How to Lose Weight and Get In Shape: A 4 Point Plan That EVERYONE Can Follow

Getting 'in shape' and losing weight is a challenge that most of us face at some point in our lives! Our busy schedules can often leave a healthy diet and fitness at the bottom of the list but there soon comes a point where things can no longer be ignored and you think to yourself 'Something has to be done!!'

Making the decision to deal with the problem is the first step, so if that's what you've been thinking lately, well done! The next step can often seem a bit more tricky... something needs to be done, but what?

The 4 Point Plan for a Lighter Brighter You!

If you're going to make a change, you need to make a plan. The following 4 points should be covered by your battle plan to ensure you get the best out of your efforts and get the results you are looking for.

1. NUTRITION

What you eat will change the way you look more than anything else! 80% of weight loss and body transformations results are achieved by changing what you eat.

Try applying these 3 rules to your daily menu:

- EAT! Don't skip breakfast. Never! It kick starts your metabolism (how many calories you burn) for the day, so the sooner you eat after waking, the sooner your engines can get revved to the max!

- Try to stay away from DRY carbs. By this, I mean things like bread, pasta and pastry. Choose wetter options such as fruits and vegetables. They are much less calorie dense and will give you the vitamins, minerals and fibre that you won't get from the dry ones!

- Eat more protein. Aim to have a serving of protein with every meal. Protein burns calories just being digested, and also stops the insulin spike that carbs give you, which causes fat gain. More protein on your plate = less fat on you!

ACTION: Make a list of everything you eat today, and see what changes you can make using the 3 points above.

2. EXERCISE!

Exercise helps us to shape our bodies, gives us strength and energy, burns of excess calories and just makes you look BETTER!

Combine exercise for your heart and lungs (anything that gets your pulse up, raises your temperature and makes your breathing deeper) with exercises that target specific muscles to build calorie burning lean tissue and to lift and shape sagging body parts... e.g dips for your bingo wings, squats and lunges for your backside and thighs!

ACTION: Decide what kind of exercise you'd like to do, make sure it covers the above and.... do it!

3. ATTITUDE

You won't keep up with any changes unless you stay motivated and enjoy what you're doing! Keep your thoughts positive and don't spend any time thinking negative things about yourself or telling yourself this is going to be hard!

If you find it difficult on your own, try joining a group of people with the same goals as you. It can really help to have people around you who want the same things and can share your experiences with you and encourage you along the way.

ACTION: Define your goal and find others with the same goal.

4. EDUCATION

We should all know how to look after our bodies and it's not rocket science! Even personal trainers and fitness gurus weren't BORN knowing what they know, and you can learn for yourself exactly what you need to be doing. Find a place that gives you access to a professional who shares what they are doing with you, read magazines, use the internet, ask everyone for their ideas!

Knowing what AND WHY you are doing something makes following your plan a route to certainty rather than a blind leap of faith - it's much easier to keep going this way!

ACTION: Find yourself a guru, and get reading too!

If you can apply The Four Point Plan, you will be well on your way to the Lighter, Brighter You that you want to be!

Joanne Milsom is a leading Personal Trainer and Diet Coach who has helped thousands of people achieve their goals over the last decade. She is the author of the book Dumbells Are A Girl's Best Friend and creator of The 8 Week Diet Programme.

If you're looking to lose weight, sign up to Jo's free weekly newsletter at http://www.thephysiqueacademy.co.uk

Are Gourmet Foods For Everyone?

When you think gourmet foods what comes to your mind? Expensive, only available in the top restaurants of the world presented in unique design by men that speak with accents wearing tuxes? The truth is that they are not as expensive as you think, they do not need a culinary master to be prepared and they do not take as much time as you may believe.

Gourmet foods can appeal to all the senses. Taste, touch, sight, and sound. Finer gourmet foods when beautifully presented and carefully tasted can equal the experience of seeing an original piece of a masters work of art. The aroma that lingers in the air and the beauty in the way it was arranged can be worth the price that some of the finest restraunts may charge. Only high quality food and drink will suffice for those that consider food to be a delicacy and treasure.

With that being said, how does a person go about selecting everyday foods from the local market and preparing them at home to equal those prepared by a world renown chef? I completely believe that preparing gourmet meals at home for yourself, several times a week, is possible and not saved for those times when special dinners are required for guests while entertaining. Where to shop for gourmet foods? That depends on where you live. Gourmet quality items can be found at your local grocery or farmers market, it just takes some looking. There are some areas that have specialty stores or gourmet shops. Remember, I said it doesn't have to be expensive to be gourmet it has to be high quality.

