This is the first and the most important point to achieve the body you wish for – you have to know what you want. In other words, do you want to be thinner, or with a little more muscle mass, or what you want is just to have a healthy body and good habits. What for? To learn how you have to work out and what you’re going to focus on, because your diet, your exercise routine, and your daily routines in general, should be in accordance with your target. You also need to know why are you going to do it? This motivates you and pushes you in some way to achieve your goals and to not give up in two weeks. If you go on vacation and want to show off in a bathing suit, or your wedding is approaching, this will drive you to achieve your goals. As an additional tip at this point we recommend you to write in detail everything that you defined as your goals and read it every night, and visualize how you will look like after a certain time.
Tip # 1 Have a goal
Tip # 2 Discipline
After defining your goal, one of the most important things is to give your best to achieve that goal. Self-discipline is a must. You must be consistent in all that work you are doing or you are just going to start and then quickly give up. You will surely face many obstacles, you will be fatigued, but do not look for excuses. You should work hard to achieve what you aim for. Do not let anyone or anything ruin your dreams or demotivate you. You are the sole owner of your transformation, be patient, and the results will come. However, do not expect to see results in a few days. If you are consistent in working out and you are on healthy diet you will fell how your body transforms after the first month. That should motivate you even more. But before that be persistent. Taking a picture of the first day and then have another shot at 3 months to compare yourself to see what changes you’ve had, is also a good idea. Remember, comparing yourself is always a good idea, not with others, but to yourself.
Tip # 3 Reduce the intake of salt and sugar
Consumption of salt and sugar only add calories, no proteins, minerals or vitamins. And excessive consumption can lead to serious consequences for your health. Sugar promotes glucose uptake in the intestine, leading to weight gain and body volume in both children and adults. It also leads to deterioration of your dental health, and increases cholesterol levels. Moreover, it increases insulin resistance and the risk of cancer and diabetes. Salt is the major cause of high blood pressure according to WHO (World Health Organization). It also hinders the proper functioning of the kidneys, causes fluid retention in the body, which leads to overweight. It’s hard to leave them out of our diet completely, but it is important not to overdo their consumption. We recommend using low sodium salt and stevia or sweeteners that are 100% natural and some pure honey. In fact, even if you consume regular salt and sugar use moderate amounts. Try not to sweeten your juices, as they contain natural fruit sugar. In addition, try not to add sugar to your tea or coffee. This can be strange at first but you’ll get used to it and so you will create healthier habits.
Tip # 4 Suspend fried foods
Generally, foods that are fried absorb large amount of oil thus becoming less healthy. In this process some vitamins are destroyed as well. These fatty foods are great generators of obesity, because they are high in calories and fat. Besides this ingested fat is stored as fat cells. Recommendation: If you want to fry foods opt for oils that are not easily oxidized and lose their essential properties, such as olive or canola oil. Do not reuse the oil, because it causes food to absorb more oil. When cooking, make sure the oil is at maximum temperature about 180 degrees Celsius, so that the food will be cooked rapidly and thus absorb less oil. If the oil produces smoke, that means that it has lost its properties, and is toxic for your body as such.
Tip # 5 Proteins intake
The protein intake is important, because proteins help to maintain your muscles and contribute to the formation of reparative tissue structures in the body. If you want to increase your body volume it is even more important to consume proteins to feed your muscular system. Most protein-rich foods include meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy, nuts and legumes fruits, although in fact most foods contain protein, but a very small percentage of it. Anyone who performs some type of physical activity should have a higher protein intake, as these are essential to build and restore muscle. We recommend eating low-fat protein foods such as chicken, turkey or fish.
Tip # 6 Do not hold hunger
If you do, it will spoil your plans to lose weight. If your body does not get enough food metabolism slows down and this causes the fat to be stored in larger quantities, causing overweight and obesity, as well as other serious illnesses such as malnutrition. You’ll also feel tired. It is important to eat 4 to 5 times a day in moderate portions. Breakfast is the main meal of the day; it gives you energy to start. We recommend foods rich in calcium, protein, vitamins and fiber. They are whole, fresh foods. Take lunch always at the same time, half your plate should be protein, a quarter of the plate should be full with vegetables or salad and the other quarter full of flours or other carbohydrates. Eat a light and whole food midafternoon to satisfy your appetite. Finally, in the evening, have dinner at least two hours before going to bed in moderate portions. Consume protein and vegetables in the evening as well.
Tip # 7 Accessories and supplements
There are many protein supplements on the market, but we recommend only those of natural origin, containing no sugar, or artificial preservatives. Their consumption is important, but not essential. It is recommended, especially for athletes, since they need more energy, because the muscles undergo great efforts and need to recover. It also depends on your goals you can use them to lose weight, increase muscle mass or simply nourish your body more effectively. It is important to check your health before taking any supplement and check with your doctor if you can and what would be the most advisable.
