7 Tips for a Wedding Ready Bod!

In my time as a kickboxing trainer and gym owner I worked with a lot of brides who wanted to lose weight before their wedding day.  Some had small goals and some had larger weight loss goals. One thing they all had in common was limited time to reach their goals.   When you have a limited amount of time you will need to focus on four different areas; exercise, healthy eating, proper sleep, an all-natural supplement plan.  The below 7 steps cover all 4 areas and will help you be the bride you picture on your big day!

1.     Plan ahead

If you want to reach a goal you have to put a plan together.  Take an hour Sunday night and look at your schedule for the week.  Pick for days and times that you can work out and put them in your schedule.  Also, use this time to put together healthy snack and plan lunches for the week. Once you have a plan keep your appointments with yourself and stick to the plan. Set Reminders 15 minutes before your scheduled workout time to help you remember the appointment.

2.     Get an accountability partner

One of the most common ways that brides get off track with their plan is excuses not to      exercise or eat right.  Put your wedding party to work before the wedding and ask them to hold you accountable to your plan.  Better yet, go in together and exercise, plan meals together and have weekly check ins to lower the chances of one of you giving up.  It’s a bonding experience that will lead to a closer and healthier wedding party. 

3.     Choose a workout that gets you the most bang for your buck

When you are planning a wedding you need a full body workout that won’t cut you’re your planning schedule.  Circuit training is the perfect way to get a great full body workout in without spending hours at the gym.  Circuit training combines cardio and strength training into one workout.  Youtube is a great resource to find quick circuit training workouts that you can do anywhere.  Even the gym.  Incorporate weight training to quickly replace fat with muscle.

4.     Get Enough Sleep

If you are trying to lose weight getting enough sleep is just as important as eating right and exercise. Sleep stops late night snacking because you are not up later, Research has shown that people who get enough sleep burn up to 20 more calories per meal than their tired counterparts.  You also can’t exercise without the energy provided by sleep.  Sleep also keeps your brain focused so you can stay on plan.

5.     Drink Water

The first thing you should do in the morning is drink 16 ounces of water every morning.  Water kick starts your metabolism, hydrates you, helps your organs function after a long night of sleep, helps your body flush out toxins and can even make you eat less by filling up your stomach.   Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day and more if you are working out to stay hydrated and keep your body and brain functioning at a higher level.

6.     Always Eat Breakfast

Eating breakfast every morning is a very important part of a healthy routine.  Now this doesn’t mean eating pancakes, bacon, & donuts but getting a healthy breakfast every morning has so many benefits.  It starts up your metabolism which can promote weight loss and prevent weight gain.   A healthy breakfast also gives you the nutrients to start your day and turn your brain power up to high.  Missing breakfast can give you brain fog and reduce attention span. The American Heart Association also reported its findings that breakfast eaters are significantly less likely to be obese and get diabetes compared to non-breakfast eaters.

7.     What to look for in a Supplement Plan

When you are trying to lose weight in a short amount of time supplements can be your friend.  With so many options out there choosing one plan can be daunting.  Here are my non negotiables when choosing a supplement program.

·      Choose one with no more than 3 steps.  If you have too many things to remember throughout the day you will have a harder time sticking to the plan.  That will mean less results. Planning a wedding is stressful enough you don’t need more to remember.

·      Choose a program with all natural ingredients not synthetic ingredients.  The problem with many synthetic supplements is that you don’t truly know what you are putting in your body.  On the flip side natural supplements take ingredients found in nature that can be more easily absorbed in your body.  The reason for this is your body recognizes the ingredients as nutrients.  The body isn’t easily fooled and synthetic ingredients often are not taken in by the body.  Any supplements that are as close to nature as possible with be easier to absorb. 

·      Look for products with one or more of the following all natural ingredients; Garcinia Cambogia, caffeine, green tea extract.  If you crave sugar two other ingredients to look for are L-Carnitine with Chromium.  This amino acid and mineral’s main function is to help insulin carry sugar into muscle cells where it is stored as energy. A lack of chromium could cause fluctuating blood-sugar levels which trigger sugar cravings. Increasing the amount of L-Carnitine & Chromium in your diet can assist the body’s ability to manage its carbohydrate cravings.

