urbanmommy’s BodyBlog

I’ve had so many people ask me questions about my progress.  I’m very flattered and honored to receive so many comments!  You guys motivate me beyond belief! 

Many of you, especially Moms, have asked for suggestions.  Well, here’s a few tips that have produced amazing results for me:

1.  Choose a specific date on your calendar to meet a goal.  I needed a short-term goal first, so I picked a concert that was 6 months away.  Having a specific date circled on your calendar will inspire you and motivate you to press forward. 

2.  Strength train each body part at least once a week.  One day, work your biceps, triceps, and chest. Another day, work legs and abs.  Another day, work back and shoulders.  You get the picture.   And don’t be afraid to use a heavier weight than you are accustomed to.  I use heavier weight, and I’m not bulking up!  I’m increasing my muscle to burn fat.  And the results are amazing!  Fit and tone and strong looking!  That’s what I want.

3.  Cardio can effectively burn fat in less time than you think.  Try  interval training on your next session.  Sometimes, I can only get in 20-30 minutes of cardio.  So, I make it count!  I will jog on treadmill at 6.0 mph for 2 minutes; then sprint at 8.2 for 1 minute; back and forth for 20-30 minutes.  Very effective!

4.  Change up your weight training program every 4 weeks.  You don’t want your body to adjust.  You always want to "psych it out," introducing new exercises so it is always changing. 

5. Plan out your meals EVERY DAY!!  Eat 6 small meals a day, a meal every 2-3 hours. Add protein to every meal, in small amounts.  A small chicken breast; 1/2 c. cottage cheese; a protein shake; etc.  Having your meals pre-planned will keep you in control and less tempted by the ole, "Gee, what am I gonna have for dinner?" scam.   A good book to grab is "The Eat Clean Diet," by Tosca Reno.  Great recipes and excellent tips.  I also give myself one cheat meal a week.  I don’t go overboard…I just enjoy a food that I normally wouldn’t eat. 

6.  Bodybuilding.com has great demos on weight training exercises.  Check them out if you are confused about them.

7.  I did NOT use any fat-burners!  People may think to lose a pound a week and get tone that I must have used something.  Nope.  I don’t like the feeling that fat-burners give me.  I do use a good multi-vitamin and essential fatty acids.  Just clean eating and smart training did the trick.

8.  Finally, go buy Keith Urban’s CD "Be Here." Then, listen to his song "Days Go By" over and over and over again.  Let the words sink in and really hear them.  You’ll never let one day go by again!

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 6th, 2007 at 5:33 am and is filed under Training. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.