10 Tips to Help Everyone Get Lean and In Shape
1. GET MORE SLEEP
Everyone should be fighting for 7-9 hours of sleep. This should be quality sleep in a dark, cool room. Try to eliminate distractions from your bedroom like TV, laptop, cell phone etc. These are quality sleep killers. The more sleep you get, the more likely you are to produce the hormones you need to help you lose fat. A lack of sleep does the inverse.
2. GET UP EARLY AND TRAIN
I know it might sound counterproductive to the previous tip, but just go to bed earlier. A lot can happen over the course of the day that can interfere with your PM training session. Rarely will the office be calling you for something at 5 or 6 am. It won’t be easy, but if you make it a habit, it will become easy and routine.
3. SET GOALS BASED ON HABIT
Most people get over ambitious and set a goal to lose 20 pounds. That’s an outcome goal. That really only allows you 1 opportunity to feel successful. And though you think you have control over that, you really don’t. Why not start with a Habit goal of going to train 3-4 days a week no matter what? If you create a habit like that, you’ll definitely be on your way to being stronger and fitter than before. Not mention, you’ll far exceed your outcome goals.
4. FOLLOW A PLAN
People want to optimize their time, money, and their body. Joining the right type of gym gives you that. All you have to do here is show up on a daily basis and work hard. Our goal is to help you get to where you want to go, whether it is to get stronger and put on muscle, or to lean out and drop some body fat. Following our structured plan puts you in position for success and helps you to see that you deserve the results you are getting from all the hard work you’re putting in.
5. EAT MORE PROTEIN
Starving yourself is not a good strategy to get lean. It takes more energy for your body to process protein which = more calories burned during digestion. Another bonus of more protein is, it helps you gain and maintain muscle mass that you’re working so hard to get. And more muscle = more calories burned throughout the day.
6. EAT HIGH QUALITY FAT
It sounds crazy I know, but we are talking high-quality fats that help aid your body in many ways. The only fats you need to eliminate are the bad ones. Think fried foods, those are bad. By consuming good fats like avocado, nuts, or grass-fed dairy, you will be increasing your insulin sensitivity. This helps you burn carbs more effectively and decreases the likelihood of it being stored as fat.
7. EAT MORE VEGGIES
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Grandma was right. Leafy green vegetables are your friends. Remember, don’t just eliminate everything you were eating before. That can lead to burnout and we are trying to set ourselves up for success. Slowly taper back the processed carbs to prevent burnout from ever becoming an issue.
8. LIMIT CALORIES YOU DRINK
Sometimes one of the easiest ways to start to cut some of those excess calories is to stop drinking them. We all know how good a 400+ calorie “Coffee” tastes, but if you had one Monday – Friday for over a year that leads to over 100,000+ calories. If you slowly work to decrease sugary beverages from your diet and replace it with water, you’ll be amazed at how many calories you’re actually cutting.
9. PREP YOUR WEEKLY FOOD
When it comes to losing weight it’s typically temptation or boredom that gets people eating what they know they shouldn’t. By spending a few hours on the weekend planning and prepping your food for the week, you eliminate the excuse of not having anything to eat. Plus, this saves you more money in the long run for new workout clothes!
10. HAVE PATIENCE
Getting lean, losing weight, and improving your fitness all take time, so please don’t be in a rush. This is a journey, a life-style and you should embrace that fact. Remember, you can’t control what tomorrow will bring, but you can control the decisions you make today. The only thing standing between you and your goals, is time. Maximize your daily effort, work hard and stay the course. You’ll be amazed at how awesome you do!
Don’t be in a rush; there is no short cut, just work to be better than yesterday.
Geoff & Lisa