Eating the “superfoods” is no guarantee against you becoming overweight or fat.
You can try any diet you want. One fact remains unchanged: A caloric surplus (consume more calories than you burn) will cause you to gain weight. You can even lose weight on that “Twinkie Diet” (although I don’t recommend it for health reasons)!
Drink any wheatgrass juice lately? How about shiitake mushrooms, seaweed or black currants? There’s no doubt that these foods are great for your health. I definitely encourage you to eat healthy most of the time. But, there’s more to fat loss, weight loss and health than just eating the “superfoods.”
Your approach to obtaining and maintaining a lean, healthy body needs to be multi-faceted and ongoing. Make the commitment to a lifestyle of health and fitness first. This commitment is the closest thing to a guarantee for a lean body. Why? Because you won’t quit until you succeed.
“Superfoods” or no “superfoods,” here are some tips to transform your body to lean and toned:
1. You must burn more calories than you consume (caloric deficit is needed over time) in order to lose weight and burn body fat. This is the law of thermodynamics. Even if you are a "workout warrior," the law of thermodynamics still applies.
You cannot eat as much as you want (or maintain a caloric surplus) and still lose weight. On the opposite end, you can't starve yourself and expect to succeed long-term with weight loss and fat loss. Starvation will cause your body to go into survival mode and store fat.
2. Get the guidance you need to succeed. A personal trainer provides valuable guidance and feedback. Have you tried every diet plan and exercise program without success? If so, get help.
3. You must change your body’s composition! You must increase muscle mass to become a “fat-burning machine.” You can’t do this by just doing cardio exercise. You need a combination of regular weight training and short, interval cardio sessions. It takes hard work over a long period of time.
Your metabolism will speed up when you build muscle. Concentrate on compound (multi-joint) strength exercises like squats, deadlifts, lunges, bench press, planks and rows because they work and build more muscle groups. Do less single-joint exercises like biceps curls and triceps extensions.
4. Keep a food journal. This will help you keep track of your eating habits and help you make needed changes. Here is another fact: research has proven that you will have a better chance of succeeding with your meal plan if you keep a food journal!
By logging your actual food choices, you are holding yourself accountable throughout the day. You will also be forced to plan your meals better. A food journal will also help you control emotional eating and binge eating!
5. Research proves that having an accountability partner such as friend, spouse or personal trainer will help you succeed with weight loss and fat loss. Group exercise classes succeed primarily because of this principle.
Anybody can change their body to lean and toned! Just make the commitment and make smart choices.
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES, CPT is a Certified Personal Trainer and former NCAA Division I athlete. Mark is the owner of My Fitness Hut, Her Fitness Hut, Sports Fitness Hut and My Nutrition Hut. Mark’s Fat Blaster Athletic Training System has been proven to give his clients the fit, sculpted and athletic-type bodies they want. Visit Mark’s main site:
Your Fitness University http://yourfitnessuniversity.com