Step 1: make peace with fruits and veggies
Starting today, eat a balanced diet to get rid of that spare tire hanging around your middle. How? With loads of fruits and veggies. They're the key to good health and your best ally in the battle of the bulge. They contain no fat, few calories and lots of fiber to aid digestion.
Besides fruit and veg, you need to eat healthy, with the right mix of macronutrients (protein, carbs and fat) and enough micronutrients (vitamin and minerals).
Step 2: combine weight training with cardio
Do you follow your training program to a T and are determined to reach your goals? To stay balanced and continue making progress, don't keep doing the same old workout routine. Vary your workouts and try out some new machines.
Our tip: to get more muscle definition, combine both cardio and weight training in your conditioning program. This is the fastest way to get back in shape, lose weight and get a cut, ripped body.
Step 3: sleep for better workouts
The secret to staying strong and fit is sleep. We all know it's important to good health. Your body recovers while you're sleeping: your muscles actually rebuild themselves twice as fast during recovery periods.
Sleep recharges your batteries so you can have the energy you need for your next workout. Sleeping at least seven hours a night will also ward off weight gain. Why? The less you sleep, the hungrier you feel, and your body produces more fat cells and burns less fat for energy. So for those skimping on the shut-eye, you may start to see the pounds creeping on…
More generally, recovery is very important to meeting your fitness goals. Not only do you need to get a good night's sleep, but you also need to give yourself enough time off between workouts. Another technique to try: self-massage. Whether you do it after a workout or set aside some time just for massage, this is a great way to support your recovery.
Step 4: stay hydrated to flush toxins from your system
Water is the most important nutrient for the body. The muscles are made up of about 80% water. Your body needs water to flush out toxins and stay properly hydrated.
Researchers at the University of New South Wales demonstrated that drinking more than two liters of water per day can help you gain 10% more muscle. Protein produces metabolic waste that needs to be dissolved by water.
If you're dehydrated, your muscles won't recover quickly and you could see a drop in your performance.
In short, it's important to be patient and dedicated! All those miracle diets that promise to make you lose four kilos in two weeks and gain huge amounts of muscle in a month are either not very feasible or not very healthy. So take your time, listen to your body and accept the way you are - this is the best way to get lasting results!
