Slim Body Coach New Year's Exercise Plan

Issue #2

Starting and Sticking to a
New Year's Exercise Plan!

By Molly Murphy B.Sc

Starting an exercise program is one of the top New Year's resolutions (along with quitting smoking) because exercise has many health benefits--including weight loss. But we know it can be tough to follow through with commitments, so SlimBodyCoach.com has come up with a plan to help you get started ... and stick with it!

Okay, you've decided to lose weight, rev up your metabolism, and improve your health. And even though you may not have moved your body in a long time, it's really not that hard if you choose an exercise that you like--and if you start with the right attitude. First, sit down and make a list of any negative thoughts you've ever had about exercise. It may look something like this:

• I don't like to exercise.

• It's too much of an effort.

• I don't have time.

• I'm so tired after work, I just want to veg.

• The kids interrupt me whenever I start.

• I'll get hurt.

• My sore knee or back will act up.

• I don't know where to start.

Now, next to each one of these negative thoughts write a positive thought to take its place like this:

	• I don't like to exercise.		• I can find an activity I enjoy doing!
	• It's too much of an effort.		• I can start with 30 minutes, three times a week!
	• I don't have time.		• I want to make this a priority!
	• I'm so tired after work, I just want to veg.		• Exercise will give me more energy!
	• The kids interrupt me whenever I start.		• I’ll have a responsible party watch them!
	• I'll get hurt.		• People exercise everyday and never get hurt!
	• My sore knee or back will act up.		• I’ll work around them, exercise may help!
	• I don't know where to start.		• I’ll read the free ebook Slim Body Secrets for help!

Moving forward, once you've "cleaned house", so to speak, you need a motivator.

You've heard a million times why you SHOULD exercise--and in case you need a reminder, we've included a list of the top reasons. But on a personal level, what is going to motivate YOU and help you stick with it?

Sarah lost a whopping 65 lbs using Slim Body Matrix Shakes, Slim Seduction, and Lipo Matrix

Sarah DeRooy, a Slim Body Challenge winner, says that her inspiration was the photos of herself at 243 pounds that she taped to her bathroom mirror. "My mother-in-law sent pictures of our family on the beach in Mexico, and in one of them an overweight woman had her backside facing the camera. My husband said, 'Gee, I don't remember anyone looking that fat in our group.' As soon as he said it, he realized that it was me! His eyes opened wide and he said, 'Oh my. I'm so sorry.' That hurt, but it got me to exercise and lose weight," says Sarah.

Like many people, Sarah had used a past injury (her "bad" knees), as an excuse not to exercise, for years. "Josh Bezoni advised me to check with a Physical Therapist or certified Personal Trainer to find a low-impact alternative. So I began exercising on the elliptical machine for 30 minutes every day while watching T.V. The time just flew by and I started looking forward to it! But, being a busy mom with three kids, a husband and a full-time job, I just couldn't exercise everyday," she says. "It was easier for me to work out three times a week for an hour, instead."

Sarah is still happily going to a gym, where she spends 20 minutes on an elliptical machine, 20 minutes lifting weights, and then 20 minutes back on the elliptical machine. "I love it," she says. "It's my time to escape from the kids, the laundry, the dishes, and my husband saying 'Babe, can you do this... can you do that?'"

But most of all, Sarah is thrilled with her new body. "I had no muscle tone when I began," she says. "I started using 10-pound weights, and gradually increased to 70 pounds."

By adding Slim Body Matrix Shakes, Slim Seduction diet pill, and Lipo Matrix to her regimen--in addition to changing her style of eating from a few large meals a day to five mini-meals--Sarah lost a whopping 65 pounds. "I'm still losing, and now I'm down to 178 pounds," she exclaims! "And it's been so gratifying to see my 10-year-old daughter (who is overweight) make better food choices and begin to exercise and lose weight too."

It's important to remember that even though you start exercising, you can actually gain weight if you don't eat a healthy diet. "Exercise doesn't give you a free pass to eat whatever you want," says nutritionist Josh Bezoni. "And it takes hours of exercise to burn off that extra dessert. So think twice before you eat that extra piece of cheesecake or ice cream cone. If you have the self-control, take a couple of bites--small bites, that is--and then push it aside. If you don’t have self-control, eat a piece of fruit, instead. Or wait for your weekly splurge meal." adds Josh.

Exercise Motivators

Ready to begin? Here are some ideas to get you started.

• Find a reason to follow through, and always keep this as a constant reminder in front of you. Tape pictures of inspiring figures or positive affirmations around the house and write weight loss journal entries so you can check in and report your progress each day (we have an online version you can use here).

• Join the $25,000 GNS Slim Body Coach Weight Loss Challenge for motivation and your chance to win a $2,500.00 spokesperson contract and a cruise on the Caribbean! (Click here for details.)

• Having to be somewhere at a certain time is always a motivator. Join a gym, take a class, or plan to dance the night away. Set up a walking club in your neighborhood, or make a regular date with an exercise partner. It's easier to get out and move when you know someone is expecting you to show up.

• Buy yourself a new pair of athletic shoes that do an excellent job of supporting your feet and ankles.

