Judgement Day!

Well it's here - Memorial Day Weekend.
The official start of Summer. The great "unveiling" - when the shirts come off, the swimsuits and shorts go on and the entire World knows exactly how good or bad your dieting and exercising was for the last 3-4 months. Especially in white!

A friend of mine has called this weekend - Judgment Day!

Are you ready? :)

If not - you have two more BIG weekends this Summer in which to dial in your physique and make a huge difference. That's right - it's not over -- you still have two more Judgment Days this year!

Goal setting is all about setting S.M.A.R.T. goals -- and T stands for "Time line". Athletes peak for National Championships, Trials and World events. Just because you're training for fat loss or to look better naked - doesn't change the fact that DEADLINES are extremely effective tools.
So we're going to set two this Summer.

Your next goal is Independence Day((for my US readers) - July 4th - only five weeks away.

With a combination of a kick start plan, a solid workout and nutritional support program and a healthy dose of motivation - you could easily be 10-15 lbs leaner by then.

Your next goal is the end of summer - the Labor Day weekend (first weekend in September). This is currently fourteen weeks away. So if you're looking a little flabby this weekend or feeling a little embarrassed about your physique -- you can still make amazing changes. It's never too late.

This is an opportunity for you to refocus look completely shredded - rock hard legs and have abs by Summer's end.

But you still need to start now.

Here's the fat loss basics:

1. You need to create a caloric deficit - no two ways about it - you must burn more than you consume.

2. The most effective way to create that deficit is to use a combination of diet and exercise

3. Your diet should consist of lean proteins, fruits and vegetables. Keep starches and refined carbs to a minimum. Keep your fluid intake high (water only), and try to eat at least 4-5 small meals per day. This will help maintain blood sugar levels and keep you from blowing your diet.

4. Exercise - interval training and metabolic resistance training will provide the most bang-for-your buck. Steady state aerobic training just doesn't burn enough calories for your goals right now, and a bodypart training split will be less effective than total body training for fat loss.

5. Try to exercise at least six days per week - three days of interval based cardio and three days of resistance training.

6. Supplements: there is almost nothing that will make a difference. Sorry. Certain supplements can boost metabolism, or increase your energy somewhat and these may be useful - but in terms of real world "pounds of fat lost" I have yet to see anything that really made a difference. A multivitamin and a fish oil supplement are vital though - but more for your overall health. A protein shake or meal replacement powder can be useful for convenience but are nothing more than high quality food.

If you need a jump start - call me- we can set some very specific goals and take care of some fat quickly in the next four weeks.

Til next time...

PS -All talk of fat loss aside - enjoy your holiday weekend. But PLEASE remember the point of this weekend - remember our fallen heroes and spare a thought for all the troops who are still fighting for us today.

My thanks to you all.