10 Tips For Your Best Body

I read my fair share of health articles and one of my favorites is Bodybuilding.com (link further down the page).  Body building is also where I buy my whey protein and any of the supplements I use to aid in my healthy lifestyle.  The website has tons of tips and articles for the muscle obsessed and weight conscious and as I've been trying to focus on overall improvement, this article caught my eye. Of course I had to put my own spin on it.

10 Tips For Your Best Body

courtesy of Bodybuilding.com with Shaina's thoughts

1. Listen To Your Body

She looks strong in this photo

For the longest time, I thought I could put anything into my body and get away with it.  Time (and the scale) has shown me that I have to treat my body like a real life temple (pardon the cliche) and consider everything I eat and put in and on it.  Once I started paying more to how different foods and products affected me, I was able to figure out what worked for ME.

It is so important to remember that you have to figure out the best choices for your own body.  This diet or that diet may have worked for you cousin's best friend's aunt twice removed but that doesn't mean it will work for you.  When it comes to eating and working out, YOU are ultimately responsible for your success.  Give your body the best fuel possible and it will run like a well tuned machine.

"Trust me, I know from experience how horrible my body feels after a night of drinking and bad food, but more importantly I also know how wonderful I feel when I eat right, drink plenty of water and get my rest. I opt for the latter and so should you!"

2. Know Your Caloric Intake


This one was a hard one for me to really stick with.  Do I count my workout calories, Do I factor that into my eating, what if the scale goes up, blah blah.  But I find that as long as I am in the general vacinity of what I should have, I make much better decisions.  I now use My fitness Pal to keep track of everything including my workouts.  Here you go!

"Here is a simple formula courtesy of Discovery Health that can also help you figure out how to lose a few pounds. Simply take your weight and multiply it by 12 and that is the amount of calories you need to consume daily. For example if you weigh 135 pounds then you should be consuming 1,620 on a daily basis.

To produce a weight loss at the safe rate of one to two pounds per week, all you need to do is subtract calories from your daily total. If you want to lose one pound, you should shed 500 calories per week. For two pounds, you should ditch 1,000."

3. Eat More and Eat Often

"Don't starve yourself" this is so important.  When you starve yourself your body goes into "shit is hitting the fan" mode and you lose muscle, not fat.  Smart much?  Eating on a regular basis increasies your energy and your metabolism.

Steady energy comes from a steady intake of foods. By eating 3 meals and 2 snacks per day you will boost your metabolism and your body will burn stored fat (provided that you are exercising on a regular basis). Remember, when calories are consumed, there is a thermic effect that takes place, and your metabolism rises in order to process those calories.

It is very simple; the more often you eat, the more 'thermic' effect the body is getting, thus a higher metabolism overall. When I eat this way, I can feel my metabolism responding and hear my body saying "thank you!"

4. Be on "Portion Patrol"

So this one I take directly from the website without changing because I couldn't have said it better myself.

"Who wants to weigh foods to practice portion control? Certainly not me!

In order to keep your "guesstimated" portions in check (I doubt there will be a food scale handy when you sit down to eat) you can use everyday household items as a mental reference guide.

Here are some examples of standard serving sizes:

• Cereal (1 c.) = a baseball
• Salad Dressing (2 Tbsp.) = a shot glass
• Nuts (1 oz.) = a cupped palm
• Cheese (1 oz.) = a ping-pong ball
• Lean Sirloin Hamburger (3 oz.) = a mayo jar lid
• Peanut Butter (1 tsp.) = one die
• Beef (3 oz.) = a bar of soap
• Rice (1/2 c.) = an ice cream scoop
• Potato/Sweet Potato= a computer mouse
• Butter (1 tsp.) = a Scrabble tile
• Fruit (1 c.) = a tennis ball
• Cooked Pasta (1/2 c.) = a golf ball
• Fish (3 oz.) = a checkbook
• Chicken (3 oz.) = a deck of playing cards"

5. Moderation is King

I love chocolate chip cookies.  I try healthy versions of the recipe and while they are pretty decent, nothing quite satisfies me like a big old gooey fat filled cookie.  So I have one every once in a while.  Instead of making a healthy batch once a week and eating 3 or 4 to try to get my cookie fix (which ends up being more calories than the fatty one), I just have a nice big fat cookie and I'm good for a while.

You have to allow yourself a cheat every once in a while.  If you do the right thing for most of the week you can reward yourself once or twice.

But don't do what I did!!  Back when I wasn't as wise as I am now (a few months ago lol) my cheats were out of control.  Yes I only had them once or twice a week, but a huge burger, a vat of fries, and a long island ices tea to wash it all down before the huge slice of cheesecake isnt quite a smart decision.  So cheat but don't be an asshole.

6. Be a Nutrition Junkie

I absolutely love this section.  I have become quite obsessed with all things health.  I want natural products for my hair, face, skin, and especially what I put in my body.

"When's the last time you took some time to truly examine your eating habits and nutritional knowledge? One of the most important things that any future bikini model can do for her health is take some time to understand the importance of nutrition. Sometimes people get so caught up with the exercise aspect of a bikini model regimen that they forget how to supplement properly!

Once you learn the power of protein, the best foods to eat and equally as important, what foods you must avoid you will have a much clearer picture of how you can use the power of nutrition to pave your way to flat abs, defined arms and a striking physique that you will be able to maintain for life!

For example you should know the difference between "good" carbohydrates and "bad" carbohydrates. It's actually pretty simple - stick with fruits, vegetables, sweet potatoes, brown rice, and whole grains. Another easy rule to follow: if it is white (white sugar, white bread, white rice, white potatoes) - it just ain't right!"

7. Discover Discipline

Everyone, including me, wants the weight to just fall off ASAP but we all know that is a huge crock of wishful bullshit.  Slow and steady wins the race.  Unless you have the willpower of Jimeny Cricket you should pick one thing to change at a time.  I started with carbs and sugar, then moved on to gluten free, then changed my facial products, and lastly, I started making most of my hair products (deep conditioner, oil, pomade, ect) at home.

The very first step is figuring out your weakness and making concrete plans to changing them.  For me, it was french fries.  Just like with any other addiction, you have to focus on changing it everyday!

8. What Not to Eat

Change what you put in your body and you will love the way you look and feel.  Simple right?  Not so much.  However, I try to eat simply (or clean) so that I can document it easier.  I am lazy.  The more ingredients I put into something or the more I eat out, the more I have to write down in my food diary.

The article said this well "If it ain't on the food pyramid, DONT EAT IT"----- at least most of the time!

9. Drink Water Like It's Going Out of Style

I drink 2-3 Liters a day.  Being dehydrated is a sure fire way to retain water and hinder your weight loss.  Water helps to flush out toxins and other tastes and helps to get rid of cellulite.

10. Write Everything Down; Food Journal

I used to use a tiny journal that I kept in my purse to log all of my food and all of my workouts.  Now I use My fitness pal on my phone and it makes things so much easier.  Journaling will also help you figure out what foods do not work so well with your body or fit into your weight loss goals.

What Tip Do You Follow Most When It Comes To Having a Better Bod?