains are filled with fiber and antioxidants, vital for your good health.

19. Do your cardiovascular exercise after weight training to ensure more fat burn. Your stored sugars will be depleted during the weight training then your body will rely on fat stores to get you through the cardio workout.

20. Set specific, measurable goals.

21. Start each day with a healthy breakfast. This important meal should be a balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat to get your metabolism going strong.

Back to Top

In our fast-paced society, eating is often done with little or no thought as to what exactly it is being ingested. Excess body fat is a direct outcome of this hurried, poor nutrition. Even if you have the best intentions with your diet, you are likely frustrated and fed up with extra pounds.

The bottom line is that your physique is largely a result of what you eat, so the foods that you put into your body should be carefully selected.

It's time to re-examine what you eat.

It all starts with reading nutritional labels. The nutritional content and ingredient list will give you everything you need to know about the quality of the food item.

I've outlined 5 ingredients that should raise a red flag when you turn over that package and find them listed:

Red Flagged Ingredient #1: High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
HFCS is a manmade sugar, derived predominantly from genetically modified corn. The sweet concoction has been shown to promote binges and hysterical hunger, and wrecks havoc on your blood sugar levels, promoting fat storage.

The introduction of HFCS into our food supply directly paralleled a 47% spike in Type 2 Diabetes cases as well as an 80% increase in obesity. Food manufacturers use HFCS in many mainstream products, including the following:

• Sauces (including ketchup)
• Yogurt
• Energy Bars
• Soft Drinks / Fruit Juices
• Processed baked goods
• Cereals
• Crackers
• Ice Cream
• Salad Dressing
• Most packaged snack foods

Red Flagged Ingredient #2: Hydrogenated Fat / Partially Hydrogenated Fat (Trans Fat)
Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats have undergone such extensive processing that the chemical structure has changed from a “cis” shape, which the human body recognizes and utilizes, to a “trans” shape, which is foreign and destructive to human physiology.

Check each food label for the word ‘hydrogenated' and avoid it diligently. Cutting out hydrogenated fats is a simple way to help you look and feel your best.

Red Flagged Ingredient #3: Aspartame
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that was denied 8 times by the FDA before being approved in 1973. Many scientists objected the approval, claiming that aspartame hadn't been proven safe for use as a food additive.

MIT neuroscientist, Richard Wurtman, researched the effects of aspartame and concluded that it promotes cravings for foods high in calories and carbohydrates. Though aspartame is calorie-free it still causes insulin to be released, which job is to stow away sugar – when this sugar is not available, the result is often hypoglycemia and severe hunger. Not exactly a recipe for weight loss.

Red Flagged Ingredient #4: White Sugar
White sugar comes from the juice of a sugar cane plant that has undergone an intensive refining process. In this process all of the enzymes, fiber, vitamins and minerals are destroyed, rendering it nutritionally void. White sugar is also extremely high in calories, which your body loves to store away in fat cells.

Refined sugar has been linked to a weakened immune system, hyperactivity, ADD, mental and emotional disorders, dental cavities, hypoglycemia, enlargement of the liver and kidneys, and an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain. All that and it leads to weight gain.

Red Flagged Ingredient #5: White Flour
White flour comes from natural whole wheat that has been stripped of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. This results in a nutritionally void product that is packed with calories that release quickly into your system, creating a spike in blood sugar. As you know, this promotes fat storage and leads to hysterical hunger and cravings. You don't need that.

Once you cut these 5 items out of your diet, you'll be pleased with the results. Expect to lose weight, to have more energy and to feel better than you have in a long time.

Back to Top

Mistake 1: You use the wrong weight

The goal is to challenge your muscles, not to simply go through the motions. If you are able to complete 15 repetitions easily, then the weight is too light. On the other hand, if you aren't able to perform an exercise through its full range of motion, and find yourself cheating on form, then the weight is too heavy.

The correct weights will feel challenging by your last few repetitions, but won't force you to sacrifice form.

Mistake 2: You do the same routine

You may have noticed that most people do the same exercises each time they visit the gym. Maybe you've been doing the same exercise routine as long as you can remember - if it isn't broken then don't fix it, right?

The truth is that exercise routines have expiration dates, and that is the date that they begin to lose their effectiveness. As a rule of thumb never use the same routine for more than 4 weeks.

Mistake 3: You don't warm up

Most people consider warm up time to be wasted time - they'd rather jump right into the heart of the routine. What they don't realize is that a good warm up will allow you to perform at a higher intensity, which means greater results.

The point of a warm up is to increase your muscle temperature. This increases blood flow, muscle contraction, and reduces muscle resistance. Your warm up should last 5-10 minutes.

Mistake 4: You use bad form

Gyms are filled with people performing exercises with bad form. The two biggest reasons are that you aren't concentrating on the exercise, or you're trying to lift weight that is too heavy. Lifting with improper form almost always results in injury.

Take the time to achieve proper form, by doing so you'll avoid injury and will reap the full benefit from each exercise.

Mistake 5: You workout alone

People who exercise alone are less challenged, less accountable and typically see fewer results. It makes sense, doesn't it? Why rush to the gym if no one is there waiting for you? Why push yourself if no one is watching? Exercising alone is a recipe for disaster.

A great way to avoid injury and to maximize results is to work with a fitness professional, such as myself. I am passionate about seeing my clients achieve results - without wasting time, energy and effort on mistakes.

Back to Top