You know that diet and exercise are important when it comes to creating your best body, but you may be overlooking other techniques for getting into the best shape.

Turn the following 13 simple tips into habits and watch as your body transforms.

1) Eat a Smart Breakfast.
Most people load up on carbohydrates and simple sugars for breakfast. Cereal, pastries, smoothies and juice are all poor choices when it comes to starting your day off right. Center your breakfast around protein and healthy fat, and you’ll have energy for hours. Try a protein shake, eggs, lean breakfast meat, or a handful of nuts.

2) Get More Sleep.
If you’re not getting at least 8 hours of sleep each night then you could use more sleep. This is especially true if you’ve reached a plateau with weight loss. Give your body the 8 hours of sleep each night and make weight loss easier.

3) Just Do It.
If you’re really ready to achieve your best body ever, then dig down deep and commit. As Woody Allen famously said, “80% of success is showing up.” This is absolutely true when it comes to fitness. Show up to your workout. Even if you’re tired. Even if you’d rather be doing something else. Just do it.

4) Plan Ahead.
Take one day each week to plan your healthy meals for the following week. You don’t have to do all the shopping and cooking on that day, simply jot down what you plan to eat. This small act of planning ahead will keep you on track with healthy meals even when the week gets crazy busy.

5) Cut Out Gluten.
Many people don’t realize that they have a certain level of sensitivity to gluten, which causes intestinal inflammation and bloating. Also, gluten-filled foods are typically high in carbohydrates, which contribute to weight gain. When you cut gluten-filled items from your diet don’t fall into the trap of simply replacing those items with other high-carb items. Choose non-packaged, whole foods instead.

6) Believe In Yourself.
Do you believe that you have what it takes to transform your body? If you want to succeed in weight loss then you have to believe that it’s possible. Give yourself a pep talk and dig down deep for the courage and discipline to apply these healthy changes to your life.

7) Eat Less Dairy.
Dairy products like cheese or cream add extra fat and calories to your meals. Pass on the dairy and you’ll eliminate unnecessary calories, making weight loss quicker.

8) Sleep and Wake at the Same Time.
This tip sounds so simple, and yet it’s a powerful way to increase your daily energy. Get your body on a schedule and watch how much more productive and energetic you become.

9) Include Veggies at Every Meal.
Most people aren’t too crazy about vegetables, and probably eat less than they should. Make it a point to include a vegetable with each of your meals – even breakfast. The increase in fiber and other nutrients will give your body that extra boost that you’re looking for.

10) Ditch Packaged Food.
Throw out those packaged foods! This is one of the easiest things you can do to achieve quicker weight loss results. Packaged foods contain chemicals and additives that will slow your fitness results.

11) Drink More Water.
Being hydrated is key when it comes to creating your best body. Drink water throughout your day and limit caffeinated beverages to once daily.

12) Forget Artificial Sweeteners.
Sure, these sweeteners don’t contain calories, but they are known to increase your appetite and cravings for carbohydrates. In the quest for your best body, put down the diet soda and reach instead for some water.

13) Exercise With a Pro.
Are you exercising as efficiently as possible? Do you challenge your muscles enough during each workout? Are you keeping the routine new and fresh? These are all factors that will be taken care of for you when you work with a trained fitness professional. Working with a pro ensures that you make the most of your exercise time.

So there you have it, 13 tips that will take your results up a notch.

If you haven’t joined one of my programs yet, now is a great time to start. Together we will get you focused on your goals with my results-driven method.

Call or email today to set up your first workout.

When you feel a trigger food calling your name, turn to these wholesome snacks and avoid a fitness relapse.

• Organic, fresh fruit: It’s sweet and won’t ruin your diet like packaged candy.
• Whole, roasted nuts: Sprinkle some sea salt on a handful of nuts and you won’t even want that bag of chips anymore.
• Wholesome, home baked goods: When a piece of fruit just isn’t going to cure your cake craving, then make a wholesome, gluten and cane sugar free cake at home. The Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake below contains wholesome fat from coconut oil and almonds that will keep you satiated for hours. See the recipe below.

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1. Be Consistent: exercise at least 3 times each week.
2. Be Challenged: keep your routine intense.
3. Be Patient: true fitness results take time.
4. Be Excited: find a form of exercise that you love.
5. Be Advised: call in a professional, like me, for premium results.

For more insightful health and nutrition articles, please subscribe to our newsletter. While you are there please refer a few friends.

There are plenty of exercise misconceptions out in the world, some of which may be holding you back from your best body.

Do the following 5 exercise myths sound familiar? This may be exactly what you need to hear.

1) Exercise on an empty stomach burns more fat.

This theory says that if there’s no fuel in your body to burn then you’ll end up burning fat, but research has proven otherwise. Instead of pulling the energy from stored fat, there’s a better chance that your body will look to energy in your bloodstream and muscle stores. Further drawbacks to exercising on an empty stomach include shortened workouts due to lack of stamina, and dizziness or nausea from low blood sugar.

Instead of going hungry, enjoy a small, nutritious snack about 90 minutes before you exercise.

2) Cardio is more effective for weight loss than weights.

For some reason women seem to love the idea that they will burn more fat by running on a treadmill than by lifting dumbbells. Sorry ladies, but cardio alone is never as effective as a routine that also includes resistance training. Strength training is essential for building lean tissue, which increases your metabolism and decreases your body fat.

If your goal is weight loss, then make friends with some dumbbells.

3) If you exercise enough, then you can eat anything you want.

This myth makes me cringe, as I’ve seen so many people throw away their hard-earned fitness results by overeating. Even if you exercise daily at an intense rate, your diet still matters. To top it off, most people overestimate how many calories they burn as well as underestimating how many calories they are eating. This can be a fattening combo.

For best results, maintain a calorie-controlled diet filled with fresh, wholesome ingredients.

4) For optimal fat burn, exercise longer at a low intensity.

Wouldn’t it be nice if this one were true? Then instead of pushing it hard in the gym we could all simply go for a nice, long stroll to burn fat. Umm, usually if something sounds too good to be true that’s because it is too good to be true.

Intensity matters when it comes to getting great results, so challenge yourself.

5) Unless you exercise often, exercise is a waste of time.

I hear this myth in the form of an excuse from people who haven’t started an exercise program due to the idea that they won’t be able to exercise enough to make it count. Research continues to prove that any exercise is better than zero exercise. So you can only exercise once a week? Do it.

Any exercise is better than zero exercise. Contact me today and we will get you set up with an exercise program tailored to your lifestyle.

The sooner that you get started on my results-driven exercise program, the sooner you will be living life in your new, slimmer body.

What are you waiting for?

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