by George Louris

Have you given up on your New Year’s resolution yet? If you’re like most people, you didn’t get past week two. But have no fear, if you follow these five simple rules you can accelerate your fat loss, increase your energy and improve your overall health.

1. Eat More Vegetables: Yup, mom knows best. You’ve undoubtedly heard this one a million times, but that’s only because it works.  The trick is to stay away from starchy vegetables. That means practically any vegetable of your choice other than carrots, corn and potatoes (fried, white or sweet). Otherwise eat as many vegetables as you want, all day long. Here are three easy ways to eat more of them.

2. Eat More Protein: In fact, you should be eating protein at every single meal. Protein helps you feel fuller for longer and is necessary to help feed your muscles. Great sources of protein include beef, chicken, fish, dairy and eggs (Get the real deal about eggs here). Protein in the morning is especially important. Skip the cereal and opt for a high protein breakfast instead.

If you “don’t have the time” for a full blown breakfast, opt for a protein shake or smoothie instead. If you go the protein shake route, make sure you choose one that is gluten-free and without any artificial sweeteners. I’ve tried dozens of brands, and have found that the pro/grade protein powder is easiest to mix, tastes the best and is easiest on the stomach.

3. Embrace Natural Fat: Contrary to popular belief, fat alone has little to do with making you fat. Eating the kind of fat that’s found in omelets, avocados, olives, olive oil and nuts isn’t what’s going to push you over the edge (eat these in moderation as they are dense in calories). Instead, be on the lookout for foods that are high in carbs paired with foods that are high in fats. These types of food will spike your insulin levels and will cause your body to store fat instead of burn it. (Fat alone will not raise your insulin levels).

4. Skip Processed Foods: If it comes in a bag or box, skip it. It’s that simple. Be wary of “foods” that claim to be “low fat” or “zero calories”. “Low fat” foods typically are loaded with sugar and “zero calorie” foods usually are “flavor enhanced” with toxic artificial sweeteners. Avoid both. This includes deli and luncheon meats which typically include added salt and sugar and are loaded with nitrates (often linked with increased risk of cancer).

5. Ditch the Fast-Digesting Carbs: Foods that contain high levels of glucose raise blood sugar levels quickly. This in turn signals your body to release a flood of insulin. Keeping your insulin levels low not only helps speed up fat loss but it also improves your overall health. In fact, one study by the University of Connecticut showed that when researchers analyzed why low-carb dieters were successful, the calculated that 70 percent of their weight loss resulted from low insulin levels.

So what kind of carbs are “fast digesting”? Fast digesting carbs include foods that are made with sugar or are high in starch. This includes rice, potatoes, bread, pasta, and any other flour-based foods. Eliminating or minimizing the consumption of these foods will go a very long way towards a leaner and healthier you.

6. The last thing you should keep in mind is that your goal should be fat loss, not weight loss. It’s a very important distinction (losing muscle is actually counterproductive to any weight loss goals). One way to help maintain your muscle is to perform a full body resistance based workout at least three times a week. You don’t need to go crazy and spend hours a week working out, 15-20 minutes of intense exercise using a pair of dumbbells or even just your bodyweight can provide significant benefits.

Bonus Tip: For everything you do throughout the day, ask yourself:  “Where’s the fat loss in this?” I have found this especially useful when it comes to what I eat or drink.

Bonus Tip Two: To check out two of my favorite smoothie recipes, plus a free fat loss workout , you can check out this article: Killer Fat Loss Workout With Dumbbells + Smoothies.

I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for the spring. With Groundhog Day, Valentine’s Day, and Presidents’ Day long gone, it’s time to refocus on maintaining a fit and healthy lifestyle, and putting the ho-hums of winter behind us. By focusing our energy on improving our health and the way we look and feel, our attitude will become more positive, we’ll have more “pep in our step”, and our smiles will transform the gloomy days of winter into the renewing energy of springtime.

We’ve all heard that to maintain good health, we need to combine diet and regular exercise. Then why do so many of us fail? We all want to be healthy, right? Certainly we all want to look and feel our best, don’t we? So why do so many of us quit the gym after January, and then end up scrambling back in April when we begin to worry about bikini season? As a former owner of multiple training studios, I’ve seen this way too many times.

Based on my experience, here are the top four most common reasons I’ve seen people fail when it comes to maintaining a fit and healthy lifestyle, and what they can do about it:

1. They set long-term goals
Most people set goals for themselves that are too far out and take too long to achieve. Setting a goal for one, two, or three months away is far too long for most people, and they end up failing miserably. It’s OK to set long term goals, but I’ve found setting goals for shorter durations is much more effective.