Marie took GNS fat-fighting products Slim Body Matrix Shakes and Slim Seduction and lost 30 pounds and over 27 inches.

• Get a dog! Sixty-four-year-old Marie Seibel, last year’s Slim Body Coach Challenge winner, lost 30 pounds and over 27 inches as a result of walking her dog, Peaches, every day up a mountain road! She also took the GNS fat-fighting products Slim Body Matrix shakes and Slim Seduction. "I went from a size 16 to a size 6 and now I can wear the same size jeans I wore 40 years ago," she says, proudly. "And Peaches lost weight, too. When I first started, I could only go about one tenth of a mile," she adds. "I don't go to a gym; I just make sure I drink lots of water, and walk every day two miles. I look and feel great, and just got some great news from my doctor, who said I have the cholesterol and thyroid levels of a teenager!"

Exercise Tips to "Lose" By

• First of all, set realistic goals. If it's been months or years since you've gotten off the couch, start out slowly by walking 30 minutes, three times a week. When it's too hot or cold to walk outside, go to a mall or exercise indoors. If you've been active all along, set up a routine of exercising 60 minutes six times a week--which should be your goal if you're just starting out.

• Schedule time to exercise just as you would schedule an important date or appointment. If you don't have time for 30 or 60 minutes, exercise 10 or 15 minutes in the morning, and do the same at night. Exercise videos are great for this, and so is home exercise equipment.

• Include resistance training to burn calories longer. Using a fitball with small weights helps burn fat, build muscle strength and lean muscle mass--which will also sculpt your body and help you burn more calories everyday.

• If you want to burn double the fat, exercise first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach.

• Choose an exercise that you like. Don't limit yourself to a typical exercise class. Take a martial arts class--karate, judo, kung fu, tai chi, or kickboxing. If you're competitive, get into team sports--hockey, basketball, volleyball, baseball, football, tennis, handball, or fencing. Enjoy the snow? Get into ice skating, cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, snowshoeing, or snowboarding. If you're a fair weather person, there's always biking, in-line skating, swimming, jogging, gardening, and golfing (forego the cart, please). Like to dance? There are dozens of dance classes to join. And you usually don't need a partner.

• Keep in mind that the harder and faster you move, the more calories you'll burn. For instance, a half-hour of brisk walking will burn about 200 calories (and more after you stop exercising), compared to a half-hour of yoga, which will burn about 100 calories per hour.(Use our exercise calorie counting tool to see how many calories your favorite exercise burns, click here.)

The End Results Are Worth It!

The best thing about starting and sticking to an exercise program is that you'll improve your health and feel better physically, mentally, and emotionally--and you'll notice that you start losing those extra pounds, too.

This means that your entire life will improve. So make it a priority. You can't be the best mother, wife, friend, daughter, sister, CEO, manager, teacher, employee, etc., if you don't take time to make sure you are happy, healthy, and are functioning at your best.

Don't think of exercise as a chore that you need to do every day.Think of it as play, not punishment. The list of options is endless. Find something you like, get into a rhythm and stick with it--your goal should be 60 minutes, six times a week for optimal results. Soon it will become part of your daily habit... just like brushing your teeth! (Wouldn’t you feel strange not to brush your teeth each morning?)

And don't forget to celebrate your progress. For each five pounds that you lose, treat yourself to something special: an afternoon tea with a friend, a movie, a visit to the art museum, etc. (But please don't indulge in a hot fudge sundae!)

So start pumping your heart today. But please, for safety's sake, get your health care professional's approval before starting any exercise program. Good luck and congratulations on jumpstarting your way to a happy, healthier new year!

Exercise To Lose Weight And Stay Healthy

• Cardiovascular exercise stimulates your entire body, encouraging optimum circulation, heart strength, lymphatic drainage, and lung power. And the cleaner your arteries, the sharper your brain! Dutch researchers tested more than 5,000 people and found that those with the cleanest arteries also had the sharpest minds. Keep your arteries clean with a diet consisting of healthy fats, low-starch whole foods, lean protein, and plenty of exercise!

• Pumping your heart also prevents heart disease and stroke, by reducing blood pressure and blood coagulability, and increasing HDL.

• You continue to burn calories for up to 24 hours after an exercise session, because your resting metabolism is increased. In fact, you could burn anywhere from 50 to a few hundred more calories than you would normally. That could easily add up to 2 to 5 pounds of fat over several months.

• The harder we exercise, the more endorphins we produce. The stress of exercising triggers the release of these "feel good" chemicals from the brain into the bloodstream. The endorphins then attach to nerve receptors that register pain. We get pain relief, and the bonus of an "exercise high," or feeling of euphoria. It generally takes at least 30 minutes of continuous aerobic exercise before endorphins kick in, so stick with it.

• The best anti-aging pill is exercise. Research shows that a fit 65-year-old can function as well or better than an inactive 45-year-old.

• Exercise improves muscle tone and builds bone mass, which is especially important for women who are prone to osteoporosis.

• Exercise also wards off life-threatening diseases, helps you sleep better, reduces stress, prevents constipation, makes your immune system work better, and generally improves your outlook on life.