So you are going to look for foods that look good, are high quality and are fresh. You want foods that are not processed or packaged and in most cases have not been treated with pesticides and such. Pick the freshest foods if at all possible. If fresh foods are not an option some frozen varieties are acceptable but never use canned. You know the difference in quality foods when you see them. They are usually the foods that are packaged attractively and displayed in a way that makes you want to buy them. You are consuming it, it should be high quality.

If you are not sure how to go through the grocery and pick out the high quality foods, then you can turn to the internet. There are many quality gourmet shops online. If you are going to use the online approach to gourmet food shopping I recommend making a list of what you are looking for. Once you have that list you will want to find the better sites that offer the best foods. Places such as Amazon.com can help you locate the foods you are looking for and offers you a simpl way to price compare.

Price compare, paying more doesn't mean that you are getting better quality of food. The quality of the food is not always revealed in the price tag. I have been to restaurants and had a filet mignon and paid an insane amount of money for a steak and then gone to a chain restaurant and had a filet that was ten times better and cost 1/3 of the "fine restaurants" filet.

Shopping for the good gourmet foods takes time. It can be an enjoyable time. Planning ahead and getting bargins by watching for coupons in your local paper is also wise. Instead of taking a long county drive on a Saturday, try visiting one or two local markets browsing up and down the isle looking for special food items to create a gourmet meal. Eating should be an enjoyable and rewarding experience, so take the time to prepare your gourmet meals.

Are you ready to for the finer gourmet foods? Visit Gourmet Foods and Gourmet Wine and Food.

How to Lose Weight and Get In Shape: A 4 Point Plan That EVERYONE Can Follow

Getting 'in shape' and losing weight is a challenge that most of us face at some point in our lives! Our busy schedules can often leave a healthy diet and fitness at the bottom of the list but there soon comes a point where things can no longer be ignored and you think to yourself 'Something has to be done!!'

Making the decision to deal with the problem is the first step, so if that's what you've been thinking lately, well done! The next step can often seem a bit more tricky... something needs to be done, but what?

The 4 Point Plan for a Lighter Brighter You!

If you're going to make a change, you need to make a plan. The following 4 points should be covered by your battle plan to ensure you get the best out of your efforts and get the results you are looking for.

1. NUTRITION

What you eat will change the way you look more than anything else! 80% of weight loss and body transformations results are achieved by changing what you eat.

Try applying these 3 rules to your daily menu:

- EAT! Don't skip breakfast. Never! It kick starts your metabolism (how many calories you burn) for the day, so the sooner you eat after waking, the sooner your engines can get revved to the max!

- Try to stay away from DRY carbs. By this, I mean things like bread, pasta and pastry. Choose wetter options such as fruits and vegetables. They are much less calorie dense and will give you the vitamins, minerals and fibre that you won't get from the dry ones!

- Eat more protein. Aim to have a serving of protein with every meal. Protein burns calories just being digested, and also stops the insulin spike that carbs give you, which causes fat gain. More protein on your plate = less fat on you!

ACTION: Make a list of everything you eat today, and see what changes you can make using the 3 points above.

2. EXERCISE!

Exercise helps us to shape our bodies, gives us strength and energy, burns of excess calories and just makes you look BETTER!

Combine exercise for your heart and lungs (anything that gets your pulse up, raises your temperature and makes your breathing deeper) with exercises that target specific muscles to build calorie burning lean tissue and to lift and shape sagging body parts... e.g dips for your bingo wings, squats and lunges for your backside and thighs!

ACTION: Decide what kind of exercise you'd like to do, make sure it covers the above and.... do it!

3. ATTITUDE

You won't keep up with any changes unless you stay motivated and enjoy what you're doing! Keep your thoughts positive and don't spend any time thinking negative things about yourself or telling yourself this is going to be hard!

If you find it difficult on your own, try joining a group of people with the same goals as you. It can really help to have people around you who want the same things and can share your experiences with you and encourage you along the way.

ACTION: Define your goal and find others with the same goal.

4. EDUCATION

We should all know how to look after our bodies and it's not rocket science! Even personal trainers and fitness gurus weren't BORN knowing what they know, and you can learn for yourself exactly what you need to be doing. Find a place that gives you access to a professional who shares what they are doing with you, read magazines, use the internet, ask everyone for their ideas!

Knowing what AND WHY you are doing something makes following your plan a route to certainty rather than a blind leap of faith - it's much easier to keep going this way!

ACTION: Find yourself a guru, and get reading too!

If you can apply The Four Point Plan, you will be well on your way to the Lighter, Brighter You that you want to be!

Joanne Milsom is a leading Personal Trainer and Diet Coach who has helped thousands of people achieve their goals over the last decade. She is the author of the book Dumbells Are A Girl's Best Friend and creator of The 8 Week Diet Programme.

If you're looking to lose weight, sign up to Jo's free weekly newsletter at http://www.thephysiqueacademy.co.uk