Be a Cheater

I have one rule that I implore you to obey if you are trying to lose weight or get fit. It's a simple one. Anyone can do it. In fact, you will love following this one little rule.

The Rule is that you must have a cheat day once a week.

By cheat day I mean that you eat what you want. Cheeseburger. Pizza. Tacos. Chips and Salsa. Whatever trips your trigger. Maybe a nice cold Corona to wash it down. Oh yeah, I can taste it now!

It's okay to do this. It will not, and I repeat will not set you back. Quite the opposite. It will reset your metabolism, not to mention give your mouth (and brain) what it possibly has been lacking -- the satisfaction of a fat-laden but oh-so-yummy meal.

The key is not to go C-R-A-Z-Y. Eat what you want on your cheat day, but let moderation be your guide. In other words, don't eat the whole pizza yourself, or yes, you will be taking steps backward. That is not our goal. Our goal is to enjoy life while losing weight and getting healthy.

I make Saturday my cheat day. Mexican food is my favorite cheat, complete with margaritas rimmed with the dreaded salt. But I look forward to it all week, making the light, healthy diet I engage in much easier to deal with.

So pick a cheat day and plan a cheat meal. I'm thinkin' steak, baked potatoes and Newcastles for tomorrow -- afterall, tomorrow is my cheat day!

Five Simple Things That Will Help you Burn More Calories

It's funny, the rut we fall into. I call it the lazy rut. It's easy to do; everywhere we turn there are conveniences which tempt us and which most of use succumb to using. Elevators. Escalators. Remote controls. Drive-thru restaurants. Drive-thru banks. Drive-thru pharmacys.

You get the picture. For me personally, at times I use these modern conveniences as a time saver, because I am a fairly busy person.

But there are times when taking a few extra minutes to do something the "old-fashioned way" is the thing to do. Why? Because our society has become far too sedentary. This is a huge contributing factor to our obesity problem.

It is vital for you to exert some energy while doing your daily life tasks. And the more you do, the better your metabolism will function. Your blood will flow to your muscles and organs and you will feel better.

Here are SIMPLE five things you can do to burn more calories throughout your week:

1. Take the stairs. Every multi-story building has them, so use them!
2. Park at the mid-to-far end of the parking lot and WALK to the store.
3. Sip green tea or warm lemon water all day long.
4. Eat six small meals a day. That's right, six. Small meals are proven to increase metabolism and help burn fat.
5. Keep moving. Don't stay glued to your desk chair all day. Take short breaks and go for a walk, stretch your back, legs, shoulders and arms and get that blood flowing (remember the old curse "secretary spread"?).

Don't wait another day. Start tomorrow. Your body will thank you for it!