So instead, find a duration that you’re positive you can achieve, even if it’s just two or three days. Once you’ve hit that goal date, just start over. This not only helps you feel successful, but it also gives you the opportunity to recognize that eating right and exercising regularly makes you feel better, thus reinforcing your desire to continue.

2. They obsess over mistakes
So you messed up. You had a huge ice-cream sundae after dinner. Forget about it and move on. Dwelling on it is the worse thing you can do. One mistake doesn’t make or break your diet (and by “diet”, I don’t mean a temporary change in the way you eat). As long as you don’t let that one meal start a landslide of bad eating, (“I’ve already messed up, what the heck, what’s one more meal?”) you’ll be fine.

Instead of obsessing, try this simple rule: Any time you “fall off the wagon” make sure that your next six meals are healthy ones.

3. They skip breakfast
Sure you’ve heard this one a million times, but it still remains as one of the foundations of a healthy lifestyle. If your last meal was at 7:00 or 8:00 the night before, your body will be running on empty by the time you wake up and get to work. When the hunger really kicks in, you end up looking for something quick and convenient and that’s when the trouble starts.

If there is absolutely no way you can wake up just a wee bit earlier to have a good breakfast, do what I do. Keep a bowl of fruit on your kitchen counter, and make sure you stay stocked up on healthy nuts like almonds and walnuts. If I have no time to prepare anything, I grab a handful of nuts and a piece of fruit or two and eat them on the way to work. The fiber, protein, and healthy fats from the nuts fill me up, and I just had a healthy breakfast that I feel good about.

In a pinch, I’ll also use a good protein powder. I prefer Prograde Protein Powder because it contains no artificial sweeteners, is low in calories, doesn’t leave me bloated, and mixes easily with just a spoon. You could do a lot worse than a good protein drink and a piece of fruit or two for breakfast.

4. They’re inconsistent
Based on my experience, this has to be the number one reason people fail. Whether it’s with their eating habits or with their workouts, inconsistency kills results every time. That’s why I believe simpler is better. The simpler something is, the easier it is to stick with it. Most people have so many perceived “hurdles” to go through just to get to a workout, that they end up using one or all of them as excuses to miss a workout. You feel you have to wake up early, have a good breakfast, get dressed, make sure you look “good” for the gym, drive to the gym, wait for equipment to be free, worry about people staring at you, avoid the idle chit-chat of other gym members, etc. I’ve heard each and every one of these as reasons to miss a workout or not workout at all.

The best advice I can give is to skip the gym altogether…ironic coming from a former gym owner, I know. Focus on workouts you can do from home that won’t take you an hour to complete. Skipping the gym and working out at home saves you time and money, and greatly increases the probability that you’ll actually do your workout.

Stick to high intensity resistance training using intervals and you can get a great fat burning, muscle building workout in just 15-20 minutes a day.

Eating
When it comes to consistently eating healthy, it usually comes down to one word: preparedness. Like anything else worth achieving, eating right comes down to being prepared. Before you begin your healthy eating at home, you need to clean out the fridge and kitchen cupboards, and get rid of anything processed, anything with added sugar, and anything with artificial sweeteners. Replace them with healthy nuts, low fat cheeses, organic fruits and vegetables, and lean meats.

Do the same at work. By having healthy snacks at your fingertips, chances are much less likely that you’ll be stopping at a donut shop during your break.

One last tip….

Never use the scale to measure fat/weight loss progress. The mirror should be your number one measuring stick, along with how your clothes feel. The scale is too easily tricked, and doesn’t take into account how your body may have changed.

So what are you waiting for? Spring’s right around the corner!

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For more tips, visit George Louris’s website: www.fitbusypeople.com

Follow George on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/FitBusyPeople

Last 5 posts by George Louris CFT

• Fat Loss, Not Weight Loss - March 15th, 2011
• Busy, but Fit - December 1st, 2009
• Only Suckers Go On Diets - August 21st, 2009
• Eat Healthy, But Save Money at the Same Time - June 26th, 2009
• Seven Steps to Jump-Start Your Fat Loss This Spring - April 1st, 2009

Most of us are busy with work, family, taking care of others and all of life’s other responsibilities. Then it shouldn’t be too surprising that setting aside an hour or two a few days a week to workout is almost impossible.

I mean really, how many of us have the time to get ready to go out, drive to the gym, work out, and drive home? Time is valuable and every minute counts! I personally don’t want to spend a good chunk of my free time at the gym every week.

