WHAT IS KEEPING YOU FROM SLIMMING DOWN FOR SUMMER? Some tips and tricks for you!

So with summer here, you are ready to shed a few pounds!  Here are some tips to help get rid of the winter excess.

YOU HAVE TO EAT CLEAN!   To slim down, you must eat clean and exercise.   

You MUST limit starchy carbs if you want to slim down!  PERIOD.  Avoid the great white hazards -  white breads and white rice, potatoes, fried foods and processed foods.   Strive to eat more   healthy fats like nuts and avocado.  Remember these are calorie dense so portion control is KEY! 

Replace those starchy carbs with VEGGIES and Fruit! 

Find a way to reduce your stress. To control your weight, you have to control your 2 hormones – insulin and cortisol.  Insulin is controlled through clean eating, and cortisol has to be controlled by reducing your stress.  Find something that works for you.  A leisurely walk, reading a good book, taking a bath…..something, but make sure you find a way to cope with your stress levels.

Change up your workout!  Your body gets used to the same exercise if you do it every day.  Our bodies adapt.  So if you are doing the same workout day in and day out, your body will adjust and it will no longer be effective. Change it up by increasing the intensity or duration of your exercise. You can add intensity by adding hills and inclines to your walk, run or bike rides.  High intensity interval Training  (HIIT) is very effective at burning fat and is generally a shorter duration exercise – saving time and achieving your goals.

Get your Zzzzsssss.  Adequate sleep is important to keep the cortisol in check but also to keep the appetite in control.  There is a hormone called  ghrelin  - and when you do not get enough sleep, this gets out of whack and then stimulates your appetite.

And my favorite!  You have to strength train…..don’t do cardio only.   Women often focus only on cardio and the truth is, if you aren’t strength training, you are not going to get the results you want.  You don’t have to pump iron, body weight exercises are fine….but you have to work the muscles.  This is also good for your bones and you get the “AFTER BURN” with strength training.  The After Burn or EPC (Excess post workout oxygen consumption)is the increased calorie burn for up to 48 hours after your workout.  You do not get that with cardio………and you need it!