Exercise Smarter, Not Harder

Making the most out of exercise.

2010: The Year You Make Your Dreams Come TrueI like to think of shedding unwanted fat as washing dishes. Both require heat, friction, and quality 'soap'  to wash away the dirt. When it comes to exercise, the soap breaks down to a few simple supplements to really maximize your metabolism and time spent exercising. And just like washing dishes, remember that fat forms around toxins in your body aka the 'dirt'. So if you are exercising and trying to lose weight, you must cut back on the fat and chemicals going into your body like cigarette smoke, alcohol, and processed foods (including diet soda) which contain tons of unnatural substances. You will get nowhere if you don't attempt to rid your body of the toxins it already contains (evidenced by fat,  low energy, bad mood, and mental fog) and abstain from further toxification through bad habits, self-medication, or just plain laziness.

First and foremost on the list of recommended supplements to maximize your exercising efforts and jump-start your metabolism is B-12. You can buy a bottle for less than three dollars and you will notice an immediate and apparent difference in how you feel. Take one 500mcg tablet with breakfast and another with lunch. You will feel mentally alert and you will have tons of energy to exercise. I also recommend taking a B-complex supplement which contains all the other B vitamins. B vitamins convert food into energy and support your metabolism and clear the mental fog and melancholy you may feel. However, B-12 is the number one supplement to take, if nothing else. You cannot overdose on it or have negative side effects, so take it twice, once in the morning and once in the afternoon to boost your energy levels.

Controlling your appetite until your stomach has shrunk back to a normal, smaller size is important at the start of your weight loss program. As Americans, we are conditioned to eat BIG. We eat often and we eat large volumes of food at one sitting. We super-size it, order large, take a second and third helping, inhale foods when we're upset and as a result- our bodies are a product of gluttony and sloth. We torture ourselves in this way. The key is to control your appetite until your stomach is no longer a stretched out duffle bag in your gut which constantly cries out to be fed. Our stomachs need to readjust their proportions to fit our ideal body weight and size.  Stomachs are very understanding and will shrink back to a normal size within a week or so but, to help- you need to control your appetite. There are a few supplements which will make this painless. 5-HTP will not only control your appetite, it will put you in a good mood and give you a well-rested feeling. It is a natural supplement and is great to have on hand after a restless night or a turbulent, emotional day. For the purposes of supporting you in your efforts to drop some weight and get your appetite under control- it is absolutely invaluable. 5-HTP takes the edge off and puts a damper on your urge to eat non-stop. This is also a wonderful supplement to have with you if you are traveling between time zones. It really takes the bite out of jet lag.

There are a lot of commercial products out there right now that cost upwards of $30 claiming to help you lose weight. I can recommend one, all natural herbal product that costs about $5 for a 30 day supply that really helps control your appetite and gives you a boost of natural energy. Mega-T is an herbal supplement with green tea, gotu kola, acai, yerba mate, and other herbs that really take a bite out of your urge to eat. It is extremely effective. I take one mid-morning around 10am and another around 2pm. When taking Mega-T you will need to reduce or eliminate all other forms of caffeine, otherwise you will become irritable and aggressive. Absolutely, no coffee and you may want to lean towards decaf green tea and herbal teas while taking it. I drink regular green tea with honey in the morning and take a Mega-T pill between 10-11am and by the time I am at the gym at noon- I am really pumped to workout for 2 hours. It allows you to extend your workout times without wanting to eat a lot afterwards, which is key.

Let the Can-do You Shine Through!

Lecithin is an emulsifying agent that helps to eliminate fat and clear up your skin. It can be found naturally in eggs, peanut butter, and legumes. You can buy lecithin granules to put in a smoothie for breakfast or dinner. Another idea is to boil 6 eggs for the week and keep them refrigerated. Grab one for breakfast and avoid eating the entire yolk which is high in fat and cholestoral. A lot of people like chopped up hard boiled eggs on their salad, which is great for lunch, providing you with some lean protein. I also like to make a pot of lentils and an assortment of other beans for salads. With fresh garlic, sea salt, and olive oil- it makes a tasty snack and adds satisfaction to any green salad. The trick is to prepare ahead of time. If you have a busy week ahead, take an hour on Sunday to stock your fridge with a supply of hard boiled eggs, legumes with garlic, a huge green salad, and jars of iced green tea.

