The 5 fastest tips to look tight, toned and tasty for the holidays.

Waiting till January 1 to get started on your best year ever?
Want some simple strategies to be in the best shape you can before the holidays?

1. Do 30 – 40 minutes of planned exercise every day:
Fit people burn fat faster. Unfortunately most people claim to be time poor or financially broke and are not really committed to making a difference to their health at all. If you gave them a couple of extra hours per day or money in the bank, they would spend it unwisely. The first step is to reclaim your priorities and reassess your routines and habits. Schedule some daily exercise that you will enjoy. Don’t just write it on your “To do “list!! “To do” lists never get done. Instead, write a “Things that have to get done” list, and separate it from the “What would be nice to get done” list.

2. Follow 80 /20 rule of eating:
80% of what you eat should look like it came out of the ground. Eat mostly fruit, vegetables, grains etc. The 20% is the other stuff like meat, dairy, sweets etc. Examine the contents of your next meal and see if it passes the 80/20 rule. Also aim for low fat foods to have less chance of accumulating as fat on your body.

3. Drink more water:
People who are dehydrated feel exhausted and tired. When you are dehydrated you are less likely to get up from the couch and exercise. Aim to drink more water every day. A good rule of thumb is to drink more water than you are drinking now.

4. Lift some weights:
There is nothing better than a body that is strong and healthy. After the age of 20 we lose lean muscle mass at a rate of 1 – 2 kg per decade. This can be reversed by lifting weights on a weekly basis. The more lean muscle we have, the higher our metabolism. The higher the metabolism, the more body fat we burn. If you have not got a program then have a chat to a Personal Trainer to design a plan that is right for you.

5. Puff a little harder when you exercise:
Getting out of your comfort zone is the key to reaching your goals. If you have put aside 30 minutes per day to exercise, then spend it wisely on puffing a little harder. And don’t forget the power of incidental exercise (I like to call it accidental exercise).Walk past the lifts to take the stairs, get outside and play with your kids instead of watching TV with them, and walk to the shops instead of driving. Remember...fit people burn fat faster.