04 Apr 2010

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It just hit 82 degrees up here and I live in Dayton, Ohio. If it's 82 degrees all the way up North, I can only imagine what it's like down South in Florida or along the Gulf Coast. I can imagine that because I used to live there and I'm guessing it's 80-90 degrees down there and sunny which makes it perfect beach weather.

Every year around this time people suddenly get back into the gym after months of hibernating. It's as if everyone has a New Year's Resolution again. Before you go crazy and buy a bunch of supplements, hire expensive personal trainers and go on an organic grapefruit diet, read my plan on how to get a beach body. It's easy in the sense that I'll lay it all out for you but it can be hard for some because it takes some initiative on your part.

Changes to Your Eating Habits

To get a nice beach body your diet has to be in check. You don't have to make all the changes overnight but if you want to show off a set of six pack abs, there are a lot of changes that need to happen. As stated above, the only hard part about getting a perfectly toned body is taking it upon yourself to make the changes.

The first thing you need to do is cut your calorie intake. This is the ONLY way to burn body fat. Don't believe diets that promise results without change because they will not work. By making better eating choices, your calorie intake will naturally come down which is why we don't need to spend a great deal of time learning how to count calories.

You need to start getting rid of all foods that are high in sugar. Think of sugar as the anti-beach body. Sugar is digested very quickly by the body and if that energy isn't burned off right away, it will be stored as fat which is a no go for a beach body. Foods high in sugar include fruit juices, soda, doughnuts, muffins, cookies and other junk food.

Instead, focus on foods that are high in fiber which slows the digestion process down. This will keep you satisfied for a longer period of time which will also lower your daily calorie intake. Foods high in fiber include vegetables, 100% whole wheat bread/pasta, brown rice and fruit. Instead of snacking on doughnuts and cookies, have a salad or grapes.

Snacking throughout the day on low calorie, healthy foods can also help your body burn fat. When you get hungry, you get cravings and how often are these cravings for healthy foods? Probably never. If you eat small but frequent snacks between larger meals, you're a lot less likely to get hungry which will keep you away from cravings. Drinking water can also help keep the cravings away.

Keep Away From

• Energy Drinks
• Soda
• Sweet Tea
• Fruit Juices
• Fried Foods
• Candy
• Doughnuts
• Cookies
• Cupcakes
• Pastries
• White Bread
• High Fat Meats
• Full Fat Dairy

Don't Stay Away From

• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Low Fat/Fat Free Dairy
• Lean Meats - chicken, lean cuts of beef, fish
• 100% Whole Wheat Bread/Pasta
• Brown Rice
• Nuts
• Water

Summary

• Decrease Calorie Intake. By making smarter food choices your calorie intake will naturally decrease because you'll stay away from high calorie foods such as soda, doughnuts and cupcakes and instead eat low calorie foods such as tuna, cottage cheese, lean chicken, salads and fruits.
• Less Sugar. Sugar is digested quickly which can lead to excessive body fat buildup.
• More Fiber. Fiber slows down the digestion process which can help prevent body fat buildup.
• Drink Water. Stop drinking calorie filled drinks such as sweet tea, soda, energy drinks and coffee with sugar. Instead, drink water which is free of any calories and can help keep you full.
• Avoid Cravings. Eat small snacks frequently throughout the day so that you don't get hungry. When you get hungry, you get cravings and when you get cravings you binge on junk foods that are high in calories and move you away from a beach body.

The bottom line is that you need to decrease your calorie intake to force your body to burn its fat stores. You can achieve this by cutting out foods high in sugar and replacing them with low calorie foods that are high in fiber such as 100% whole wheats, vegetables and fruits. Remember there is no plan that will deliver a beach body without change. Stay tuned for my Beach Body Exercise Routine.