With that said here are 17 ways to stop messing around and get serious results.

 

Figure out what you want, write it somewhere (on your bathroom mirror would be a great start), and chase it with everything you got!

Stop making this more complicated than it really is and get rid of excuses. You know what you need to eat but for some reason “I ate a granola bar for breakfast”, “I had a loaded burrito for lunch”, and oops “I ate lasagna for dinner because that’s what my kids wanted”

Stop eating fast food! There’s nothing that will benefit you long term at Taco Bell, Panda Express, or McDonalds. A calorie is NOT a calorie. Let’s just say we took two twins, gave them the same workouts, and gave them the same calories. One twin we fed 1200 calories of cake, fast food, cookies, etc and one twin we fed 100% whole foods like vegetables, fruits, lean meats/proteins, and complex carbohydrates like oats, brown rice, etc. If I asked you right now whose going to look better in 6 months working out 3 to 5x a week, are you really going to pick the first twin? I didn’t think so…..so stop telling yourself “But I’m staying within my calories”

Getting results is all about consistency! A long time ago before man became civilized we were hunting for food, always moving, and we were a little less hygienic. For example, I don’t think cavemen were brushing their teeth on a daily basis but for some strange reason you remember to brush yours EVERYDAY. Well, to get results exercise and eating well has to become a habit even if you get off course once and a while. Pick a time that you can commit 1 hour a day 5 days a week at least and stick to it! “I don’t have time”, “I have kids”, etc. If you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of anyone else! What you do today does not define you but what you do EVERYDAY does!

EAT VEGETABLES! Look…it takes some time to adjust to it but vegetables especially greens provide you with MORE nutrition, LESS calories, and MORE fiber than any other foods. Therefore, eat a sh** load of greens at lunch and dinner. They are virtually calorie less and will fill you up.

Everything in moderation is a bunch of BS. Yes, you can have a cheat meal once or MAYBE twice a week but thinking you’re going to cheat every day and get results isn’t going to get you anywhere!

Force more water down! We are 70 plus % water. Do you think it might be more important than food? Drink it….again…at all costs. Eventually you will adapt to it and appreciate less achy joints, less headaches, less tiredness, etc.

Stop looking for some magic pill or diet. There is NO quick fix. Quick fixes = UNSUSTAINABLE results. You are trying to change your lifestyle to do something that’s maintainable, right? So why would you want some quick fix that won’t keep your desired results.

Just working out 2 days a week isn’t going to get you drastic results. We are meant to move! We are living in a society where we have become “caged animals in a zoo" (office cubicles, houses, etc.)” figuratively speaking. We are not meant to sit behind a desk 24/7. Therefore, we need to move MORE often. Even if it’s walking, stretching, yoga, jogging, pilates, etc.

Eat 4 to 5 meals a day. “I don’t feel hungry”…. yet you are craving the wrong foods. Why? Your body is in crash mode because you’re not eating enough! Yes there’s intermittent fasting, the warrior diet, etc but that’s probably not for you if you’re already not disciplined enough to choose the right foods. Eat 4 to 5 meals a day (3 meals plus 2 snacks)

Eat REAL FOOD. Bagels and cereals are not a healthy breakfast. Sorry. They’re just not. Here it is…..Old fashioned Oats, Long Brown Rice, Sweet potatoes, Quinoa, Beans, Lentils, Tons of Green vegetables, fruits (berries, apples, etc.) 2x a day, all other vegetables, chicken, fish, turkey, eggs, egg whites, top round grass fed eat, flax seed oil, udos oil, small amounts of olive oil, coconut oil, low fat cottage cheese, organic greek yogurt, low fat cheese once and while, 100% whole wheat pasta once or twice a week, 100% whole grain or sprouted bread once or twice a week. If it’s not on this list, you probably shouldn’t be eating it consistently. If you can't grow it or kill it don't eat it. It’s that simple.

Eat like a king in the morning and eat like a peasant for dinner. In other words, again eat breakfast and push your calories especially carbohydrates to the front of the day or before workouts. Carbohydrates are not the devil. Just time them properly and portion them. Eat them for breakfast and before workouts. ½ cup oatmeal and 1 or 2 eggs is perfect. ½ cup to ¾ cup of brown rice at lunch with chicken and vegetables is not going to hurt you. What will hurt is: a plate from panda express, taco bell or the common standard American diet “healthy” turkey, cheese, bacon, mayo, and 1 slice of iceberg lettuce on fake wheat bread. I’ve never seen anyone complain about not getting results while consuming too much brown rice, oats, and yams…lol. I don’t think they’re the problem.

Consume protein as much as possible. Ideally 1g of protein per lb of bodyweight divided amongst 4-6 meals. Protein will crowd all the bad stuff out. I mean eggs, lean meats, protein shakes, cottage cheese, yogurt, etc. NOT candy bar tasting protein bars or granola bars loaded with sugar and other chemicals. A gram of fat is 9 calories while protein is 4. Studies show if you eat 100 calories of carbs it takes about 23 calories to process it. The “cost” to digest protein is even higher meaning you burn more to process it. However, eat 100 calories of fat and it take the body ONLY 3 calories to process and store it. Eat protein.

Portions, portions, portions….Carbs = fist size, Veggies = go to town, Fats = thumb to 2 fingers, Protein = palm or hand size.

THE SECRET TO DROPPING FAT FAST = eat tons of green vegetables. They fill you up with no calorie cost almost, cleanse, detoxify, and get you more nutrition than anything else! Eat your greens! Not 3 little baby spinach leaves. LARGE PORTIONS. Can’t remember the last time someone gained weight by eating too much broccoli. Pounds of veggies take long to eat leading to fullness. Snickers bars take 1 minute to eat. You will not sustain fullness without veggies/fiber.

Stop drinking juice, soda, loaded coffees, and Starbucks Frappuchinos. All of them are unnecessary and add calories like crazy! If you need taste, add lemon or limes to your water, drink unsweetened teas, or go to Teavana if you need some "sweet" tasting teas.

Last thing…..Believe in yourself!!! Stop telling yourself “I can’t do that” or “I will never do that” or “That’s not going to work for me”. You’re not in your situation because what you’re currently doing is WORKING. It’s NOT. That’s why you’re looking for a CHANGE. First step is to believe you CAN. Believe in yourself and just do it! :)

 

Hopefully this has lit some fire under you to make some changes. It doesn’t have to be the whole list but start somewhere and believe you can!!

 

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Have an awesome day!

 

Ray Cattaneo

Owner - NASM, CPT,CES