7  Tips  To  Maximize  Your  Fitness  Results        Fitness Expert, Kristen, host of YouTube’s K’s Perfect Fitness TV answers: When Will I See Results?

Are you spending hours at home working out, going to the gym, taking numerous classes, but not getting results? Keep reading. Results don’t

happen overnight, but if you are putting in the effort, you should get results! Just follow my 7 Tips To Maximize Your Fitness Results.

Develop a Positive Mental Attitude Tip #1

You need to have a positive attitude toward yourself. If you keep saying you are fat, you will stay fat! Focus on the lovely parts of your body, compliment them, and tweak the other parts. Remember, tweaking may be a little or a lot, but don’t be dragged down by being hard on yourself, that will keep you fat and feeling bad. Instead say, “I want to tone this area of my body.” The positive emotions you feel help you move in the direction you want to go. Positive people bring great things to themselves. It’s just the law of attraction. So avoid the negative self-destructive comments like “I’m fat” or “I have a huge jelly belly!” Tell me what improvements you want to make. “I want to slim down my thighs, lift my bum, and have more definition in my abs.” “I’m getting better and better every day.” Wear gym kit you feel sexy in. Invest in it. Throw out the ragged old T-shirt. If you can’t see your body, how do you know what your body looks like? How do you know if your technique is right? (I will touch on technique later.) I always feel great when I put on my gym kit that is fresh, bright, feminine and fitted. This not only helps me feel positive about what I am doing for myself, but also helps my body confidence.

Start Eating Regularly and Consistently Tip #2

Eating the right foods at the right times can turn your body into a fat-burning machine, burning calories even when you sleep. Your body will naturally wake up hungry when your metabolism is running efficiently. It is said that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” It’s true. A nutritious breakfast will get your metabolism going, give you energy and set you up for a great day. Most people who train first thing in the morning don’t eat because they think they are going to burn fat, right? Wrong. Here’s how it works. Your body needs glycogen to function. Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose and stored in the muscle’s glycogen. The body will use carbohydrates as it’s first fuel source. Only after 20-30 minutes of moderate exercise will there be a gradual shift from burning carbs to burning fats. Only after this transition has happened will you start to burn 50% fat throughout your workout. So long story short, if you don’t eat breakfast, i.e., no glucose consumed from carbs, you will burn muscle mass as your body has no energy to fuel your workout. A decrease in muscle mass will slow your metabolism down, make your feel sluggish and increase your risk of injury. So eat breakfast!

When I teach high impact classes in the morning, I eat 1-2 hours before I train. It’s always something light that will release energy slowly and keep

me going - usually organic granola with seeds or organic porridge oats with almond milk and berries. After the class I’m hungry again and have a protein snack within the next ½ hour (usually my Nature’s Sunshine chocolate protein shake). Then I eat a well-balanced meal in another hour’s time. So when to eat? 1-2 hours before you train have a complex carbohydrate meal. Then have a small protein or protein and carbohydrate snack 30 minutes after you train. Protein is not just for men. Ladies, you will NOT bulk up! You need to replenish your muscles so they can recover and keep burning calories over the next 48 hours! Finally, eat little and often. Make breakfast your largest meal, with a smaller lunch, and dinner even smaller and lighter. Do your best not to eat after 8pm. Throw some snacks in between each meal. Try organic apples and organic peanut butter with no added sugar, or a handful of mixed nuts and seeds. Eating little and often throughout the day will keep your metabolism working like a fat-burning machine.

Choosing the Right Foods to Eat Tip #3

Eat foods that cleanse your body and beware of any fad diet. Yes, the latest Hollywood diet might work for a few weeks, but eventually you will come off it and then pile the pounds back on. Why? First of all, you will be starving your body of the nutrition it needs, and every time you go on a new diet, like eliminating carbs, you mess up your metabolism. So stop looking for a new fad diet, and just eat real fresh whole foods. People ask me what I eat. I tell them, I eat what I want. Usually what I want are healthy foods that assist my workout, and I truly believe in eating organic non-toxic non-poisonous foods. But what’s my favorite food? Chocolate! Of course it is! C’mon, live a little, I’m human too! But you have to limit your portions. The last thing I want you to do is cut it out all together and then when you crack you eat a massive tub of ice cream all by yourself. Don’t set yourself up for failure, set limits. Try one small scoop of ice cream in a narrow champagne glass or make your own raw chocolate truffles. You will feel classy and elegant enjoying the simple pleasures of a small desert, and no going back for seconds! Eat healthy foods 80-90% of the time, and 10-20% of little pleasures. This means a healthy colorful plate of food consisting of protein (lean meat, fish, tofu, beans), veg (kale, broccoli, spinach, asparagus, peppers, squash) and carbs (brown rice, quinoa, spelt, whole grain pasta, whole oats) or healthy fats (avocados, nuts, seeds, olives, raw virgin coconut oil, peanut butter). Your veg should take up about half the plate, protein a ¼ of the plate and then carbs or healthy fats should be ¼ or less. Have you tried a super food salad? Try cooking quinoa, which is slow releasing and great for cleansing your digestive system. Then add your favorite veg and condiments like organic cucumber, avocado, mozzarella, pomegranate seeds and chicken or tofu, with balsamic vinaigrette or hummus. Get creative. Now I keep saying “organic.” You say, “I am eating fruit, veg and lean meat, there’s more?” Here’s the thing. If it’s not organic, it has been grown with fertilizers, pesticides and chemicals to make the produce grow quickly and look appealing. But this produce takes on the chemicals that have been

