Scientifically Proven! Guaranteed Results!
1. Swap out your usual step class for a Soul Spinning class once per week. It’s stationary cycling with some drama for the ride.
2. Experiment with lean cuts of red meat, like bison. Broil a bison burger with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy over a salad for a super lean protein-packed meal!
3. Snowing by you? Shovel snow— 30 minutes of shoveling snow will clear away 200 calories along with the snow!
4. Eat pistachios with shells! A recent study found that eating nuts with shells resulted in participants consuming 86 calories, as compared to 211 calories when eating nuts without shells.
5. Chew on this! Chewing gum for 45 minutes can decrease caloric consumption by 10 percent during a meal. People who chew gum eat fewer calories and have less sugar cravings.
6. Go sledding! It’s not just for children— an hour of sledding will burn around 476 calories.
7. Warm up with a low-calorie version of hot cocoa. Heat a cup of fat-free milk in a microwave safe mug. Mix in one tablespoon of cocoa powder for baking and sugar substitute to taste. Just don’t burn your tongue!
8. Replace two long distance running sessions per week with HIIT running intervals.
9. Have a whey protein shake at least once per day! A recent study by the American Society for Nutrition found that the thermic effect of whey protein was greater than casein, soy and high-carbohydrate meals.
10. Keep a food diary. Holding yourself accountable by keeping track of the foods you eat helps you be more consistent in your weight loss program and reminds you when you’re falling off the weight-loss wagon.
11. Grab a partner. Using the buddy system to keep each other motivated can make workouts more intense and more fun.
12. Pop a fish oil cap every day. Fish oils have been shown to help burn belly fat.
13. Cook a lean and healthy dinner for you and your significant other. Leave the overindulging for the bedroom— light some candles and enjoy.
14. Get creative— swap out high-calorie ingredients for healthy alternatives in your favorite meal for a delicious fake out.
15. Heat things up. Instead of your standard yoga or Pilates class, try the “hot” version. You’ll boost your metabolism and sweat more, too.
16. Take up snowboarding for a full-body cardiovascular activity.
17. Plan a healthy dinner party with your best friends. Have everyone make their favorite lean and healthy recipe along with index cards with the recipe listed; everyone gets to sample the food and take home their favorite recipes.
18. Commit to a 5K. Get your friends to join you. Set up a training schedule and prepare yourself for success.
19. Try CrossFit, a training program that aims to improve general physical fitness by incorporating gymnastics, endurance training, Olympic lifting, plyometrics and calisthenics.
20. Start the day off with a high-protein breakfast. Researchers found that eating a protein-rich breakfast promoted satiety (feeling of fullness) and prevented hunger.
21. Love to hate burpees. Add ‘em in to your workout in between sets or in a series of plyometric movements for a fat-blasting boost. Burpees, a combination of a push-up, leap and a jump, pack an extra punch because they take extra effort to complete.
22. Eat blueberries. Anthocyanins found in dark berries like blueberries may help prevent the accumulation of body fat.
23. Treat yourself to a cute new workout outfit. Feeling good about the way you look in the gym mirror will help keep you there longer.
24. Try a milk alternative, like unsweetened almond milk, in your morning cereal. With only 30-40 calories per serving, it’s lower in sugar than cow’s milk.
25. Prunes aren’t just for Grandma. They’re loaded with soluble fiber and help to ward off cravings. Toss two to three in to your smoothie or have a few as a snack or with breakfast for an added boost.
26. Stay positive! Determination is key. You can do anything you set your mind to.
27. Give it a rest. Overtraining is stressful on your body. Stress can hinder fat loss. Be sure to take at least one day off per week. If you must train, make it an active rest day by going for a jog or participating in a light game of Wii Golf.
28. Drink oolong tea. Studies show that a mix of caffeine and antioxidants burns approximately three percent of calories over 24 hours. Squeezing in some lemon will add vitamin C that may help you absorb antioxidants more readily.
29. Get your beauty rest. Sleeping seven to eight hours per night is essential for efficient fat loss.
30. You can do real push-ups. Real push-ups are the ultimate in single move body busters. They work the core, upper body and cardiovascular system all at the same time.
31. Snowed in? Pop in a workout DVD.
32. You might not know what to eat, but you know what not to eat. Don’t eat it.
33. Run the stairs at your local stadium. If it’s too cold outside, use the stairs you have in your house or apartment building. Your glutes will thank you.
34. Feeling extra adventurous? Commit to an adventure race like the Tough Mudder or Rugged Maniac. Look them up online for more information.
35. Challenge yourself: Sign up for a month-long diet or boot camp challenge.
36. Ramp up your jump rope. Try double unders— sending the rope under your feet two repetitions per jump. Traditional jumping burns up to 11 calories per minute, but ramping up the intensity ramps up the calories burned to about 20 calories per minute.
