A Do-Now, 4-Step Guide to Kick Start Summer Fat Loss for a Beach-Ready Body

"...it's time for a pre-summer 'booster shot' to make sure our outsides catch up in time for bikini season."

By Wendy Chant, Author of Conquer the Fat-Loss Code

Few things in life are as frustrating as working hard to look better, firm up or slim down and, after a few weeks—or, worse, a few months—of eating right and exercising STILL having little to nothing to show for it!

But take heart, often it's just the few simple things we do to "kick start" our programs that can make all the difference when it comes to real results we, and others, can see and enjoy.

And let's not forget: progress shows up on the inside first!

It's true. All that hard work and effort you've been putting in is already creating a healthier, heartier, stronger you, even if you can't see it right away.

So now that Spring is nearly over and beach weather is almost here, it's time for a pre-summer "booster shot" to make sure our outsides catch up in time for bikini season.

The following 4 Simple Steps will help you find the hidden saboteurs in your current diet and fitness plan and help you overcome the spring plateau to find you facing summer with a brand new you—inside AND out:

Step 1: Hit the "Reset" Button

When something isn't working, it's insanity to keep doing what isn't paying off. If the bodyfat caliper readings seem stuck and your pants still feel the same around the middle, yet you know you've been trying your hardest, stop beating your head against the same brick wall and start all over again.

That's right. Hit the "reset" button. Treat tomorrow like the first day—not the 101st—and use this time to reexamine how you're approaching whatever system you've been using.

Don't see it as a failure but as a new opportunity to reinvigorate and reexamine your current plan for cracks and leaks to see what might be going wrong.

Step 2: Write it Down

"...the only way to properly identify unseen saboteurs is to see them, in black and white, in your Food Diary."

The best way to start from scratch is to go back and start writing down everything you put in your mouth for a few days. You may or may not have done this at the beginning of your program but, even if you did, do it again.

Oftentimes we work so hard at the basics—setting the alarm, exercising, cutting out one food group, etc.—that we let other bad habits slip in, not realizing our after-workout smoothie has more fat grams, sugar, and calories than breakfast and lunch combined.

It is often these unseen saboteurs that can derail an otherwise healthy fitness plan, and the only way to properly identify them is to see them, in black and white, in your Food Diary.

Step 3: Give it Up

If, thanks to Step 2, you notice that those granola bars you've been nibbling on for breakfast are packing a whopping 340 calories and 16 grams of fat, not to mention 23 grams of sugar, try something else for a week, like a healthy protein nutrition shake or a delicious egg white and oatmeal pancake. And see if you notice a difference in the fit of your pants or number on your tape measure.

If you do everything the same and, one-by-one, eliminate or replace one item at a time, like a sugary-sweet "healthy" granola bar or a calorie and fat-packed "health" smoothie, you have probably just identified your plateau culprit, and by eliminating or replacing it, you will see more and more progress much more quickly.

Step 4: Switch It Up

Choosing a new workout program, like the Lean System Success Plan, might just be the right solution to kickstart your results.

Lastly, the body doesn't respond well to routine. By that I mean the Law of Adaptation states that if you do the same thing, at the same pace, at the same time, for the same length of time every single day, even if it's something absolutely great for you like jogging around the block six times or riding your bike for 35 minutes or following the same weight training plan, your body WILL adapt, and the exercise won't be as effective.

It's always good to keep on your toes by switching up your workouts, your pace, your duration, even your mealtimes to keep the mind and body active, your metabolism perky, and your diet and fitness goals on track.

In Summary

As you can see, it's sometimes those pesky little details that sneak up and derail all your hard work and effort. But fear not; with these four surprisingly simple tools, you can stay on the alert and be vigilant against these frequent fitness foes and diet disasters. The result? You'll look and feel beach-ready anytime of the year.

About the Author

Wendy Chant, author of Conquer the Fat-Loss Code, is a certified personal trainer and a specialist in performance nutrition. She holds a bachelor of science degree in medical science and nutrition science. A champion bodybuilder, she opened her own training center, ForeverFit® , in 1998.

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