6 Weeks to a Better Body
Losing weight can be a daunting task. It also takes a significant amount of courage because it means that you are willing to say, "I can do better." With that in mind, there is absolutely no reason to lose weight if you're happy with how your body looks and feels and if your doctor says your health indicators are all in shape. Make sure that you truly want to begin, and if you do, you need to make a clear decision to change your lifestyle in order to change yourself physically.
You can achieve inspiring levels of health with the way you eat and exercise. Your neighbor, your partner, your coworkers or even a stranger will be inspired by your good choices -- count on that. Someone is listening, watching and hoping that they'll learn through your experience. Realizing that other people need and want you to succeed is important for your journey toward a healthier you.
Don't try to rush it; skipping steps and transitioning too fast will be your undoing and put you back at square one faster than it took you to lose the weight. Take your time; let change occur; enjoy the ride. I recommend changing your eating habits before you even start exercising (see my program and tips below). Too often, people try to change everything at once and end up putting too much stress on their body (not to mention the mental and emotional stress of so much change). For many, changing eating habits is the hardest part of getting their weight back on track. Invest your time and money in getting a food education.
The routine of going to the gym can be difficult to start, especially if you're balancing work, relationships and a family. But if you're going to be successful sticking to your schedule, you need to make it bulletproof. This is your time, and it will have to remain so.
Improving your health by getting in shape and losing weight should be joyous. You're literally uncovering a better version of yourself, and it should all be very positive. Keep that in mind and invest in a weekly massage for the first four weeks. Losing weight, exercising and eating better are all about taking care of yourself and your health, so keep that in mind and treat yourself as you accomplish your goals:
Weeks 1-2: Exercise Your Diet
* Establish healthy eating habits and be honest with yourself about what you're really eating. Stop putting things into your body that cause you to be overweight. Period. Set yourself up to succeed by focusing on these changes before you take on a new exercise program.
You can achieve inspiring levels of health with the way you eat and exercise. Your neighbor, your partner, your coworkers or even a stranger will be inspired by your good choices -- count on that. Someone is listening, watching and hoping that they'll learn through your experience. Realizing that other people need and want you to succeed is important for your journey toward a healthier you.
Don't try to rush it; skipping steps and transitioning too fast will be your undoing and put you back at square one faster than it took you to lose the weight. Take your time; let change occur; enjoy the ride. I recommend changing your eating habits before you even start exercising (see my program and tips below). Too often, people try to change everything at once and end up putting too much stress on their body (not to mention the mental and emotional stress of so much change). For many, changing eating habits is the hardest part of getting their weight back on track. Invest your time and money in getting a food education.
The routine of going to the gym can be difficult to start, especially if you're balancing work, relationships and a family. But if you're going to be successful sticking to your schedule, you need to make it bulletproof. This is your time, and it will have to remain so.
Improving your health by getting in shape and losing weight should be joyous. You're literally uncovering a better version of yourself, and it should all be very positive. Keep that in mind and invest in a weekly massage for the first four weeks. Losing weight, exercising and eating better are all about taking care of yourself and your health, so keep that in mind and treat yourself as you accomplish your goals:
Weeks 1-2: Exercise Your Diet
* Establish healthy eating habits and be honest with yourself about what you're really eating. Stop putting things into your body that cause you to be overweight. Period. Set yourself up to succeed by focusing on these changes before you take on a new exercise program.
* Visit your gym and get comfortable in the environment. Walk through the studios and check out the equipment; schedule a tour with a representative there. Visit your gym's spa, if it has one, to create a positive association with working out. This place will be instrumental to your success, so you need to like it.
* Start getting weekly massages now. Choose a day and time when you'll likely be exercising in weeks three through six and, if possible, get your massages at or near your gym (see above).
Weeks 3-6: Get Moving
During this period, your most important mission is to maintain a healthy relationship to food, but you should be ready to start becoming more active by now. In weeks three to six, you should be going to the gym as many times per week as you can make it (no less than twice). If that seems overwhelming, keep in mind that the workouts will be moderate to prevent setbacks like fatigue, stress and muscle soreness.
Workout Routine:
* Minutes 1-34: Do 34 minutes of cardio on any machine. Whatever you choose, remember that the point is to get to know the tools that will facilitate your weight loss, not to put yourself through an extreme workout. Each machine will have a different effect on your body, so change it up, ask for help at your gym if you need it and pay attention to how you feel from machine to machine. If you need to stop, stop. Take a break and let your heart rate come down to a more comfortable level, then start the clock on your 34 minutes again when you're ready. At this point in your journey, it doesn't make sense to run. If you're just beginning a workout regime, put off dreams of running a 5k for when you can do it with ease.
* Minutes 34-60: Take dumbbells ranging from 5 to 15 pounds and do some curls, presses, raises and squats. Then try doing a walk around and curl; walk around and press. Be as creative as you can. Be fluid with your movements. Set a goal that you will do 250 reps total, dividing that up in whatever way you see fit. Ask someone who works at your gym for help or look for someone who really knows what they're doing and ask for pointers -- you'd be surprised how willing people are to help you out. There are plenty of resources on the Internet for learning how to use various equipment or do different moves: Use them. Keep it simple and keep your weights light while you're starting (or restarting) out to prevent injury and fatigue.
At the end of the six weeks, try hiring a personal trainer to develop a fitness program that can further your weight loss goals.
WHAT’S FOR DINNER?!
Mustard Tarragon Chicken Cutlets
Prep Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
20 mins
SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS
Directions
Arrange cutlets in 1 layer on a tray or baking sheet and season with salt and pepper.Heat a 12-inch heavy skillet (not non-stick) over moderately high heat until hot. Add 1 tablespoon oil and swirl to coat bottom.
Cook chicken in batches (don't crowd pan), turning once or twice, until just cooked through (adjust heat lower as necessary to keep bits on bottom from burning and add remaining tablespoon oil if pan begins to look dry in subsequent batches), 2 to 3 minutes total per batch.
Transfer chicken as cooked to a platter and keep warm loosely covered with foil.
Add wine to skillet and boil, scraping up browned bits, until reduced by half.
Whisk in water, mustard, and chicken juices that have accumulated on platter. If sauce seems too thin, simmer, whisking, until thickened slightly.
Whisk in tarragon and spoon over chicken.
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