37. Eat what’s in-season for winter. Winter fruits and vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, grapefruit and kale are loaded with vitamins and minerals and promote weight loss, too!
38. Invest in a great pair of shoes to work out or run in. You’ll be able to work out longer and harder!
39. Get creative with white types of fish. Studies show that eating cod, a popular white fish with a mild flavor that is low in fat, may promote weight loss. Cod-eaters showed a decrease in blood pressure, triglycerides and insulin.
40. Find a tennis court and mix it up. Try sprinting to each marked quart, stop and perform 20-30 squat jumps, pop squats, burpees, lunge jumps, or the like then sprint to the end of the court and do another 20-30 plyo jumps. Rest 30 seconds and do it again. Do this for a total of 10 rounds. Try using a different plyometric exercise between each sprint.
41. Don’t be a commitment-phobe: schedule your workouts into your day, that way you’ll be less likely to skip out.
42. If you think you’re working out hard enough, work out harder!
43. Take shorter rests between sets to keep your heart rate up and burn more calories.
44. Try Tabata intervals. Perform 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest for 8 rounds. You’ll be working for only 4 minutes but it’s a grueling 4 minutes of work! Choose any exercise like squats, push-ups, box jumps, burpees, etc.
45. Make out with your boo. Kissing can burn up to 68 calories per hour. Make it an extra heavy romp session and you’re looking at close to 90. A full on make-out session burns a whopping 238 calories per half hour! If that’s not worth the effort then I don’t know what is!
46. Don’t skip breakfast. Momma always said, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” She’s right— countless studies have proven eating a well-balanced breakfast of lean proteins, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates boosts metabolism, provides energy and helps you avoid binging all day!
47. Walk more! Trade your power mower in for a walking one. Take the stairs every chance you get. Sign up for charity walks. Park your car at the back of the lot. The list goes on!
48. Share it! Dying to try the chocolate cake for dessert? Share it with the entire table so you don’t overload on empty calories.
49. Use child-size dinnerware. If you can only fit so much food on a small plate— you’ll probably eat less. Try it.
50. Be patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Set daily goals and weekly goals. Over time you’ll reach your long-term goal and it will be time to make a new one.
51. Remember that little things add up. A bite here and a handful of candy there can pack on the calories before you have the chance to tie your tennis shoes. Be good for the entire day and treat yourself to one item later on.
52. Having sex burns 144+ calories per hour. Talk about getting a bigger bang for your buck!
53. Give your significant other a massage. As it turns out, giving a good massage can get your heart rate up and kick your body into calorie-burning mode.
54. 100 calories/day equals 10 pounds/year. You can either lose it or gain it. Drop 100 calories from your diet each day to lose it!
55. Drink water before a meal. Some people think that if you drink a glass of water before you eat your meal, you’ll consume fewer calories. Give it a try and see if it works for you.
56. If you hate running, remember you don’t have to be a marathon-runner to lose weight. Start with 20 minutes— that’s enough to melt fat.
57. And if you can’t run, try walking. Brisk walking every day can be enough— think New York City residents.
58. Craving something sweet? Have a bowl of fresh fruit with a dollop of whipped cream (just 8 calories in one tablespoon). Satisfy your sweet tooth without feeling guilty.
59. Bring the color blue in to your life. Believe it or not, the color blue is considered to be an appetite suppressant. The exact reason you rarely see fast-food restaurants painted in the color blue.
60. Dump your “fat clothes.” Getting rid of your old clothes that are now too big forces you to focus on staying fit. If you keep larger items in your closet, you’ll make it OK to fluctuate weight.
61. Eat cereal for breakfast five days per week. Studies show that people who consume cereal for breakfast every day are significantly less likely to be obese and have diabetes than those who don’t. Just avoid the sugar-filled ones.
62. Order dressing on the side and then stick a fork in it. Instead of pouring on the calories, dip your fork in salad dressing before taking a bite. Your butt will thank you for it.
63. Visualize it. If you see yourself in the shape you want to be at and continually remind yourself of that look, you’re more likely to reach your goals.
64. Host a workout clothes swap with your friends. Just leave behind the worn out stuff. What may not fit one may be perfect for the other!
65. On that note, host a workout DVD swap with your friends too! Bring that old circuit workout you’re totally bored of— it may be just what your friend is looking for!
66. Take your dog out for a jog and let him lead. Dogs are the best workout partners because they never quit.
67. Make it a group effort. Instead of doing a plyo workout on your own— grab a group of girls and do the workout together. You’ll have more fun motivating each other to get it done!
68. Clean house! Set some upbeat music and vacuum with some pizzazz. Vacuuming and scrubbing burns about 225 calories per hour.