So, ideally, we need something that is very effective and can be done quickly. Besides, there are more important things in life than stressing about getting in an effective workout. This is one of the main reasons why I love to workout at home and utilize bodyweight workouts.

Here is a great workout you can get done in only 12 minutes with absolutely no equipment. This can literally be done anywhere, any time. Now there are no excuses to not get in a great fat-burning workout at home. Even better, this at home workout will really help firm up your abdominals and ‘glutes.’ (Meaning your ‘butt’).

First, perform the following warm-up:

1) Ten reps of pushups
2) Ten reps of prisoner squats
3) Ten reps of jumping jacks
4) Ten reps of arm swings

Then proceed to the workout:

• You will perform each exercise for 20 seconds.
• At the end of each exercise, rest for 10 seconds, but no longer.
• Go on to the next exercise until you complete all 8 exercises.
• Once you complete the circuit of 8 exercises, rest 2-5 minutes.
• Repeat one more time. If you’re up to it, you could even try a third circuit!

Exercise 1: Pushups
Exercise 2: Prisoner Squats
Exercise 3: Mountain Climbers
Exercise 4: Reverse Lunges
Exercise 5: Advanced Burpee
Exercise 6: Y Squats
Exercise 7: Mountain Climbers
Exercise 8: Reverse Lunges

Expect to be sweating and breathing hard throughout the workout. (I never said it would be easy!)

Do this workout every other day and you could realistically lose up to 10 lbs in two weeks if you combine it with some supportive healthy eating.

Look at it this way: would you rather work hard for 12 minutes and get great results, or would you rather waste two hours, waste your life in a gym and get minimal results? Now get to the workout, start burning fat and building rock hard glutes and abs!

Of course, always check with your physician before starting any exercise program!

georgelouris.com
busybod.com –> *THE Home Workout Fat Loss Solution*
busyguyfitclub.com
busyguyfitness.com
www.squidoo.com/Fast-Fat-Loss-for-Ultra-Busy-People

What am I up to? find out at http://twitter.com/FitBusyPeople

Last 5 posts by George Louris CFT

• Fat Loss, Not Weight Loss - March 15th, 2011
• Spring is in the Air! - March 3rd, 2010
• Only Suckers Go On Diets - August 21st, 2009
• Eat Healthy, But Save Money at the Same Time - June 26th, 2009
• Seven Steps to Jump-Start Your Fat Loss This Spring - April 1st, 2009

How many of you have heard the saying, “Losing fat is 80-90% dieting and only 10-20% exercise?”

I bet it’s a number of you. After all, it’s one of the most repeated statements when it comes to losing fat.

Put simply, the idea behind this is that as long as you eat fewer calories than you expend, maintaining a caloric deficit, then you’ll lose fat ─ little, or no need for exercise. Many of the popular diets out on the market today are also based on this premise.

I’m here to tell you that this is a very risky and quite frankly, incorrect line of thinking.

First of all, it is dangerous to follow a very low calorie diet, because they can cause problems with both your mental and physical well being. Depending on how severe your calorie restriction is, there are numerous reasons why you shouldn’t go on a low calorie diet, and here are a few of the key ones:

• Loss of muscle tissue: To try to counteract the lack of blood sugar from carbohydrates in the diet, your body will break down fat, a desirable effect, however it will also breakdown muscle and other lean body tissue.
• Less muscle = slower metabolism: Muscle tissue increases the resting metabolic rate. When you come off the diet, increased fat cells will form, because your metabolism is slow and so your body needs less blood sugar for fuel. It is also a survival mechanism in case of another ‘famine’.
• Mineral imbalance: Imbalance in minerals and electrolytes can occur, which can be dangerous. These govern the balance of fluids in the body allowing nerves and muscles to function.
• Increased risk of osteoporosis: Dairy products like cheese, eggs, yogurt and milk are often cut out of a very low calorie diet. Removing major sources of calcium can lead to reduced bone mass.
• Anemia (a lack of iron in the blood): Women can find that menstruation becomes irregular or stops altogether.
• Deterioration in your hair and nails due to lack of essential nutrients.

There are literally dozens of other reasons why a low calorie diet is dangerous. Suffice it to say, it is not a good way to lose fat.

Secondly, you will almost always re-gain the weight you lose. This is why you always see people try a diet, have some success, fall off it, gain the weight back, and go on to start the same diet (or a new one) a few months later. It’s why companies like Weight Watchers make so much money. People keep coming back. If they were successful in losing the weight and keeping it off to begin with, there would be no coming back.

