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Becoming “The World’s Fittest You”
10 Tips for a FITTEST New YearJoe Decker, the author of The World’s Fittest You: Four Weeks to Total Fitness (Dutton, January 2004), wants to help Americans make a New Year’s resolution to become “The World’s Fittest You.” Here are his 10 tips:
1. Change it up
One of the main reasons people stop working out is boredom. You have to constantly change your workout routine so that you “shock your body” and to get the results you want.
2. Eat something every 2-3 hours
To keep from overeating and snacking on junk food you should eat 3 meals and 3 snacks each day. This will rev up your metabolism and keep you feeling full all day long.
3. Become a “power positive eater”
Dieting is about don’ts, negatives and avoiding foods. To successfully lose weight you need to change your relationship with food so that it’s a positive thing. I call it the Power of Positive Eating and it means focusing on eating healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, lean meats and whole grains.
4. Set a fitness goal
Before you start your workout program, set a realistic goal for yourself. Whether it’s losing 10 pounds or 2 inches from your waist, be reasonable and monitor your progress along the way.
5. Give your refrigerator a make-over
New Year’s Day is the perfect time to clean house, and that includes your refrigerator. Get rid of all the fatty, processed food and put water, fruit and vegetables front and center so you can see them every time you open your refrigerator.
6. Have “fitness fun”
Choose 3 cardio activities you like to do, whether it’s running, walking or swimming – it doesn’t matter as long as you’re having fun. You can have fun too by setting a fitness challenge for yourself like a Breast Cancer Walk or a MS Bike Tour. The key is to keep motivated.
7. Work your body from head to toe
Fitness involves 3 components. You need to burn calories with variable intensity cardio training, tone muscles with strength training, and keep limber with total body stretching.
8. Reward yourself
Research show that rewards make a difference. If you’ve been eating healthy all week, then reward yourself with a “free” meal. I like pizza and beer. When you’re tempted by that chocolate cake during the week, remind yourself that you can indulge for one meal on Sunday.
9. Find a “fitness” friend
Research shows that having someone to workout with will help you stay on track. If you can’t find a workout buddy, then check-in with a friend or family member each week and tell them about your progress.
10. Lift it right
When you’re strength training and lifting weights, make sure you follow proper form. Don’t just go up and down without control. When you’re lifting the weight (going against gravity) count slowly to 2, when you’re lowering the weight (going with gravity) count slowly to 4.
