You’ve busted your butt and you’re frustrated.
You’ve suffered through restrictive exercise and nutrition programs only to build a smaller or larger version of the same soft, unshapely body.
How is it possible to work so hard and achieve… this?
Sound familiar?
We’re not surprised, because we’ve heard it from so many of our readers. And we’ve experienced it ourselves.
Here’s the problem: most exercise and nutrition programs only focus on losing or gaining weight. That means you either lose fat and muscle together, or you gain muscle and fat together.
Your end result is the same soft physique. We wouldn’t call it “shapeless” because it IS a shape… It’s big in all the wrong places and small in all the worst places.
If you want to create the body of your dreams, you’ve got to change your training, diet and lifestyle.
We teach you how to integrate each of these areas in our Beta Switch program.
In this article we’re looking specifically at nutrition.
You haven’t got a hope of achieving the physique of your dreams if you don’t know how to get your diet on track.
Nutrition is without doubt the most confusing factor in your quest for a hot body.
And that’s not surprising! Take a walk down the health and fitness section of any major bookstore. How many nutrition titles do you see? Each one is filled with contradictory advice. And none of them integrate exercise and lifestyle into a bigger picture.
Here are a few things you can do right now…
Make These 5 Changes—Starting Today
1) Ditch the soft drinks
Soda, fruit juice, bottled iced tea—cut ‘em all. Soda has no nutritional value. And soft drink manufacturers are the biggest users of refined sugar in the entire United States. A single serving contains around 150 calories and up to 40 grams of sugar!
Cut these sugary saboteurs from your diet and you’ll cut your caloric intake dramatically. Don’t be surprised if you see a difference in 1 or 2 weeks.
And no, “diet” drinks aren’t an acceptable substitute.
2) Start a journal
Write down what you eat and drink each and every day. Use as much detail as possible.
Keeping a journal increases your personal accountability. When you have to write something down, it becomes more real. You’re much less likely to give in to temptation—like those cookies on the staffroom counter—if you’re committed to recording them in your journal.
You’ll also get a very clear sense of exactly where you’ve been going wrong, how much you’re really eating, and how many of your food choices support or sabotage your goals.
3) Eat more protein and green veggies
Protein should make up about 30% of your daily needs. Give preference to high quality animal sources like beef, chicken, turkey, game meat, fish, seafood and eggs.
A great rule of thumb is to fill your plate by portions:
- a portion of protein the size and thickness of the palm of your hand
- 1/3 of your plate covered in veggies
- and no more than a closed fist-sized portion of whole grain carbohydrates (whole grain rice, quinoa pasta, yam, Ezekiel bread etc)
Eat this way and you’ll feel full for longer. You’ll also start to normalize your body’s insulin response—which is a key requirement for fat loss.
4) Up your water consumption
As much as a 2% drop in hydration can negatively affect your mood and concentration, sabotage your exercise intensity and reduce your strength and endurance.
On the other hand, maintaining good hydration can aid in fat loss, assist in detoxification, keep your joints lubricated, and improve your mood, concentration and energy levels.
Don’t like the taste? It’s probably because you’ve been drinking soda for so long. Add a slice of lemon or lime.
5) Supplement with Omega 3’s
Supplementing with this essential fatty acid can have an immediate effect on your body composition and performance. Omega 3 supplementation has been shown to:
- Improve insulin sensitivity, which helps normalize body composition
- Augment mood and workout drive
- Improve joint health and reduce training-related pain and stiffness
- Activate fat burning genes and deactivate fat storing genes
- Reduce carb cravings through optimization of serotonin levels
Look for a good quality fish oil.
Start there and you’ll be amazed by how much better you look and feel.
Want more? Check out our Beta Switch rapid fat loss plan from fitness expert Sue Heintze. She’ll show you how to flip the off switch on stubborn fat.