put in the soil or the animal’s feed, and when you eat non-organic you are putting these chemicals in your body, which is toxic to your system. You are what you eat. Toxins are what clog your lymphatic system and cause illnesses, cancers and can cause fat to be stored, especially cellulite. I’ll explain later. I know it’s more expensive, but try buying your fruit and veg from your local trusted farmer, I guarantee you will prefer it. Do what you can. Try to buy or make freshly squeezed juice when you have a choice. If it says lightly pasteurized, it’s been heated like milk to kill the chemicals in it that are harmful to you, so you don’t get sick. But as it kills the harmful chemicals, it kills the nutritious vitamins and minerals in it as well! We need those nutrients to keep our immune systems up! It’s a good idea to invest in better quality food, because you truly will be on the right path of health and well-being. Speaking of fruit juice, eat fruits rich in antioxidants. Even doctors still don’t know why we gain weight and why we gain weight in the same areas of our bodies, upper arms, tummies, bums and thighs. But have you heard of this idea that it is all related to your lymphatic system. We have lymph nodes in our armpits, abdomen, groin and knees. Respectively, that’s where people tend to store fat. Bingo wings, muffin tops, and the thunder thighs. When the lymphatic system gets clogged, it cannot eliminate the toxins in our bodies and you start to put on fat in these areas, as the fat cells can’t break down. Your lymphatic system is clogged in all these areas. Eating foods rich in antioxidants like blueberries, blackberries and acai berries helps to break down and flush out the toxins in your body. Then when you get to the gym this will make it much easier to sweat the toxins out, cleanse your body and break down fat. Remember, there are a lot of hormones that play huge factors in weight gain/loss. For example, cortisol levels are related to belly fat, estrogen levels relate to thigh/butt fat and insulin levels relate to love handles and back fat. Also, testosterone levels relate to chest fat (man boobs) and growth hormone relates to overall fat loss. So it may be as simple as sorting out these imbalances with your physician.

Eat foods containing fiber to keep a healthy digestive system and lower cholesterol. Try flaxseed, oats, rye, brown rice, wholegrain bread, wheat bran and beans. Also eat fruits (prunes, apples and citrus fruits), legumes and vegetable skins. Another option for a healthy digestive system is having a colon cleanse. It’s a procedure that cleans your colon by flushing out the harmful toxins, waste and parasites sitting in your system. In some cases, people have lost up to 15 pounds after a treatment! Getting rid of these toxins can help your health in general by avoiding lethargy, digestive problems and even developing cancers. (Always consult with your doctor first.) Eat more plain foods. Avoid rich dressings, mayonnaise, high calorie sauces and margarines. Sometimes the dressing on your salad makes a healthy meal fattening. If you are eating real foods, they won’t be too bland. Brown and whole-meal bread, pasta and rice are better for you than refined white breads and rice. Just remember not all carbs are bad for you, you just need to be eating the right ones. Unrefined carbohydrates have had little alterations made to them. They are natural products with little or no interventions. This makes them a good source of energy and also a good source of dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals and they give a slower, sustained insulin response. Unrefined complex carbohydrates include: · Whole-meal and whole grain products · Whole grain rice · Fresh and frozen vegetables · Sweet potatoes · Yams · Pulses · Quinoa · Spelt Lastly, if you are counting calories, you will drive yourself crazy. Focus on the quality of the food you are consuming. “Is it grown locally? Organic? Do I know what the ingredients are when I read the label?” If not, put it down. Especially if there are preservatives or E numbers in the ingredients.

