You asked for a “quick & dirty” list, and so a quick & dirty list I shall deliver. Though I do love and have written many lengthy, research-based articles, here I’ll spare you the nerdy breakdowns and just share what I’ve done over the years to get leaner, fitter, and overall healthier.
Some of these tips may not be suitable for you.
These were just part of my personal roadmap to success in burning fat, developing lean muscle, and earning a 4-time award winning physique.
Every-body is different.
Chew the meat and spit out the bones. I pray for WILD SUCCESS in your experience of fitness and achieving the healthy, gorgeous bod you were designed for!
- Eat Real Food, which means 1-ingredient foods as much as possible. Don’t avoid “carbs”…avoid highly processed, packaged carbs and refined sugars found outside of whole foods like fresh fruit.
- Avoid drinking your calories: If you want to burn fat, skip the OJ, the caramel macchiato and the sugary sodas or energy drinks…and go for water, water with sugar-free electrolytes, plain tea and black coffee. You’ll get used to it and, over time, you’ll may even find you prefer it!
- Use essential oils to help improve sleep, manage stress and reduce stress-eating or emotional eating, not to mention speed recovery, increase endurance during exercise, help prevent or treat cold/flu (so you can get back to your grind), and curb cravings.
- Supplement with food-based multi-vitamins/minerals, omega 3 fatty acids, and a high antioxidant/polyphenol complex for cellular health and tissue repair. The right supplements can dramatically affect your overall energy levels, digestion, food cravings, and many other factors contributing to your fitness and physique goals. I recommend this one to most of my clients, or this one for a little more convenience.
- Eat a moderate amount of healthy fats. The key here is moderate. Using your own hand as a general measure, if your plate contained a palm size of lean chicken breast, a handful or two of leafy greens (salad), and a cupped handful of rice or potatoes, a reasonable portion of fat for most women of average height, weight and activity level would be one thumb size. Think: a bit of butter over your baked potato, a few slices of avocado with your salad, or a couple teaspoons of coconut cream in your curry rice. That would make a nicely balanced plate!
- Do a mix of steady-state cardio, resistance training and HIIT (high intensity interval training) at least a few times per week, 20+ minutes per session…and stay active when you’re not working out. Your body is designed to work hard, and to adapt to hard work by getting stronger…year after year after year. The more you move, the more you can move.
- If you can, work out in a fasted state.
- This is last but it’s actually FIRST AND LAST: pray, pray, pray. Ask God to guide you to the best foods, resources, people, information, workouts and habits for you. Notice how different approaches make you feel physically and emotionally. Trust that you have what it takes to master your own process.
And if you’d like personal support from a pro who will be there with you every step to achieving your best life in a body, click here to see if my Nutrition + Fitness Coaching is for you.