- Drink plenty of water every day.
- Take a multivitamin & fish oil supplement every day.
- Eat when you are hungry, stop when you are full.
- Focus on lean meats & veggies, nuts & seeds, some fruit, little starch, and no sugar.
- Fad diets do not work. They may at first, but in the end, you'll gain the weight back and more. No diet will do what eating clean and healthy does.
- See last tip. Remember it.
- Mix it up. Try to eat a variety of foods.
- When it comes to fruits and vegetables, taste the rainbow. Don't eat your favorites every single day. Green smoothies are a great way to get a good portion of your fruits and veggies for the day. Green & red supplements are also helpful here.
- If you need to lose weight, set healthy goals. Challenge yourself but be realistic. A good Personal Trainer can help you set these goals. Don't be fooled by late night infomercials and weight loss contestant shows. There is a lot of "extra" that you don't see upfront.
- If you travel often, bring healthy snacks and meals. Low sugar protein bars, bananas, and trail mix are among my favorites.
- If you have junk in the house, you will eat junk. Don't buy it. Problem solved.
- Do some sort of exercise each day. Get out and move. Even if that means just walking somewhere rather then driving.
- Do not add salt to food. Excessive sodium is to blame for 85,000 deaths in the U.S. each year. We eat way too much of it. Sodium retains water, which in turn contributes to heavier body weight. Instead, use Ms. Dash flavorings, herbs, spices, or other non-sodium products.
- Prepare quick healthy meals at the beginning of each week and keep it in Tupperware and ziplock bags in the fridge for easy access. Personally, I like to make quinoa and chicken on Sundays. Quick and easy. I keep the quinoa in Tupperware throughout the week. I keep the chicken in ziplock bags. No guesswork. No resorting to unhealthy food because I wasn't prepared.
- Try to eat from each food group and do not eliminate a food group for any reason. A lower-carb diet is what most people need but don't know it. A no-carb diet is what no one needs... don't try it. It is totally unhealthy and you will not last. What you will be is moody, hungry, and without energy.
- Limit your alcohol intake. It is a killer and adds a ton of empty calories. Not to mention you make terrible eating decisions when drinking and when hungover.
- Try to apply the "80/20 rule" to your health. 80% of the time: eat healthy, exercise, and work hard. 20% of the time: live a little. If you've put in the work during the week, go out and enjoy yourself over the weekend. You've earned it.
- Weigh yourself monthly. Always do this in the morning on an empty stomach, on the same day with the same scale, to avoid inaccuracies. Do not obsess over the scale. Food and water during the course of the day can add up to 5 lbs. The ultimate goal is to create healthy eating habits and an active lifestyle.
- Don't think that because you had one bad meal, you might as well have a bad day, and that a bad day means you might as well forget it. It happens. No one is perfect with their diet and exercise routine. Not even professional athletes. Brush it off and get back on track.
- Which leads me to my next point. Have a "cheat day" or two. Eating clean and healthy 100% of the time ain't easy. See my article "Starch & Your Body Fat" for more on how to structure your "cheat days".
- There are no shortcuts. Don't be unrealistic. It took some time to put that weight on, it will take some time to get it off. Focus on building consistent habits both with exercise and healthy eating. Be patient. In the beginning, you will trade burned body fat for the muscle you are building. Because of this, you won't see much movement on the scale.
- Don't drink soda pop (regular or diet). There is no nutritional value. High fructose corn syrup should be avoided at all costs. There are plenty of studies linking HFCS to obesity, diabetes, and weight gain. In addition, there is nothing healthy about food dyes, chemicals and artificial sweeteners.
- Keep fruit juice to a minimum. It is very high in sugar. Instead eat whole fruits, and make green smoothies.
- Avoid processed foods. They contain all kinds of additives and preservatives. This includes frozen dinners, boxed and canned foods.
- Eat whole natural foods that have not been altered. If there is no label on it, it is probably a whole food.
- Get in the habit of reading nutrition labels. Be conscious of what you are putting in your body.
- Fitness is 70% diet, 30% exercise. You can spend all the time you want in the gym but it is time wasted if you are not eating right.
Recommended Supplements
- Multivitamin
- Fish Oil
- Green Supplement
- BCAA's
There are plenty of options for these supplements but they are not all created equal. Pharmaceutical grade supplements are generally of higher quality, contain less contaminants, and go through a more stringent process of regulation. I personally recommend Douglas Labs supplements to all of my clients as I have found them to be the best.
No training regimen is complete without proper supplementation. While I've always been an advocate of fish oil and multivitamins for all ages and fitness levels, I refer all of my clients to Douglas Laboratories website for things like protein powder, green supplements, vitamins, minerals, and all other needs. Their products are pharmaceutical grade, top of the line supplements that are only available for distribution through licensed health care professionals. They are of higher quality, contain less contaminants, and are not sold in stores. I encourage you to compare Douglas's nutrition labels and prices to what you are currently taking.
If you are interested in ordering their products online you can:
A) Go to http://www.douglaslabs.com and click on "Create An Account", than enter Fulfillment Number 2289506 or...
B) Send an email to products@briandonovanfitness.com for information.
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