Helpful Hints ...a time to recommit.

So......getting a lot of emails and phone calls about how to speed up the process in the gym. (I can tell spring is in the air when the minor look of panic spreads across faces at the mere thought of shorts and tank tops.)

Let's chat.

We must take an honest look at what's going on the kitchen...... and at the coffee bar.....and at the restaurants......basically, WHAT IT IS YOU CHOOSE TO EAT.  If you need a refresher, you can print this list out, laminate it, and place it on your fridge, your dashboard, your wallet.......just in case you forget.

1) Water. Half your body weight in ounces. Every. Single. Day.

2) Increase WHOLE FOODS - Foods that do not have an "ingredient list" on their packaging.  Better yet, how about NO PACKAGING???  New concept for you? That'd be step #1....... Also, this makes eating out much more challenging; just sayin'.

3)  Eliminate Processed Foods (yes, go through the pantry and TOSS it.)  Foods that have ingredient lists that are abundant are simply not going to be nutritious.  The simpler the better in those columns.  *This would assume you regularly read the back of your food packaging, yes?*

4) Have designated "time to eat" - breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner.  No eating in front of anything with a screen or it becomes mindless. We want to enjoy our food, eat slowly, and remember that eating is not part of our multitasking-obsessed society.

5) Sugar is just as harmful, (if not, worse) than fat. Don't kid yourself when you read No Fat or Fat Free on anything. If that's the case, they likely added sugar or artificial sugar to make it yummy. Sugar is e-v-i-l and will negate almost anything else you do!  Sugar is not just in sweets. Sugar is in EVERYTHING; that's why it tastes so good.  So, label reading should become 2nd nature. If the sugar content is above...say....10 grams per serving (for starters....it will go less as time goes on) it is a flat out NO.  (Ahem.....again, how do you know how much sugar is in food at a restaurant?  Exactly.)

6) Quit eating at least three hours before bedtime.  No big, heavy meals, no sweets, no salts. Nothing.  You do not need to go to bed on a full stomach. If you are hungry before bed, GOOD!  You can eat a big, healthy breakfast and feel great in the morning.  You should feel slight hunger at pillow time!

7) Get real about your beverages.  Folks, just because you don't chew it doesn't mean it's not full of empty, toxic, fattening calories.  MUCH of our problem is in our sodas (a total and absolute no-no in my book - especially "diet" sodas), coffees, juices, and excessive alcohol (today is St. Patty's day.....green beer.....blech....not for me, thanks.)  Please don't fall into the trap that you will replace a meal with a mondo Starbucks (Anthem, Big Foot, Forza, Coffeemate creamer in your travel mug, etc.)  And if you have that mindset, call me. I'll set ya straight :)

Start here, Friends.  And allow yourself the grace to be shocked, then sad, then deprived, then a bit testy. All part of the process of cleaning up from the inside out.  You wanna feel better, look better, have more energy, sleep soundly, and get rid of fat?  Here's how you start! It won't be easy but it will be worth it. You can do better when you know better, and now you know better :) I want you to succeed and I want to hear how you did.

"Bad habits in the kitchen waste all the time you just spent in the gym."

Next week - How to kick start your workouts and maximize your time!