5 Steps to a Healthier You:
Step 1: Commitment to Change!
Are you ready for a change? Have you reached the point where you can commit to doing whatever it takes to change your life? Whether I am speaking to a student of mine, a parent of a student, or even someone who found this page while wondering the Internet… The biggest change comes from within, it’s breaking old habits and creating new ones, and in order change your life to become a healthier person you will need a few things… Determination, Commitment, and Perseverance.
Step 2: Let’s talk Calories!
Calories IN vs. Calories OUT. Losing weight can be as simple as finding the answer to a basic math problem. First you need to find out how many calories you burn on average per day (your metabolism). Click here to find out what your metabolism is! Be honest and don’t inflate your activity level. To keep things simple I’m going to use 2000 calories for the average person in my examples. Each individual’s metabolism will vary based on age, height, weight, gender, and activity level.
So here we go… if you burn on average 2000 calories per day the only way to lose weight is to eat/consume less than that number of calories per day. Because 3500 calories = 1 pound of fat, for every 500 calories you cut per day you will lose 1 pound of fat per week. Meaning if you consumed 1500 calories per day everyday, thus creating a 500 calorie cut per day, the total number of calories cut at the end of the week would equal 1 pound of fat loss (3500 calories). Use a pen and paper and start recording your daily intake! There are also many websites like fitday.com and apps out there to help you track and even research the calorie content of any food.
Be careful! 1200 calories should be the minimum amount of calories consumed for most anyone. Any less can result in muscle loss, dizziness, and other medical issues due to lack of basic nutrients. Please consult a physician before starting any diet.
Step 3: Meals, Foods, Reading Labels, & Resources!
Meals? Foods? How many and what kinds? Let’s start with meals. I highly suggest 6 smaller meals per day. That might sound like a lot but just add a snack between breakfast and lunch, and one after dinner and bang! There are your 6 meals. Why 6 meals? You could save your calories for bigger meals but then guess what? You’re going to be much hungrier and it’s proven that when you are starving there is more of a chance that you will overeat. Also eating every few hours is proven to keep your metabolism burning more because you have more energy. Keep you’re meals meals, and snacks snacks. If you plan on taking on 1200 calories per day then I would suggest your meals be in the 250-300 calorie range and your snacks in the 100-150 calorie range.
Ok, time to discuss foods and we’ll start with the meals. There are plenty of low calorie options out there and not enough space or time for me to go through them all but I’ll suggest a few things that worked for me. Get some protein in every meal. Grilled or baked chicken breast, turkey breast, shrimp, and fish are some of your best options. Eggs for breakfast? Sure! Just go for the egg whites, the whites have all the protein and much less calories! Don’t stop the protein with meals, get protein in your snacks! Some of my favorite low calorie snacks are mozzarella string cheese and yogurt. Check out the labels at the store and go for the lowest calorie options! Want dessert? There are plenty of sugar free options out there but my all time favorite is the sugar free jello pudding! The key to all foods, meals, and snacks is moderation. Track everything that goes in your mouth either on paper or using an online resource.
Watch out for what types of drinks you are consuming! There is no excuse to drink your calories. I don’t know about you but I’d much rather be eating them. Drink water and mix in the occasional diet soda if you feel like it. But stay far far away from sugary energy drinks and juices! Read those labels! They are there for a reason. Be careful to watch for the amount of servings on the top of the label. The calories may say 200 but if there are 2 servings then you have 400 total calories.
Resources… there is no shortage of helpful information. Fitday.com is my favorite website for tracking calories and even helps you find the amount of calories in types of foods without labels, even restaurants!
Step 4: Boost that Metabolism!
So you want to lose more than 1-2 lbs of fat per week? Exercise is the only proven natural way to boost your metabolism. Adding 3-5 days of cardiovascular exercise (running, boxing, jumping rope, playing sports, fitness classes) to your weekly routine can boost your weight loss by as much as 50% depending on intensity.
Not ready for running? No problem! Start by taking 20 minutes out of each day to simply walk. Not only will this increase your metabolism, as you get stronger you can increase the distance and pace until you are ready for a light jog! Create goals for yourself!
Can lifting weights increase your metabolism? Sure! Increased muscle in the body will result in a higher number of calories burnt per day because muscle burns more calories at rest than fat! Want to boost that strength workout? Create circuits! Keep your heart rate up by alternating exercises instead of resting between sets! Check out this link for more info!
Be careful! Always consult your physician before starting any exercise routine.
Step 5: Commitment, Determination, Perseverance!
I can preach every tip and give you as much advice as I have, but it comes down to you. You have to commit to putting the time and effort in and persevere through the hard times. Set a goal and keep that goal in mind when temptation creeps in. A strong supportive environment can be your key to success so try to get your family and loved ones involved to take on this challenge with you. Don’t get obsessed with the scale; water weight and fluctuations can mask your results. Trust the calories, trust the numbers, and trust your workouts. Be patient and the results will come, whether it’s 1 pound per week or 4. I would suggest weighing yourself once a week at about the same time, maybe before breakfast at the end of the week. Settle in and put in the time. It won’t happen overnight. It took me a total of about 6 months to change my life. That was 6 months of not cheating, no treats, and what seemed like misery at times. But what is 6 months out of the rest of your life? 5 years later it’s the best thing I’ve ever done for myself. It changed my life, my career, and gave me a new outlook on my what my healihier future holds.
Good luck and PLEASE feel free to contact me for anything and keep me posted on your progress! I’d love to post some before and after shots on the website!