So here’s a list of healthy foods that are low in saturated fat to pick up at the shop, all organic, if possible. Then get creative cooking your own food. No more store bought ready meals! Meat - Poultry White meat: chicken breast - skinless, or deli style – protein** Turkey breast, skinless, or deli style Turkey, ground Red meat: steak – iron** Beef (range fed) Fish - Seafood Sea bass Haddock Scallops Bluefish Halibut Shrimp Calamari Lobster Snapper Clams Mackerel Swordfish Cod Salmon Trout Crabmeat Tuna Eggs Organic eggs Dairy Bio-live yogurt

Low fat cheese Vegetarian Protein powder Tofu Soya burger patty/bean burger Pulses: lentils, beans, peas Fruits and Veg Berries - black, red, blue, strawberries – high in antioxidants** Bananas - high in potassium** Oranges – high in vitamin C** Peaches Nectarines Pears Pineapple Lemons – speed up metabolism** Limes Kiwis Broccoli Kale – the best superfood you can eat! It’s the winner** Spinach Peppers Carrots Sweet potatoes – fantastic complex carbohydrate** Rocket Cucumber Celery Avocados – the best monounsaturated fat** Oats/Grains/Pastas Whole oats Oat granola Quinoa Cous cous Amaranth

Spelt Bulgur wheat Whole meal/whole grain/brown rice and pasta Rye bread Mixed nuts and seeds Flaxseed Linseed bread - good for cleansing digestive system**

Here are a few healthy meal options: Breakfast: Egg white omelet with spinach, onion, red peppers, and flaked almonds

on top Organic oatmeal with real peanut butter with no added sugar/sugar-free

jam or agave, flaxseed and mixed berries Organic granola with organic bio-live yogurt with berries Lunch: Chicken and avocado salad in a spinach wrap with pita chips and hummus Homemade turkey burger (no bun) with a giant cous cous salad (spinach,

cucumber, beetroot, carrot, low fat mozzarella and chopped walnuts) Homemade vegetarian bean and lentil chili with slice of rye bread Dinner:

King prawn stir fry with broccoli, green beans, mixed peppers, zucchini and brown rice

Fish with roasted sweet potatoes, steamed broccoli, kale and peas Tofu salad: tofu pan-fried in coconut oil, in a salad of rocket, watercress,

lettuce, avocados, cucumber, grated cheese, flaxseed and chopped walnuts

Dessert: Homemade raw chocolates Raw chocolate brownies (get recipe on my blog) Post Workout Shake: Protein powder, almond milk, chia seeds, ice Homemade peanut butter protein ball (get recipe on my YouTube

channel)

Stop Drinking Empty Calories Tip #4

Drink more purified water, not tap water! Hydration is key!!! If your urine is mild-dark yellow, you are dehydrated. Keep drinking water throughout the day, aim for at least 2 liters without exercise. You want your urine to be clear to a pale yellow color. Carry that 2-liter water bottle around with you all day, then you can’t cheat. Make sure you finish it, and drink even more water if you are exercising. Alcohol is dehydrating and toxic to the body. I don’t drink at all, but if you like to drink, then one unit of red wine no more than 3 times a week. Remember, one unit is not a whole glass!!! A small glass of wine is usually 2 units! Now saying that, red wine is proving to be good for your heart as it will thin your blood, however, more than this recommended 1 unit is detrimental to your liver. Not to mention your skin will suffer. So if you went out over the weekend and you aren’t seeing results, its not your training, it’s your priorities. Eliminate high calorie coffee drinks, sodas, beer, milkshakes, etc. Drink herbal teas or hot water with fresh squeezed lemon for a refreshing treat first thing in the morning! Lemon also speeds up your metabolism and helps aid bowel movement. Just remember lemon is acidic, so wait a ½ hour to brush your teeth to keep your enamel strong.

Doing the Right Type of Training for Your Body with Proper Technique Tip #5

I’ve seen so many people run on treadmills and never lose weight. They develop knee or lower back injuries. Running is continuous training that is great to improve and maintain cardiovascular fitness, though it’s not for everyone. It can put strain on your joints if you are overweight or not running with proper form. So listen your body. If it feels good, do it. If not, try something else! A different form of cardio is interval training, and it has been proven to help increase results in much less time. Interval training means taking your heart rate up really high and then bringing it back down as you recover, then repeating this several times. I suggest you try to mix it up and vary your workouts. With interval training, your body will burn the same amount of calories in a fraction of the time in comparison to running/walking/cycling at a constant speed. For example, try doing sprints on a bicycle for 20 minutes, 1 minute sprint, 1 minute coast. Compare that to cycling for 45 minutes at a constant speed. You be the judge. One of my favorite types of training is a high intensity aerobic/sports training program or dance class with great motivating music. I find this is easier on my joints, and I can be toning and doing strength training exercises at the same time. I like getting more results from my efforts and workout, while saving time and having fun! If you have a stressful job, can’t sleep at night and you are always on the go, whilst you may be attracted to a high intensity fitness class, you may be doing yourself a disfavor. If you already have a lot of daily stresses, you should try a calming yoga class to center yourself, build strength and train your mind to unwind with meditation. I suggest you also try my amazing K’s Perfect Fitness TV’s Guided Meditation for perfect health and well-being, which would be great for you! If you have a sedentary lifestyle, a more high-energy workout would be more appropriate for you. There are loads of high-energy cardio and HIIT workouts on my YouTube channel.

