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I try my best to keep fitness and nutrition simple. If you plan to get shredded this spring, then it’s time to pick up these 7 important habits:

1) Eat 5 times per day, preferably every 3 hours. This should include 3 meals and 2 snacks

2) Include animal-protein in at least 3 meals per day, although including it in up to 5 meals is ideal

3) Include 1 serving of fat in 2-3 meals every day. At least one fat should be rich in Omega-3’s. If you can’t consistently eat Omega-3 fats, then you should be supplementing on Omega-3 vitamins

4) Eat 2-4 servings of veggies at least 3 times per day

5) Exercise a minimum of 5 hours every week. Half of this exercise should be strength-based and the other half, endurance based

6) Do all cardio on an empty stomach or on protein metabolism only

7) Only eat starch on days when you exercise for one hour or more. Starch should be consumed 1-2 hours post-workout only.

How to successfully perform these 7 habits and achieve your spring weight-loss goals:

1) Every time you eat, set an alarm on your phone for 3 hours later

• Prepare your food in advanced to assure you eat proper portions of the right foods
• Pack your food for your busy day
• If you know you will be eating out, then check out the menu online in advanced and find a meal that best suits the guidelines above. Do not look at the menu at the restaurant.

If you are a woman, then your meals portions should look something like this:

• Meal 1: 4 egg white omelette with 1 cup steamed or sauteed veggies (using a fat-free cooking spray)
• Wait 3 hours
• Snack 1: 1 oz raw walnuts
• Wait 3 hours
• Meal 2: 4 oz chicken breast with 1 cup steamed or sauteed veggies (using a fat-free cooking spray)
• Wait 3 hours
• Snack 2: 1 Serving of plain, fat-free Greek yogurt
• Wait 2-3 hours
• EXERCISE
• Meal 3: 4 oz ground turkey with 1 cup steamed or sauteed veggies (using a fat-free cooking spray)

2) Sources of animal protein include:

• Egg whites, freshly cracked, scrambled in fat-free cooking spray or hard-boiled: 4 for females/6 for males
• Chicken breast/lean ground chicken breast: 4 oz for females/ 6 oz for males
• Turkey Breast/ lean ground turkey breast: 4 oz for females/ 6 oz for males
• Filet mignon/skirt steak/lean ground beef/: 4 oz for females/ 6 oz for males
• Pork Chops/pork shoulder: 4 oz for females/ 6 oz for males
• White fish/salmon/shrimp: 4 oz for females/ 6 oz for males
• Plain, Fat-Free Cottage Cheese or Greek Yogurt: 1 cup for females or males
• Whey or Cassein mixed with 1 cup of water:  1 serving for females/1.5-2 servings for males (protein: 20-30 grams/serving, carbs: 0 or close to 0 grams/serving, fat: 0 or close to 0 grams/serving)

3) 1 serving of fat is about 20 grams of fat (180 calories from fat)

Omega-3 Fats include:

• Food/Calories  per serving/Percentage of daily value
• Ground Flax Seeds/ 75/132.9%
• Walnuts/164/94.5%
• Salmon/245/61.2%
• Sardines/189/55.8%
• Grass-fed Beef/175/45.8%
• Soy beans/298/42.9%
• Halibut/159/25.8%
• Scallops/127/17%
• Shrimp/112/15.4%
• Tofu/86/15%

4) 1 serving of veggies= 1/2 cup, raw, and chopped deeply colored veggies OR 1 cup, raw, nutrient-rich lettuces (kale, spinach, collards)

• Breakfast, lunch and dinner should include 1-2 cups of the following veggies (measure them raw): broccoli, asparagus, zuchini, green beans, eggplant, bell-peppers, bokchoy OR 2-4 cups of the following lettuces: kale, spinach, arugula, collard greens

5) You are better off sceduling 1 activity for each day

• Either stick with 1 hour of weights or 1 hour of cardio
• Alternate days: Monday (weights: lower body?), Tuesday (cardio), Wednesday (weights: chest and back?), Thursday (cardio), Friday (Shoulders, arms, abs?)

6) If you are starving and have to eat prior to cardio, then Stick with your leanest options:

• Chicken breast/lean ground chicken breast: 4 oz for females/ 6 oz for males
• Turkey Breast/ lean ground turkey breast: 4 oz for females/ 6 oz for males
• Egg whites, freshly cracked, scrambled in fat-free cooking spray or hard-boiled: 4 for females/6 for males
• Plain, Fat-Free Cottage Cheese or Greek Yogurt: 1 cup for females or males
• Whey or Cassein mixed with 1 cup of water:  1 serving for females/1.5-2 servings for males (protein: 20-30 grams/serving, carbs: 0 or close to 0 grams/serving, fat: 0 or close to 0 grams/serving)

7) Women may consume 1 serving of low glycemic, gluten-free starch 1-2 hours post 1-hour long workout. Men can consume up to 2 servings, given the same conditions.

1 serving of low glycemic, gluten-free starch includes:

• 1/4 cup quinoa (when dry)
• 1/4 cup brown rice (when dry)
• 4-6 oz sweet potatoes (when cooked)
• 1/2 cup beans or lentils (when cooked)
• 1 slice of brown rice bread, paleo bread, or 1 brown rice tortilla

Stay fit, stay happy, stay healthy, and STAY SHREDDED!

XOXO

Lauren