How to get in shape after the holidays

The Holiday Season is a fun and loving time in our lives. It envelops us with love, happiness, joy...and calories.
How can you get motivated enough to get the results that will help you redesign your body in 2012?

The answer is simple: you MUST want it first.

To obtain something we really want in life, we were taught since childhood that we need to work on it. And work on it HARD. The same goes for shedding calories after the Holidays celebrations.

Here's a list of MUST TAKE steps that will lead you into a complete reconstruction of your routine in order to become (again or for the first time) a sexy, steamy magnet for other people to desire.
Here are the steps:

1) Take your clothes off and look at yourself in the mirror. That will help you be in touch with reality and see what you don't like about your body. See the "weak" spots and make a point. Denial is lethal.

2) Empty your fridge of anything old that belongs to 2011. Anything fattening. Anything greasy. Then, clean the entire fridge spotlessly (which will help you burn calories as well). This is a mental cleansing that helps you move on completely from the old habits.
3) Go to a supermarket and buy the following:
Celery. Blueberries. Eggs. Chicken breasts. Non-fat cottage cheese. Water. Oatmeal. Lettuce. Turkey breasts. Salmon. Lettuce, Tuna, Wheat Toasts, Protein Powder, Bananas, Avocados, Broccoli, Beef, Glutamine, Rice (preferably brown).

4) Place some of the new items into the now spotless refrigerator.
You'll feel positive about the change!

5) If you already have a gym membership, it is now time to go and sweat the sugar out of your body. If you did NOT have a membership, go and get one! NOW!

6) Go at 7:00 a.m. before work. I recommend 45 minutes of cardio three times a week on an empty stomach. This will either keep you or make you lean as you burn calories from fat.

7) For toning, do weight lifting twice a week. For women, do sets of 25 to 35. Light weight (5 or 10 pounds). For men, shorter sets are usually more suited as they tend desire more muscle mass. Remember: the more muscle you build, the more calories you'll burn after the work out.

8) Eat clean and often. Eating every three hours will ensure your metabolism is fast. Here is an example of a great 4 day rotation diet that will get your body into fat burning mode:

DAY 1

6:00 am - Whey Protein Shake with Glutamine
7:00 am- 6 egg whites, 1 cup oatmeal, 1 tsp peanut butter
10:00 am (Pre-workout meal) - 1 can tuna, 2 slices whole wheat bread, 1/4 avocado
12:00 am- Workout
1:00 pm - Whey Protein Shake with Glutamine
2:00 pm (Post workout meal) - 8 oz. chicken breast, 1 cup white rice, 1/4 avocado
5:00 pm- 8 oz. salmon, 1 cup brown rice, 1/4 avocado
8:00 pm- 8 oz. chicken breast, 1 cup brown rice, avocado
10:00 pm - Casein Protein Shake with Glutamine

DAY 2

9:00 am- 4-6 egg whites with 2 whole eggs, 1 serving Cream of Wheat cereal, 1 banana
12:00 pm- 6-9 oz. extra-lean ground beef, 1 cup pasta, 1 cup broccoli
2:00 pm (Pre-workout meal) - 1 cup fat-free cottage cheese, 2 slices rye toast with 2 Tbsp. grape jam
4:00 pm (Post workout meal) - Whey-protein shake (two scoops mixed with water) 1 cup rice with 4 Tbsp. raisins
6:00 pm (Turkey sandwich) -2 slices whole-grain bread, 2-3 slices fat-free cheese, 3-4 slices deli turkey breast, Mustard and fat-free mayo
8:00 pm- 1 chicken breast (7-9 oz.), 1 yam, 1 cup peas, corn and carrots
10:00 pm- Casein Protein Shake with Glutamine

DAY 3

9:00 am- Oatmeal and a Protein Shake
12:00 pm- Chicken, Rice, and Broccoli
2:00 pm- 6 Egg Whites and Avocado
4:00pm- Salmon, Rice and Vegetables
6:00 pm (Post-workout meal) - Simple carbs and a Protein Shake
8:00pm- Chicken and Vegetables

DAY 4

9:00 am- 3 slices of Wheat Toast, 6 Egg Whites and 2 Yolks and a glass of Whole Milk
12:00 pm- Protein Shake with Whole Milk
2:00 pm- Grilled Chicken Breasts & White Rice
4:00pm- One Banana & Low Carb Yogurt (Pre-workout)
5:00pm- Workout
6:00 pm Protein Shake with Whole Milk (Post-workout)
8:00pm- (Night Time) Steak, Salmon, Toast & Sardines, Low Sodium Cottage Cheese or Pasta

9) Drink LOTS of WATER! Many people still confuse fat with water retention. You need to drink one gallon of water per day for your body to be completely hydrated. The more water you drink, the faster your metabolism, the more efficient the ridding of retained fat-looking water.

10) Use both the steam-room (and/or the sauna) after working out. It will relax your muscles, burn more calories and make more water come out of your body. Plus it's great for your skin. Just remember: you MUST drink lots of water.

11) Use Vitamin Supplements as your body is now undergoing a full transformation.

12) Sleep! Your body's recovery occurs during rest. That is also when you still burn calories.

13) NEVER STARVE yourself. If you do, your body will hold on to the fat as it works just like a machine. It will translate dieting (calories deficit) into starvation mode and it won't let go of the fat.

I understand this information can be a bit overwhelming as you are coming back from your Holidays. Therefore, I will limit myself to these 13 essential steps that will start transforming your body in just a matter of weeks.
Remember: cleaning your fridge is not only literal but metaphorical. Keep your lifestyle clean, active and productive in all fields. If your place is clean, you will be feeling clean and healthy. Therefore, you'll be motivated to eat clean and workout.
Keeping a positive and healthy lifestyle can only pay off with results that will amaze you.

Stay tuned as I will post more information soon...