Your Summer Body

How close is your beach body? As spring and summer approach at what seems to be a record pace, so has the thought of us walking around on the beach in our bathing suits. Are you ready? Well you better be because it’s just about here! If you are looking in the mirror and telling yourself you better start that diet, that’s just the beginning. What diet are you going to choose? What new diet pill is all over the television? How fast can you lose the weight? Not to burst your bubble but if you are planning on jumping on the latest fad diet or miracle pill,rnyou’re not going to make it. Fad diets and pills don’t work. Crash diets have been around forever and although they will make you drop that first 5 pounds quickly, they do nothing for your long term health and weight loss. Actually Yo-Yo diets are one of the worst things you can do for health and your metabolism. Most fad diets are not scientifically proven, and they drop your calories way below doctor’s recommendations. When your calories are dropped too low you are losing muscle mass rather than body fat, which means that although you are dropping weight you are not changing your body composition. In short, you’re spinning your wheels. The best thing would have been to start your summer fitness plan months ago, but since you have waited, what are your plans? Friends and family will be flocking to lakes, beaches, pools and a number of other “fun in the sun” activities. How uncomfortable will it be to be the only one who is not wearing a suit because you are unhappy with your body? Many people fall victim to this viscous cycle every year, and each year beating themselves up for how they feel about their body. It doesn’t have to be this way. You can be happy with yourself physically as well as proud of your accomplishments emotionally. The first thing to do is start laying out your long and short term goals. Goal setting is a very important part of your weight loss success. You should always plan ahead and then reward yourself when you reach a milestone. The goal reward process is beneficial because it not only helps you achieve your weight loss goals but assists you in becoming confident in your own abilities to succeed. Once you have your goals in line the next thing is to start eating more healthy foods. Fast foods and processed foods are first on the list to go, and they should be replaced by fresh fruits and vegetables. All sodas and sugary drinks should be replaced with water and other natural low calorie substitutes. There is so much information available for healthy weight management that it’s a wonder why it is taking so long for everyone to get on the right track. So why are we putting it off? What makes altering your body composition such a hard thing that 55% of women would rather be 2 sizes smaller than win 1 million dollars? People can control their careers, family, and friends but for some reason can’t seem to get control over their health and body. Many people associate their success with nice cars; luxury vehicles that make people feel good about how they look and the image they portray. Would any of these people put water or anything else harmful in the gas tank of their BMW? No way! So if that’s the case why do people put harmful things like fast food, processed food, and hydrogenated oils in their bodies? You will only have one body, so start treating it like you should and treat it - to plenty of exercise and healthy foods.