As the year begins, many of us are focusing on fitness. Fortunately, I was able to get some tips from Laura Miranda MPT, CSCS of NYC Adventure Boot Camp. (Their boot camp is for women of all ages and fitness level. It is a four week outdoor fitness program that includes fitness instruction, nutritional counseling and motivational training. )
1. HOW TO DROP 30 POUNDS IN 1 YEAR EFFORTLESSLY
Millions of people drink an average of 2 regular soft drinks or juice drinks a day, which is a total of 300 calories. When you add these extra 300 calories up over a year, they result in over 30lbs of weight gain! Say no to soft drinks, and say goodbye to your unwanted pounds.
2. PUMP SOME IRON
Did you know that 1 lb of muscle burns 30-50 calories per day, while 1 lb of fat only burns about 9 calories per day? The more muscle your body contains the more calories you burn each day. Resistance training has been called the fountain of youth – and it really is!
3. STAY FREE OF THE FAT-FREE
Fat free foods, when eaten in excess, will still be stored as fat! Fat free cookies and crackers are made up of a whole lot of SUGAR! Yep, the secret is out! Sugar is just as fattening of a substance than fat itself, when eaten in excess.
4. THE SCIENCE OF MORNING WORKOUTS
A great way to burn off excess fat is to walk or jog for as little as 15-20 minutes first thing in the morning. Performing a calorie burning activity right when you wake up is more effective since your body is depleted of calories, and is forced to pull energy from fat stores. A personal trainer can help you identify your ideal target heart rate for maximum fat burn.
5. NO MUNCHIES NEAR BEADTIME
The easiest way to effortlessly lose weight is to not eat three hours before bed. It has been proven that not eating three hours before bed reduces fat storage throughout the night.
6. THINK EL COROZON, BABY
Make sure that you are exercising in your “Fat Burn Zone“during cardiovascular workouts by checking to see if you can hold a conversation without breathlessness. Your body needs oxygen to aide in fat burn so make sure you are breathing deeply. If you can hold a conversation without choking on the person then you need to ramp it up a bit. Otherwise, you are just going through the motions.
7. DON’T SKIP BREAKFAST
Eating right when you wake up is vital to breaking the fast your body goes into every night. 2- 3 hours after you eat your body shuts down your metabolism and acts as if it needs to store food. In order to communicate with your body that it is healthy, well fed, and not in need of extra fat storage you need to start your day off with a small meal and continue to eat small meals every 2-3 hours.
8. VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE
Your body needs a variety of nutrients to function at its peak and burn fat. Find new, healthy alternatives to your daily meals, and substitute them frequently. Bringing food to work pre-made ensures that you will eat the healthiest and allows you to avoid last minute fast food choices. Make sure that you are eating 5 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables every day, of different colors.
9. GET OUTSIDE IF YOU’RE BORED!
Losing patience with exercise? The key to weight loss and fitness gains is to consistently give your body new challenges. Mix up your workouts every few weeks, and don’t be afraid to try something new! Look into program’s that can help you add new excitement to your fitness routine. Rollerblade, hike in Central Park ride your bike, jog to a playground and use the jungle gym as your gym equipment. Exercise doesn’t have to be a drag!
10. SWITCH TO THE AM for CONSISTENCY
Consistency breads results. When you see results you become hooked. When you set a goal to go to the gym at night although you may have the best intentions, things come up. Dinners, meetings, kids have practice, 1 day sale. Do you remember why your last quest to “loose weight” failed? I bet I can tell you…lack of consistency. Enter the AM workout! NOTHING, I mean nothing comes in the way of an AM workout, except for being a little sleepy. You finally want to make that change in your body you have been dreaming about, become consistent by switching to the mornings. Your body will thank you. (PS Adventure Boot Camp starts at 5:30 am!)