I have a very strong dislike for fad diets. Most of them set you up for failure from Day One. So let me just say this outright:

I believe that going on a diet is the worst possible way to lose fat (with very few exceptions)

Eating Less vs. Exercising More.

There are two ways to create a caloric deficit. Eat less (consume less calories) or workout more (burn more calories).

Most fad diets will tell you that eating less is the key. I’m here to tell you that working out more is the better method, MUCH better (of course you can always combine the two…).

The key is still creating a caloric deficit, but doing it in a way that provides the most benefit to you. By actually eating more than these diets would recommend AND exercising, you not only provide your body with the nutrients it needs to function properly, but you’re also increasing your metabolism (something you can’t do by just eating less).

Think about it.

Do you really think eating less while not exercising at all is really the best way to lose fat, keep it off and stay healthy? (You do want to stay healthy, right?)

Do you think starving yourself is really a sustainable long term strategy?

Do you want to be one of those “skinny fat guys/gals”?

To really accelerate your fat burning you need to eat (eat healthy and not starve yourself) and utilize a program that combines both resistance training (weights or body weight) and cardiovascular training.

I realize this isn’t some exciting, new advice.

I also realize it’s not as flashy as the latest recommendation from Oprah, or the latest “miracle pill”.

In today’s world, if there isn’t some heavy marketing or some major hooplah around the latest fat loss advice (just look at the “Banana Diet” craze in Japan or the Acai Berry diet scam that Oprah once promoted…), it’s not going to get a lot of people’s interest.

And that’s only part of the problem…

The REAL Problem: Human Nature

There is something in human nature that makes us inherently look for the easiest way out. We expect that the 25 pounds that we gained in the last ten years to simply disappear with a new pill or some funky plastic ab machine.

For the majority of the population, we take the path of least resistance, and always will. Or we get started, hit a plateau and “settle in”, comfortable where we are. “I really wanted to lose 20 pounds, but I lost 9 pounds, that’s ok, I can live with that.”

We’re always looking for the quick fix, the easiest way out, the path of least resistance. Savvy marketers know this and take full advantage of it.

Don’t be a sucker for savvy marketing.

The bottom line is that for long term success with your fat loss goals, and to maximize your chances of living a healthy, energetic life, you need to combine a healthy diet (not starving yourself) with a workout routine that combines resistance training and cardio (not necessarily as separate workouts).

Top Seven Reasons Why Exercise is Superior to Dieting for Fat Loss

Look ─ there are dozens of reasons why working out (combining resistance training and cardio) are FAR superior to dieting. Here are my top seven:

1. Exercise is a viable, sustainable, long term strategy to keep you lean and healthy.
2. Exercise is a proven method to help prevent diabetes and control blood sugar.
3. Exercise helps improve your self confidence and elevates your mood.
4. Exercise increases your quality of life by allowing you to do more physically (makes you stronger, increases your endurance and increases bone density).
5. Exercise increases your metabolism.
6. Exercise is a great stress-buster.
7. Exercise helps you look better naked.

Oh yeah, and by working out, you’ll avoid the “skinny fat guy/girl” look! The gal with the thin thighs that are loaded with cellulite, or the guy with the puffy belly and no muscle tone.

Remember:

• Low calorie diets are not sustainable.
• Low calorie diets are potentially very dangerous.
• Low calorie diets are not the answer.

Eat sensibly, do your full body workouts three times a week (with two to three days of interval cardio training) and you’ll be getting great results in no time.

So what do you think? Do you have other reasons? Make sense? Don’t like exercising and would rather stick to dieting, even after reading this? Post your comments. I would love to hear what you think!

Last 5 posts by George Louris CFT

• Fat Loss, Not Weight Loss - March 15th, 2011
• Spring is in the Air! - March 3rd, 2010
• Busy, but Fit - December 1st, 2009
• Eat Healthy, But Save Money at the Same Time - June 26th, 2009
• Seven Steps to Jump-Start Your Fat Loss This Spring - April 1st, 2009

As someone who is ultra-busy and on a budget, I’m always looking for ways to both eat healthily and save some money, so more often than not, I ‘brown bag’ it. My kids often take sandwiches to school and summer camp, too. I’m guessing I’m a lot like many of you in that respect, so I thought I’d give you some tips on how to pick the healthiest sandwich bread for you and your families:

As always, read the labels. May people have the misconception that because it’s “wrap”, it’s healthy. I’ve seen way too many wraps with a ton of added sugar or artificial sweeteners. Yuck! Both are big no-no’s. Don’t be fooled into thinking that a ‘wrap’ is a “health food”.

