Ten Simple Tips For Staying Lean

1. Curb Calorie Density: You can save calories by making better choices, for example, marinara sauce has fewer calories than a cream sauce.

2. Shrink Your Servings: Portion size is critical for staying lean. Having an idea of how many calories are in a food will help you get there, for example, a deck of cards is a serving of meat and a tennis ball is equal to a cup of rice.

3. Limit Some Choices: Instead of a donut, have half a whole grain bagel with a teaspoon of peanut butter, this choice will save you calories and has more nutritional value.

4. Curb Liquid Calories: Alcohol is a great place to start when looking at liquid or empty calories. 2-3 drinks per day can add and extra 2-5 lbs, fruit juices are another high calories liquid choice.

5. Make Movement Part Of Your Life: Its all about energy in vs. energy out. By simply moving more throughout the day we will lose or keep extra weight off, or don’t move and gain weight guaranteed. It does not have to be in the gym, for example, take the stairs, wash your own car, or play basketball with the kids.

6. Lean Muscle Increases Your Metabolism: Fat is burned in muscle tissue. A pound of muscle burns approximately 55 – 60 calories vs. a pound of fat only burns 3-5 calories. To stay lean it is very important to maintain or increase your lean muscle tissue.

7. Break Up Your Exercise Into Shorter Time Blocks: Rather than try to work out 3 days a week for an hour and a half, try 20-30 minutes 5-6 days per week.

8. Find A Friend Or Coach: Having a friend to work out with is a great way to stay committed to your workout regime. By setting an appointment with a friend or a trainer you are less likely to skip a workout.

9. Set Realistic Goals:Without written, specific tangible goals you are just hoping for results.

10. Think Healthy, Not Just Skinny: If you are skinny but have very little muscle you can still have high levels of body-fat. Eventually this may cause health problems or lead to weight gain. Speak with a fitness coach to determine your body-fat.