·      Don’t choose a plan with too many restrictions on what you can eat.  This is the quickest way to ensure you don’t follow the plan.  You will want to eat a balanced diet with the proper amounts of protein, good fats, vegetables and whole grains.  If your program restricts you too much you won’t have balance in your diet or enough energy for your workouts.

One of the programs I would recommend to my members is the 12in24 program from Valentus.  You can find it here: www.leanbeginning.com

Top 5 Natural Ingredients for Weight Loss & Their Benefits

With all of the weight loss programs out there it’s easy to get caught up in the hype but not all ingredients are created equal when it comes to supplements.  As a fitness nut and ex gym owner, I have some pretty strong opinions in the field of fitness and supplements.  I have to agree with many of the other experts in the field, natural ingredients are the better way to go with supplements. 

The problem with many synthetic supplements is that you don’t truly know what you are putting in your body.  On the flip side natural supplements take ingredients found in nature that can be more easily absorbed in your body.  The reason for this is your body recognizes the ingredients as nutrients.  The body isn’t easily fooled and synthetic ingredients often are not taken in by the body.  Any supplements that are as close to nature as possible with be easier to absorb.  

Now that we’ve agreed that natural is the way to go what are the best natural ingredients to look for in your supplements?  Below is a list of the top 5 natural ingredients to look for:

Garcinia Cambogia

Garcinia Cambogia also known as the Malabar tamarind, is a small, sweet tropical tree fruit shaped like a pumpkin. It grows primarily in the lush green mountains of India, southeast Asia as well as in Central Africa.  In the late 1960s, scientists discovered an acid in the fruit somewhat similar to the citric acid found in fruits like oranges and lemons.  That acid is called hydroxycitric acid, or HCA.  HCA has the ability to help suppress the appetite, but not in the same way as a stimulant-based diet pill.  HCA increases the level of satiety—satisfaction you receive from food—making it easier to eat less. Garcinia Cambogia also increases fat burning skills (thermogenesis) providing an increase in energy.  Thermogenesis is a metabolic process during which your body burns calories to produce heat.  Thermogenesis can promote weight loss because it increases your body's calorie burn. 

Chromium Zynchrome

Chromium helps to move blood sugar (glucose) from the bloodstream into the cells to be used as energy and to turn fats, carbohydrates, and proteins into energy.  Chromium is an important mineral with regards to helping to keep the blood sugar levels in balance.   A lack of chromium could cause fluctuating blood-sugar levels which trigger sugar cravings.  When we eat a lot of sugar, most of the sugar gets metabolized by the liver. There it gets turned into fat, which is then secreted into the blood.

L-Carnitine

L-Carnitine is synthesized in the body from the amino acids lysine and methionine.  Regardless of what your bodybuilding and fitness goals are, losing fat or gaining muscle, your chances of success will increase greatly if you have l-carnitine in your supplements.  L-carnitine transfers long-chain fatty acids, such as triglycerides into mitochondria, where they may be oxidized to produce energy. Carnitine has also been shown to reduce fatigue and serve as an appetite suppressant as well.

Phaseolamin

Phaseolamin is a partial protein substance derived from white beans. It blocks the absorption of some carbohydrates and starchy foods. It is a non-stimulant and totally natural, and has no known side effects.  The most noticeable benefit of Phaseolamin is its ability to reduce the absorption of calories taken in from starchy carbohydrates such as potatoes, pasta, rice and bread.  Phaseolamin effectively neutralizes the starches found in foods that are labeled carbohydrates.

Chlorogenic Acid

Chlorogenic Acid is the main active ingredient n green coffee bean.  It is a thermogenic fat burner. It shares some benefits to caffeine but is less potent.   It’s been found that chlorogenic acid helps to slow down the body's absorption of fat from your regular food intake. It also increases your metabolism, which also helps in the weight loss process.

If given the option between synthetic and natural supplements always go with natural options so your body will more easily recognize the ingredients.  Before starting any supplement program, educating yourself on what’s in the supplements, and discussing them with your doctor is always a good idea.   For more information on all natural supplements start here: www.leanbeginning.com