A new year means a new you. Ever since my weight-loss journey happened, I have not stopped since and I'm making it my goal to help as many people as I can in 2013 to achieve optimum health and fitness, for FREE. Of course, what I say and tell you to do can only help so much, you need to be committed to making it work. I'm the 10% stepping stone, it's your responsibility to see it through all the way for the remaining 90%. In this post I have also linked relevant parts to other posts which offers a more detailed explanation on the subject.

If you're ready to be committed and you want this badly, you can get started by reading the rest of this post for your get-healthy plan. So, ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?





THE MASTER PLAN



There are only TWO main factors that makes you fitter & healthier. Things that we already know. So you know you have to eat better and also start moving that bum to see some results. Why does your diet take up 60% of the pie chart? Well, working out can only do you that much good if you're going to stuff yourself with junk after that. It's human nature that we eat more than we exercise because at some point, you need to rest from working out but you never rest from your eating schedule. That's why you need to eat clean, in order for your workouts to give any effect. Don't you know that they say abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym?

Repeat after me:I WILL hit the gym at least 3 times a week, but will work hard to hit 5 times.
I WILL eat healthy and clean to reach my goals - healthy & fit.

YOUR WORKOUT GAME PLAN



There are many sorts of workouts you can find; different names, different moves. As a beginner, there's only THREE main workout groups you need to incorporate.

CARDIO - Running, RPM, aerobics, mixed martial arts - anything that gets you moving on and on
WEIGHTS - Lifting, pump classes, barbells, kettlebells, squats - conditioning movements in repetitions to build-up muscle
ABS - Crunches, sit-ups, bicycle crunches, planks - anything that involves working your stomach muscles

As a beginner, you need a combination of all three types of workout to lose your fats (cardio), build-up muscle for a faster metabolism (weights), and to have a toned-stomach (abs). If your goal is to shed the pounds, I would suggest alternating between cardio and weights. Abs would be more useful once you've achieved a stable weight-loss momentum. Your abs will not be visible if you still have that layer of fat over it.

You can start like how I did: Running/Walking (5km a day) 4 times a week and Weights once or 2 times a week. Be sure to change it up from time to time so that your body will be constantly challenged. I personally enjoy working on my squats because it is one of the best workouts that will help you a lot along the way, find out why.





YOUR DIET/NUTRITION GAME PLAN



The hardest part of it all - food. There are just way too many unhealthy, delicious food out there that makes it very, very hard for us to stick to eating clean, even for me. But let us make it a resolution this 2013 to stick to it.

40% Fruits & greens - lettuce, broccoli, apples, papayas, etc.
The best, natural diet solution available. Eat more of these.

30% Carbs & protein - lean chicken meat (grilled not fried), brown rice, wholemeal bread, etc.
You need carbs for energy and protein for muscle building, but you need to choose wisely. Stay away from white bread or pastas which contains a lot of starch. Eat those alternatives listed above instead.

15% Whole grains - granola, trail mix, almonds, cashews, etc.
Your fiber intake is what keeps you full for a much longer time and helps your digestive system eliminate the bad things more efficiently.

10% Dairy - low-fat milk, skim milk, cheese, etc.
You need calcium, so unless you're taking calcium supplements, you need a bit of these daily. Just don't over do it.

5% Sweets & junk - dark chocolate, honey, butter cookies, multi-grain chips, etc.
I added these in because it is impossible for everyone to be able to eat clean all the time. You need a small cheat, otherwise you'd go crazy. Have one or two but be moderate. You can also swap unhealthy options for a much healthier options, like eating dark chocolate instead of milk chocolates.





As for liquids, the only 100% approved liquid is water. No sodas, no fruit juices. Just plain ol' water. You can always flavor your water naturally if you can't drink plain water on it's own. Other than that, you may have some green tea occasionally - but you need at least 2 litres of water daily.


And that's the plan! Simple, isn't it? The only challenge is you, sticking to it. Can you? Are you up for it? You will be greatly rewarded if you do. :)