69. Change things up. Constantly varying the intensity, weights, reps and sets of your workouts will no doubt give your metabolism a kick start.
70. Stay connected. Go online to find countless workout tips, videos and exercises to help you sculpt your body and melt fat.
71. Take progress photos. Start with a before photo and continue with photos every 4 weeks. You may not feel like you’re making progress, but if you compare photos you’ll definitely see a change. Photos never lie!
72. Snack smartly. Keep healthy grab-and-go items in your desk at work, your purse or in your car for those moments you’re stuck in traffic or running late, that way you won’t be tempted to stop at a fast-food restaurant.
73. Almonds, fresh veggies and hummus, trail mix, string cheese, Greek yogurt and fresh fruit all make perfect low-calorie snacks.
74. Keep a strong support group nearby at all times. If you’re feeling weak or you’re not motivated to work out, call a friend and tell them your concerns. Their job is to remind you of your goals and motivate you to get the job done.
75. Watch the booze. Alcohol is not calorie-free. Having more than one alcoholic beverage each day can pack on the pounds and contribute to other health problems.
76. Sleep more. Getting in an extra 30 minutes of sleep each night can help you make better food choices, researchers say.
77. Add 10 percent to the amount of daily calories you think you’re eating. Then adjust your eating habits accordingly. If you think you’re consuming 1,700 calories a day and don’t understand why you’re not losing weight, add another 170 calories to your guesstimate. Chances are, the new number is more accurate.
78. Serve dinner restaurant style (food on the plates). Family style leaves food in front of you, tempting you to load up on seconds and thirds that you don’t need.
79. Make it a date to skate. Grab a group of friends to the local skating rink and give ice skating a whirl.
80. Sniff a banana, apple or peppermint when you’re hungry. Studies show that those who sniffed these items when they felt hungry lost more weight— an average of 30 pounds. One theory is that sniffing the food tricks the brain into thinking you’re actually eating it.
81. Order wine by the glass, not the bottle. That way you’re more aware of how much alcohol you’re drinking.
82. Brush your teeth after every meal, especially after dinner. If your teeth are clean you’ll be less likely to eat anything else because you won’t want to clean them again.
83. Put a stop to emotional eating. Find other ways to alleviate stress like taking a walk, going for a bike ride, shopping or getting a pedicure.
84. Cut the fat. Get rid of anything in your life that causes stress or contributes to your weight gain. This may be easier said than done. Start by throwing out fattening foods and filling your fridge with fresh produce, lean proteins and complex carbohydrates.
85. Don’t compare yourself to others, especially fitness models. You are beautiful no matter what you size and shape— be happy with your and the rest will come.
86. Deck your desktop. Use tools online like CalorieKing.com to track your diet and workout progress.
87. There’s an app for that. Search through hundreds of free apps on your Smartphone that can provide assistance in whatever you may need to help you on your journey. Try an interval timer, calorie counter or workout logs.
88. Zone out. Exercising to your favorite music will put you in the workout zone. That’s where you can focus on your goal and nothing else matters.
89. Don’t over-scoop. If you’re measuring and weighing your food, over-scooping could be the difference between losing weight and not losing weight. Those innocent extra calories will add up over the week, leading to diet failure.
90. Take an adventure vacation. Instead of lounging on a beach with a margarita, take a hike through Yellowstone Park or try skiing at a beautiful ski lodge.
91. Make it a point to have a shake after each workout. Include lean protein and carbs for a perfect re-fuel.
92. Team up! Put together a team and train as a group for a half marathon or 5K.
93. Make the most of your lunch break. Bring your walking shoes and get in a good 30-minute walk each day during your break.
94. Make time for fitness. If you don’t have time after work to exercise, wake up early to squeeze it in. After three days of doing so it will be easier to get up early— over time it will become a natural part of your day.
95. Don’t shovel your food. Eating too fast doesn’t give your brain time to realize that your tummy is full. Take time to enjoy your meal and you’ll find yourself full faster.
96. Don’t let a party get you down. If you’ve been invited to a holiday party, birthday party or the like, go in with a plan. Allow yourself to enjoy the night and the food without going overboard. Have a protein shake before you leave— that way you’re not feeling ravenous as soon as food is in sight.
97. Challenge yourself to find one new exercise per day. Overhead lunges are a killer start.
98. Grab a new gym bag! Every girl loves to shop and show off her new gear. Be the first to have the latest gym bag in town and bring it to the gym every day.
99. Break out of your shell! Try a new workout that you’ve never done before. Pole dancing anyone?
100. For tons of advice and fat-loss research, pick up a copy of Muscular Development, FitnessRx for Men, or FitnessRx for Women!