Tip # 8 Drinking water, lots of water!
Glycogen levels are depleted when you exercise and you need to recharge for muscles to work properly.
If you do not drink water you can suffer from muscle cramps and slow fat loss, plus the kidneys do not function properly, therefore the liver works forcibly. Likewise, if you do not drink water, the body will retain fluid and it will make you look bloated and heavy (this will be reflected in areas such as waist, face and ankles).
When you drink water you will feel full and will accelerate your metabolism, this will be done with lower calorie intake.
For women it is advisable to drink about 2 liters per day and men 2.5. Do not replace water with soft drinks and artificial water.
Tip # 9 Drink tea
Tip # 10 Work out
This is the main tip to maintain strong and toned body, without cellulite, and without excessive sagging. Try a few simple routines, do not look for the most difficult or sophisticated, and vary them constantly. We recommend to work with the weight of your own body. Make cardio; either go walking, running, jumping rope, climbing stairs, riding bike at least 30 or 40 minutes, monitor your heart rate to not overdo it. Do those exercises that you feel comfortable with.
Tip # 11 No gym, no problem!
It is not required to go to a gym to get in shape, there are many training systems which require no weights or machines. So, you do not have to pay for a gym, you just need the desire and motivation. In the parks you will find exercise machines or you can bring your own items if you have them. Or just train at home.
Tip # 12 Functional training
Functional training focuses on exercises that stimulate different muscle groups simultaneously, making it more effective and allows you to see much faster results. This method helps to burn calories more efficiently and to avoid fatigue. Thus you’re going to work more muscles at once stimulating them to burn more calories throughout the day.
Tip # 13 If you want faster results, go slow
You get the body you want faster doing exercises with slower repetitions, “if you perform the exercises quickly the body acts as a spring accumulating energy and returning it to move. It is therefore important not to hurry and make the move slowly, and the elastic energy accumulated in the muscle fibers will fade. Thus it will be us who will have to make the effort, training therefore more intensely. In simpler words, it is much more effective to tone and strengthen muscles, if you do 10 slow squats, that 20 rapid.
Tip # 14 Breathe well
It is very important to make breathing consciously, with good technique when exercising, because through this process you get the necessary oxygen to your cells. Sometimes this oxygen is not enough because of poor breathing technique, which makes you weary much faster and goals become a little more difficult to reach.
Tip # 15 Keep Calm!
It is proven that stress can alter the metabolism of your body and raise levels of the hormone cortisol. This not only causes destruction of the tissues, i.e. muscles, but also makes you feel like eating and eating meals loaded with calories, causing obesity and fat in unwanted places such as the back, abdomen and hips. Therefore, it is important to keep calm and avoid stress as much as possible.
Tip # 16 Sleep
Several studies have shown that poor sleep and rest affect your decisions. You will be tired the next day and that will keep you from performing your daily activities including exercise.
It is advisable to sleep at least 8 hours a day, this will let you be rested and your muscles will recover from the physical activities performed during the day. Otherwise they will suffer and atrophy after several days.
Tip # 17 Less packages and more fruit
Sweets or products in packages are full of empty calories that only make you feel full in times of stress or anxiety. They also contain fast-digesting carbohydrates after which you will soon feel like eating again. So, it is advisable to eat fruits and fresh food, which will make you feel satisfied longer.
Tip # 18 Do not drink alcohol
It would be best not to drink liquor for several reasons you already know, but for many people it is a little hard to party and just drink water. Wine, beer and champagne probably have a lower alcohol content, and thus fewer calories than other liquors. However, it is clear that all spirits are high in calories and very possibly in fats too. It is therefore important to avoid distilled spirits or liqueurs. Needless to say: Without Excesses!
Tip # 19 Avoid sauces and dressings
These types of foods are high in calories and fat, which does not go very well with good eating habits and can turn a low-calorie food into a high-calorie one. For example, a hamburger with fresh salad is not that bad as many think. It is nothing in comparison to a hamburger filled with mayonnaise and ketchup accompanied with French fries.
Tip # 20 Have a high self-esteem
You should love your body and take care of it, because if you do not take care nobody will do it for you. In fact, the most important thing is how do you feel with your body. What you think about you, and the attitude you have, is what you reflect to others. If you feel good and happy on the outside and inside, that’s how people will see you.
Tip # 21 Do not give up
Never give up on your dreams. Always remember your goal, the same as you wrote at first, read it and fill yourself with motivation to continue. Prove that you are a successful person and fighter, who does not give up at the first hurdle on the way.
When these 21 secrets become habits nothing will be effort, on the contrary exercising will be pleasure.
They say that if an action is repeated for 21 days it becomes a habit. The same goes to implementing these 21 secrets – for a better you.
Good luck!
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