Speaking of preparation, another great tip is to automate your process for going to the gym or attending  an exercise class. It is often in the process of getting ready that we lose our momentum or desire to go. This is partly to do with laziness and partly to do with psychology. You have to realize that the lazy, sad side of your ego wants you to fail. The upbeat, positive part of your ego must be allowed every chance to succeed. Here's how you can help yourself succeed. Designate 2 cloth bags to be gym bags, a smaller one with handles which you will carry around the gym while you are working out and another larger mesh one (especially, if swimming is involved) for the locker. In the mesh bag, pack your towel, swimsuit, flip flops and workout clothes- every night. In the smaller cloth bag, pack a wash cloth or small towel (for sweat), your iPod, gym card, car keys, and water bottle. Grab them on your way out the door, every day. If you have your stuff packed before you go to work or even when you come home from work- you are more likely to stick to it. The trick is to move fast, stay single-minded about getting to the gym, and to make it a habit. It is not a hassle if you have a process in place. When you come home, just dump out the mesh bag with all of your wet and dirty clothes, hang to dry or throw in the laundry- and repack the bag before going to sleep so you won't be rushed in the morning. You have to think of yourself as having two people inside of you- one is very lazy and full of excuses and wants you to stay fat and miserable and the other is very joyful and upbeat and full of positive energy and wants you to succeed in whatever you put your mind to. You are helping the positive, 'can do' you- give yourself every chance. Take the work out of working out by automating your workout process and the cutting the time it takes to get ready in half.

By preparing your fridge with healthy salads, green tea, yerba maté, lemons, raw organic honey, and low calorie snacks in advance for the week- you will be more likely to eat well. Don't forget snack foods, make sure you leave the house with low calorie granola bars, a bag of almonds or trail mix. It is when you get the little cravings that you are most likely to cave and go through a fast food drive though. Support and love yourself enough to take some time to prepare snacks like celery sticks or carrot sticks in little baggies or trail mix for the entire week- so you can just grab them before heading out the door. Cravings are the downfall of every dieter. Take a few hours on your day off to make a big salad, a pot of soup, a pot of oatmeal, pots of tea,  and obtain frozen fruits and juices for smoothies (my favorite smoothie powder is ALIVE!) and just automate your meals for the week. You won't even have to think about it. That is the key. Make it easy on yourself.

The supplements I recommended above are great for everyone. Period. Doesn't matter who you are or what your fitness goals are. They are great for your energy, both physically and mentally. If you have high blood pressure or are really sensitive to caffeine, I'd skip the Mega-T supplement however. And again, I find that the Mega-T with acai and gotu-kola is much more effective at putting a damper on your urge to eat than the regular Mega-T.

And because losing fat is like washing dishes, don't forget to scrub yourself down once a week with an exfoliating body scrub and loofah and swim in either a salt water pool or take a bath with sea salt and epsom salts. You skin is the largest organ you have and you need to scrub off the dead cells and allow your pores to open fully in salt water which, draws out the toxins and impurities responsible for causing fat and poor health. I swim in a salt water pool everyday but, I also take a body scrub and rub it over my entire body- outside of the bath when I am completely dry. This really exfoliates your skin in the best way possible. I use my hands instead of a loofah so as not to irritate my skin. Then I step into a bath that I have prepared with 1 cup of epsom salt and ½ cup of sea salt and a few drops of either aromatic oils or bubble bath soap and rub all of the sugar body scrub with a loofah. This really allows your whole body to open up and release all of the toxins stored in your skin and in the fat cells close to the surface. Always follow up with a rich lotion after exfoliating. I love Nivea's Smooth Sensation lotion because it absorbs quickly and does a great job moisturizing without being greasy or heavy but, there are other great all-natural organic lotions to choose from as well.

Remember- prepare, automate, move fast, and support the 'can-do' you in your quest for good health and a positive self image. You deserve it! Give yourself every chance to succeed!