Want to Get Lean? Eat Light Late.

Have you thought about how you want to look (and feel) by the summer?

You may think it’s too early to be bothered with such seemingly far-off concerns, but that’s not the case. A viable effort to achieve a leaner physique that is healthy and sustainable means a program that yields a moderate, not dramatic weekly loss of body fat.

So, if your goal is to drop 20 to 30 pounds or more, and you currently weigh 150 – 200 pounds., you’d better get cracking if you want to be there by the time the kids get out of school.

What does a moderate weekly weight loss mean?

If you have it to lose, about 1 percent of your total body weight in fat can be trimmed per week with a healthy eating plan. That means you create a reasonable daily calorie shortfall, say 500 to 800 calories, while providing adequate protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals to support your exercise program. Exercise is another key to life-long health and a fitness level that includes a desirable body composition.

It’s easier said than done. One of the reasons is that you can work hard to manage the quality of your calories, i.e., “eat clean” and eat small amounts frequently throughout the day to keep your blood sugar stable and avoid overeating, and then blow the whole thing with a big, high-calorie dinner. Many people even add to the calorie total by eating or drinking after dinner as well.

So what do you think that does to your project of firming up in a few months?

This brings me to the main point of this week’s column: The single biggest obstacle to long-term fat loss that I commonly see in working with clients is that late-day calorie loading habit. There’s a simple way to reverse that and get to the lean, firm body you’ve always wanted. Check out this link I share with all my new clients.

Try this for a few weeks and you’ll not only get squarely on the road you promise you’ll travel all the way down every year, but you’ll cultivate a life-long habit that will keep you there.

Pictured above is a perfect example of a “Red Zone” dinner from my dear Melissa’s kitchen – Sundried tomato breadcrumb encrusted tilapia (Livermore Costco) on a bed of fresh spinach leaves with grape tomatoes () and a little bit of balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing. Yum.

Want to talk in-person? I’m usually at the studio http://trivalleytrainer.com/ and can always be reached at Dan@TriValleyTrainer.com .