Summer Is Here It's Not To Late To Lose Weight

Okay, so you woke up this morning and realized (if you're in the US anyway) that now that we've hit Memorial Day Weekend, summer is unofficially here.
And that means some of you are officially bummed because you can't get away with covering up with long pants and baggy shirts again until after Labor Day.
If the thought of donning that new one-piece swimsuit or (shudder) that cute little bikini you picked up on sale at the end of last summer now brings on a feeling of dread, don't despair.  Yes, you shouldn't have waited until Memorial Day weekend to start getting in shape, but you can't change the past so don't worry about it.
As the old proverb says, "The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is today."

Now, if you've read any of my blog over at www.DaveSoucy.com, you know I don't believe in quick fixes, fad diets, gimmicks, pills, etc.  So if you're looking for that, well, sorry to disappoint.  But, I will give you some tips that will not only get you started on the road to long term fitness, but also give you the best jumpstart possible on bikini season.

So, if you want to make the most of your bikini unveiling, here's what you need to do, starting today.

1- Stop eating crap.  That is always #1.  If you want a bikini body, and aren't one of those genetically-gifted bitches who can eat anything and never gain a pound, then you need to clean up your diet.  That means your calories should come from fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, and lean proteins (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, legumes, etc.).  You want to be in a bikini? Stop eating overly processed junk food today.  That includes bagels, cookies, candy, cake, cereal, most bread, soda, pasta, frozen meals, pizza, etc.

You get the idea.  No more processed junk.  If the first ingredient is enriched flour (bleached flour, unbleached flour, wheat flour, any sort of enriched flour) throw it away.

Stop eating foods that are filled with added sugar (sugar, cane sugar, beet sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, molasses, brown sugar, etc.).   Read the ingredients on your foods.  You'll be surprised how much sugar there is in foods you might think are healthy.  Want a good example? Check out just about any of the commercial fruit flavored yogurts out there.  You may as well eat a candy bar if you're going to eat that junk.

Bottom line: buy fewer foods that contain dozens of ingredients, and buy more foods that ARE ingredients.

2- Stop drinking your calories.  Those Frankenchinomochalattes everyone loves pack more calories and fat than a Big Mac.  If you want a Big Ass, just keep drinking those things.  Also cut out soda, juice drinks, beer, etc.

You should be drinking water, water, and more water.  If you need a cup of coffee in the morning (I have two, thank you very much), go for it.  Want a glass of red wine on Saturday night? Have at it.  But do your best to stick with water or green tea the rest of the time.

3- You do need to create a calorie deficit, or burn more calories than you take in.  That doesn't mean starve yourself.  You should aim to eat three meals a day along with a couple of small, healthy snacks.  See #1 for what you should be eating, and help create that caloric deficit with a good exercise program.  Keep reading...

4- Make the most of your exercise program.  Going for a walk on the treadmill while reading People or watching Dr. Oz is never, I repeat NEVER, going to give you a bikini body.  Don't get me wrong, it's better for you than laying around on the couch, but if you want a flat stomach and an ass and legs you can be proud of, low intensity cardio sessions simply won't get it done.

You'll be much better off following a program that incorporates resistance training (metabolic circuits, supersets, etc.) using compound movements to achieve a full body workout, along with cardio intervals.  Try for three days of resistance training along with two days of cardio intervals per week.

And, if you have no idea what the hell I just said in the last paragraph, check out www.BodyTransformationCourse.com.

5- And finally, realize that these changes aren't something you can give up on once Labor Day rolls around.  Stop exercising and go back to the Frankenchinomochalattes, and you'll lose all the progress you've made and will never fit in that little black dress you'll want to wear on New Year's Eve.

Like I said, I'm not about quick fixes.  I believe most diets out there suck, and we all just need to learn to eat better and exercise regularly, and do it for the rest of our lives.  If people would focus on being healthy, instead of focusing on being thin, we'd all be better off.  And you know what? If you focus on being healthy, I bet thin will come.

Have a great summer!

~Dave

Dave Soucy is a body transformation coach, instructor, author, head fitness guy and owner of Perfect Fit Fitness Bootcamps, former corporate desk jockey and former fat guy. He's certified as a Personal Trainer through both the American Council on Exercise and the National Academy of Sports Medicine, and as a Food Psychology Coach through the Spencer Institute. That and about $7 can get him a coffee at Starbucks. Get all the dirt on Dave by visiting his blog at http://www.DaveSoucy.com