Whether it’s a wrap or sliced bread, make sure you look for whole grain bread with the fewest ingredients. Once you do that, also take the following into consideration:

• Read the label, read the label, read the label. Did I mention that you should read the label? Checking the ingredients is key and should be a strategy you use every time you go food shopping. Look for whole grains such as wheat, rye, corn or amaranth. The important thing here is that the whole grain is listed FIRST.

• Don’t fall for clever marketing. Just because the name of the bread has the word “multigrain” in it doesn’t mean it contains whole grains. Some of these “multigrain” breads contain refined grains and flours, but not much actual whole grain.

• It’s all about the fiber. When looking for a whole grain bread, make sure it provides at least two grams of fiber for every 100 calories.

• Shorter is better. The shorter the list of ingredients, the better. Your goal should be to come as close to the bread having only these ingredients as possible: whole-wheat flour, water and yeast.

____________________

Dedicated to your health,

George N. Louris, CFT
georgelouris.com
busybod.com –> *THE Home Workout Fat Loss Solution*
busyguyfitclub.com
busyguyfitness.com
www.squidoo.com/Fast-Fat-Loss-for-Ultra-Busy-People

What am I up to? find out at http://twitter.com/FitBusyPeople

Last 5 posts by George Louris CFT

• Fat Loss, Not Weight Loss - March 15th, 2011
• Spring is in the Air! - March 3rd, 2010
• Busy, but Fit - December 1st, 2009
• Only Suckers Go On Diets - August 21st, 2009
• Seven Steps to Jump-Start Your Fat Loss This Spring - April 1st, 2009

Spring is in the air! As I write this, it’s 60 degrees here in New York, and you can smell spring in the air. Spring is typically the time for renewal and rebirth and I always look at spring as an opportunity to re-energize and refocus on my goals. I suggest you take advantage of the change in climate and do the same. It truly can be an invigorating time with longer periods of daylight, flowers beginning to bloom, and a feeling of renewal.

To help get you started, I want to give you seven simple tips for getting back on the health and fitness wagon after a long winter of inactivity. Getting back in shape doesn’t need to be complicated. Forget about complex meal plans and counting calories. Let’s start with going back to the basics:

• Do three full body workouts a week. If you haven’t been exercising, start there. You don’t need to go crazy to get started and work out for hours a week. If you don’t know where to start, check out my blog where there are several free videos, and sign up for the complimentary Quick Start Kit. You could even try the hotel room workout posted, as it requires no equipment whatsoever. There are photos to help you get started.
• Eat more fruits and vegetables. Yes, this is an obvious one, but most people don’t get anywhere near enough servings. If you eat enough in this category, you’ll feel full longer, and won’t crave sweets as much.
• ‘Brown bag’ it. It’s much easier to stay on track when you plan and pack your own meal. This will help you avoid the temptation of going to a fast food joint (stay away!) and giving into temptation.
• Skip the soft drinks. Whether they’re of the diet variety or not, they’re both terrible for you. In fact, some studies have shown that drinking diet soda can actually make you FATTER!
• Drink LOTS of water. Can’t seem to get enough water in your day? Try drinking a couple of large glasses as soon as you wake up, and two glasses an hour before each meal. If you’re eating 5 to 6 times a day, this should help you drink enough.
• Do NOT eat when you’re bored! This is a big one. One of the biggest culprits is eating in front of the TV just to keep busy while you’re vegging on the couch. If you’re bored or antsy when watching television, try this: During each commercial, try doing jumping jacks until your show is back on, or try doing as many pushups or mountain climbers you can do during those 2 1/2 minutes. If you’re watching a one hour show, you can get a really good workout in and still enjoy your TV!
• Have fun! Winter is over. Get outside and move around! Go play with your kids. Arrange a weekly pickup game of hoops. Spend 15-30 minute a day playing Wii Fit (not a great way to exercise, but it is fun, and it does get you moving). Any extra activity is good,, just don’t fool yourself into believing that it can replace a good workout.

I hope this helps. Get out there and enjoy the weather!

Last 5 posts by George Louris CFT

• Fat Loss, Not Weight Loss - March 15th, 2011
• Spring is in the Air! - March 3rd, 2010
• Busy, but Fit - December 1st, 2009
• Only Suckers Go On Diets - August 21st, 2009
• Eat Healthy, But Save Money at the Same Time - June 26th, 2009