8 Simple Tips on How to Get in Shape

Author: Karen Sessions

8 Simple Tips on How to Get in Shape
"No matter what I do, I just can't seem to get in shape."
Does this statement sound familiar? Do you put effort out
each week in trying to eat right and exercise, only to fall
short by the third day?

If you are constantly starting a healthy exercise and
eating program, only to let it fall by the wayside by the
middle of the week you are destroying your metabolism, and
killing any motivation you might have had.

Getting in shape is just as much as a mental approach as it
is a physical one. If you want to get in shape once and for
all you have to make some changes. Below are some tips on
how to get in shape to prevent falling off the wagon again.

Tip #1 Make a committed goal to get in shape - Goal
setting, blah, blah, blah. You may think this is an
unnecessary step and a waste of time, but NOT making a
committed goal can be your biggest reason for failure.

Tip #2 Stick to your goal - Don't keep changing your mind -
Sure, just because you have some goals written down or
outlined on your calendar doesn't mean you will get in
shape. You have to actually follow your plan.

Tip #3 Eat balanced meals - Eating balanced meals is one of
the most important aspects of getting in shape. Most people
tend to think that a can of tuna or an apple is a meal.
Wrong. A meal is a combination of a complete protein and a
carbohydrate.

Tip #4 Eat real food - Any food won't do. You should be
feeding your body quality nutrients in the form of natural
foods. Far too many people rely on processed food-like
items in boxes labeled "healthy," low-fat," low-carb," etc.
for health and weight loss. For the best quality food, eat
those that Mother Nature has provided. If you can hunt,
pick, gather, or harvest it, you can eat it. More
importantly, it would be wise to eat organic as much as
possible.

Tip #5 Don't skip meals - Many people think that in order
to get in shape they have to be in a calorie deficient
mode. While this might stand true to an extent, most people
are going about it in the wrong manner by skipping meals.

Tip #6 Don't cut the carbs - The no-carb craze is still in
high gear. Granted, lowering carbs can have an effect on
fat loss to a certain degree, but there's a certain
procedure you have to use to do it correctly to prevent
fatigue, burnout, and excess muscle loss.

Tip #7 Don't kill the Cardio - Cardio is fine, provided you
are eating the right nutrients to support it. The problem
many people have when trying to get in shape is that they
drastically cut their calories AND carbs, and then suddenly
jump on an hour of high intensity cardio a day. This is
simply as recipe for disaster because it leads to metabolic
downgrade.

Tip #8 Don't put your faith in the latest wonder drug -
People become desperate when they want to shed pounds,
build muscle, or just get in shape. This can lead you to
taking "fat burning supplements" with high promises and
disappointing results.

Conclusion Now that you have some crucial guidelines to
follow to get you on the right path and to literally get
you in shape, use them to your advantage. Nothing worth
having comes easy. So, put forth the effort and the time it
takes to get you in the best shape of your life.


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Karen Sessions has been in the fitness industry since 1988.
She is a nationally qualified bodybuilder and holds two
personal training certifications. She has written 6 ebooks
on fitness and has helped hundreds of clients transform
their bodies. http://www.theelitephysique.com
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