Breaking it Down:
4 Simple Rules to Exercise and Nutrition

With more weight loss diets and magazine workout plans than you can shake a dumbbell at, it’s no wonder why so many could-be fitness fanatics get confused when it comes to getting in shape and burning off belly flab fast. Information is at our fingertips every day, which can be a really great thing; A really great, overwhelming thing. That’s why I put together a few comprehensive, straight-up tips that sum up what you need to do to get lean and stay that way...not just for bikini season, but for life! It doesn’t get much easier to understand, so here it goes...

Top 2 Exercise Tips

• Be efficient and be effective with total body workouts. Forget “leg day” or “chest and triceps day.” That approach is outdated and not productive unless you’re training for a body building contest. Instead, full body training offers faster results for fat loss and overall fitness. This could mean doing a five-exercise circuit (designed to work many muscle groups) at least three times per week. Within each session, you will alternate between 50 seconds of peak intensity effort and 10 seconds of rest for each exercise (a good example of exercises to include is squats, pushups, lunges, rows, and planks for your core). Perform up to 4 continuous rounds without rest for a 20-minute workout.
  

• Use the power of intervals. It’s now a proven fact that interval training burns nine times more body fat than ordinary exercise and elevates metabolism for up to 48 hours following a workout. Perform cardio intervals on non-strength training days three times per week. Select your cardio exercise of choice (walking, running, biking, elliptical, jumping rope, etc.) and alternate between 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest. Repeat each 30-second interval eight times for four total minutes. Follow with one minute of rest. Repeat for up to 20 total minutes.

Top 2 Nutrition Tips

• Get up, eat early, and eat frequently. I know I sound like a broken record, but if everyone were better about eating breakfast I wouldn’t have to repeat myself so much! Don’t wait around and skip the chance to jump-start your metabolism with the proper fuel (for healthy breakfast options, see side bar at right). Our bodies do so much for us; they should be treated and nourished properly. Eat within 45 minutes of waking up and then every few hours to minimize the storage of body fat and feed muscle. By continuously stoking your metabolic furnace and eating some high quality animal protein (lean meat, eggs, part-skim cheese, etc.) at every meal or snack, you’ll keep your metabolism cranked up all day and prevent binge eating later on (do the words “late night snacking” sound familiar?).
  

• All carbs are NOT created equal. You’ve probably heard that cutting out carbs is not really a good idea because our bodies need carbohydrates for energy. That’s very true; however it’s the type of carbohydrates that count. Whole grain carbs are what you want to put down your pipes. Forget the white, processed varieties that cause our blood sugar levels to soar and plunge right back down. Also, eat an unlimited amount of nutrient-dense, fibrous green veggies to fill your belly both during and between meals. To ramp up fat burning performance, try to limit fruit and other good carbohydrate consumption to within 1 hour post-workout when your body is looking to soak up those particular starches and sugars and will use them to aid in muscle recovery (Psst! Throw some lean protein in there too and you’ll really make me proud!).

Meet the Trainer

Crystal is a certified personal trainer through the National Sports and Conditioning Association (NSCA). She has a passion for helping others live a healthy lifestyle and coaching them to push their limits beyond what they think they are capable of.