There are great benefits from using seated assisted machines at the gym. However, once you have gained sufficient experience, advance to using free weights, which will help you strengthen your core at the same time. Bonus! So stand up to train, and work more than one muscle group at a time! Be sure you are balancing your workout. Have you checked to see if you are training your body evenly? For example, if you train your chest, you should also train your back. For each muscle group you train you want to train the opposing muscle group as well. Know your limits. Be sure not to overtrain. The body doesn’t need to train for hours and hours. If you are new to fitness, you want to gradually build up your fitness levels; otherwise, you may be exhausting the body and want to quit. You need to give your body time to rest, recover and refuel. After an hour of a good workout you will be hungry. You need to stop, refuel and rehydrate! Working out is addictive, it produces feel-good endorphins, but you need to know when to rest. Of course, professional athletes can train for hours, they are highly trained, supervised, and have years of practice.

Finally, make sure you are training with proper technique. This differs for everyone. Some people are very aware of their bodies and know how to move them, for others it does not come so naturally. Either way, doing an

exercise with bad posture and technique can be pointless and cause injury. But exercises done with proper technique yield RESULTS. And that’s what we want, RESULTS!

Remember to Stretch Tip #6

Stretching lengthens the muscles at the end of the workout. So after you’ve spent time training, I suggest taking 5-10 minutes to stretch to keep the muscles supple and lean, plus you won’t be so sore the next day. Flexibility is important to maintain, and with constant practice it will help you maintain your suppleness in your day-to-day activities. It is also the solution to many postural problems. I recommend you stretch at least 5-6 days a week. Flexibility will improve with constant practice. If you can’t touch your toes yet, it’s ok, keep stretching those hamstrings, and say “I will touch my toes!” Remember Tip #1, Positive Mental Attitude. Using a foam roller is a great form of self-myofascial release. I love this!!!! It allows you to use your own body weight to massage away restrictions to normal soft-tissue extensibility. You can simply roll up and down on muscular areas and hold at trigger points for greater release. Always finish by rolling up to your heart. Positive benefits include releasing adhesions in the fascia, eliminating knots and tightness in your muscles, physically de-stressing your body and increasing flexibility and blood flow. Plus, it feels really good! Stretch to 80% of your ability. Our muscles are like rubber bands. If you stretch as far as you possibly can, you could overstretch a muscle, or you may feel sore the next day. Take your time, and then gradually stretch a little further each day. Breathing as you stretch is important as well. We need to get oxygen into the muscle. We often react and hold our breath, which is actually restricting. The key here is to breathe! When you feel your muscle starts to lengthen, direct the breath into that muscle and try to stretch a little further. Use imagery and visualize your breath going into the muscle you are stretching. This method works really well for me.

Be Disciplined Tip #7

Be committed to your health. If you want to see RESULTS you need to be consistent. It needs to become part of your daily routine. I say daily, aim to train 5-6 days a week. It’s a LIFESTYLE. Don’t make excuses. I don’t care if it’s raining or if you want to get home to watch your favorite TV show. Obviously things happen in life and you and your family come first. However, you get the point. Make room for your workout. You are worth it! Even if you are starting to feel like all this hard work you are doing isn’t paying off, it is. Hang in there and stay disciplined. The Results are coming. Stay focused. Not everyone will be supportive on your mission of health. You may have tempting drinking buddies, or friends that want to keep you the same. But you are changing, and if you don’t look after yourself, no one else will. So stay strong and mix with family and friends who support you. Your discipline will inspire others to better their health and well-being too! Always give yourself one day off a week to relax and recover. Reward yourself on your day off, go for a hike, watch a good movie, have a brownie, buy a new top to wear to the gym on Monday! O yes, did you see that? I did say have a brownie. Remember being disciplined means you can enjoy a small desert. Better yet, make it yourself so you know exactly what’s in it. I like making my favorite raw chocolate brownies made with dates, pecans and cocoa powder! Get creative! Being disciplined includes packing your lunch instead of going out for that take-away. Even if everyone in the office is going out to eat, you get out your nicely packed super food salad. It will feel different for a little while, but you’ll thank me later. With all the increased healthy nutrition and exercise you’ll start to feel really good and energized. This is the first indication that Results are on the way!

Make your health and well-being your priority. I want you to feel healthy, confident and empowered and be in fantastic physical shape now and forever. You can do it!