Are you ready for a change? Have you reached the point where you can commit to doing whatever it takes to change your life? Whether I am speaking to a student of mine, a parent of a student, or even someone who found this page while wondering the Internet… The biggest change comes from within, it’s breaking old habits and creating new ones, and in order change your life to become a healthier person you will need a few things… Determination, Commitment, and Perseverance.
Step 2: Let’s talk Calories!
Calories IN vs. Calories OUT. Losing weight can be as simple as finding the answer to a basic math problem. First you need to find out how many calories you burn on average per day (your metabolism). Click here to find out what your metabolism is! Be honest and don’t inflate your activity level. To keep things simple I’m going to use 2000 calories for the average person in my examples. Each individual’s metabolism will vary based on age, height, weight, gender, and activity level.
So here we go… if you burn on average 2000 calories per day the only way to lose weight is to eat/consume less than that number of calories per day. Because 3500 calories = 1 pound of fat, for every 500 calories you cut per day you will lose 1 pound of fat per week. Meaning if you consumed 1500 calories per day everyday, thus creating a 500 calorie cut per day, the total number of calories cut at the end of the week would equal 1 pound of fat loss (3500 calories). Use a pen and paper and start recording your daily intake! There are also many websites like fitday.com and apps out there to help you track and even research the calorie content of any food.
Be careful! 1200 calories should be the minimum amount of calories consumed for most anyone. Any less can result in muscle loss, dizziness, and other medical issues due to lack of basic nutrients. Please consult a physician before starting any diet.
Step 3: Meals, Foods, Reading Labels, & Resources!
Meals? Foods? How many and what kinds? Let’s start with meals. I highly suggest 6 smaller meals per day. That might sound like a lot but just add a snack between breakfast and lunch, and one after dinner and bang! There are your 6 meals. Why 6 meals? You could save your calories for bigger meals but then guess what? You’re going to be much hungrier and it’s proven that when you are starving there is more of a chance that you will overeat. Also eating every few hours is proven to keep your metabolism burning more because you have more energy. Keep you’re meals meals, and snacks snacks. If you plan on taking on 1200 calories per day then I would suggest your meals be in the 250-300 calorie range and your snacks in the 100-150 calorie range.
Ok, time to discuss foods and we’ll start with the meals. There are plenty of low calorie options out there and not enough space or time for me to go through them all but I’ll suggest a few things that worked for me. Get some protein in every meal. Grilled or baked chicken breast, turkey breast, shrimp, and fish are some of your best options. Eggs for breakfast? Sure! Just go for the egg whites, the whites have all the protein and much less calories! Don’t stop the protein with meals, get protein in your snacks! Some of my favorite low calorie snacks are mozzarella string cheese and yogurt. Check out the labels at the store and go for the lowest calorie options! Want dessert? There are plenty of sugar free options out there but my all time favorite is the sugar free jello pudding! The key to all foods, meals, and snacks is moderation. Track everything that goes in your mouth either on paper or using an online resource.
Watch out for what types of drinks you are consuming! There is no excuse to drink your calories. I don’t know about you but I’d much rather be eating them. Drink water and mix in the occasional diet soda if you feel like it. But stay far far away from sugary energy drinks and juices! Read those labels! They are there for a reason. Be careful to watch for the amount of servings on the top of the label. The calories may say 200 but if there are 2 servings then you have 400 total calories.
Resources… there is no shortage of helpful information. Fitday.com is my favorite website for tracking calories and even helps you find the amount of calories in types of foods without labels, even restaurants!
Step 4: Boost that Metabolism!
So you want to lose more than 1-2 lbs of fat per week? Exercise is the only proven natural way to boost your metabolism. Adding 3-5 days of cardiovascular exercise (running, boxing, jumping rope, playing sports, fitness classes) to your weekly routine can boost your weight loss by as much as 50% depending on intensity.
Not ready for running? No problem! Start by taking 20 minutes out of each day to simply walk. Not only will this increase your metabolism, as you get stronger you can increase the distance and pace until you are ready for a light jog! Create goals for yourself!
Can lifting weights increase your metabolism? Sure! Increased muscle in the body will result in a higher number of calories burnt per day because muscle burns more calories at rest than fat! Want to boost that strength workout? Create circuits! Keep your heart rate up by alternating exercises instead of resting between sets! Check out this link for more info!
Be careful! Always consult your physician before starting any exercise routine.
Step 5: Commitment, Determination, Perseverance!
I can preach every tip and give you as much advice as I have, but it comes down to you. You have to commit to putting the time and effort in and persevere through the hard times. Set a goal and keep that goal in mind when temptation creeps in. A strong supportive environment can be your key to success so try to get your family and loved ones involved to take on this challenge with you. Don’t get obsessed with the scale; water weight and fluctuations can mask your results. Trust the calories, trust the numbers, and trust your workouts. Be patient and the results will come, whether it’s 1 pound per week or 4. I would suggest weighing yourself once a week at about the same time, maybe before breakfast at the end of the week. Settle in and put in the time. It won’t happen overnight. It took me a total of about 6 months to change my life. That was 6 months of not cheating, no treats, and what seemed like misery at times. But what is 6 months out of the rest of your life? 5 years later it’s the best thing I’ve ever done for myself. It changed my life, my career, and gave me a new outlook on my what my healihier future holds.
Good luck and PLEASE feel free to contact me for anything and keep me posted on your progress! I’d love to post some before and after shots on the website!
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