NOW LISTEN UP, RECRUIT. If you want a leaner, harder body in time for summer, you must take action right now.  Here are a few basic building blocks to cleaning up your diet and shedding that fat. (I’ll add to this list often, so check it for updates).

Eat often, and listen to your body (eat when hungry) but get into the habit of eating 6 small meals a day and NOT 3 squares. A “meal” is considered 1 serving of carbs and 1 serving of lean protein. If you don’t eat both, it’s not a meal.  A “serving” is about the size of the palm of your hand.

Eat breakfast. Don’t ever skip it. It truly is the most important meal of the day.

Practice Zen Cheating™ (a Sam Page Fitness original). If you absolutely must cheat, I want you to get a chair, and sit in front of a mirror. Then, watch yourself while you eat or drink whatever it is you must have.  Become fully conscious and fully aware of each bite, and watch your Adam’s apple as you swallow.  This is a remarkably effective way to curb addiction.  You can cheat as often as you like, but you must practice Zen Cheating.™

Consume a meal-replacement drink containing high quality protein within ONE HOUR of weight training.

Food is fuel. Before you eat, ask yourself: “Self, what am I going to be doing for the next 2 hours?”  If you’re going to be sitting around in the house, don’t eat so much. If you’re going to be going to the gym, eat accordingly. You should think in terms of fueling your body for what you’re doing next, not eating for what you’ve already done.

Sam says: Alcohol makes it harder to shed fat.

Fats should be polyunsaturated or unsaturated— e.g., nuts, avocados, olive oil, flaxseed oil, all-natural peanut butter, etc. Eliminate all other fats (esp. saturated) from your diet.  Unsaturated fat is “heart healthy” and good for your overall cholesterol count. I love flaxseed oil.

Carbs should be “low glycemic” — e.g., apples, oatmeal, brown rice, pears, whole grain bread, low-fat yogurt, protein enriched whole-wheat pasta, whole grain bagels, microwave popcorn, sweet potatoes, hummus.  Avoid high-glycemic carbs.

Proteins should be clean, e.g., low-fat cottage cheese, turkey, egg whites, extra lean ground beef, ground turkey, skim milk, chicken, shrimp, fish, protein.

Reduce consumption of caffeine to one 12 oz. cup of coffee/day, max.  You can do it!

Eliminate alcohol. If this is totally impossible, reduce it to 1-2 glasses of RED wine per week. Make every effort to cut the alcohol out altogether if possible.

Eliminate any/all “simple” sugars — desserts, candy, cookies, cakes, soda, (diet soda is okay, but watch that sodium), ice cream, etc.  Also, get rid of processed foods.

Repeat after me: If it doesn’t occur in nature, it doesn’t belong in your body.

Drink water… at least twelve 12 oz. glasses a day.

Fiber helps to reduce your cholesterol.

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