It is a known fact that to lose weight you need to burn more calories than you take in, but what is the most effective way to get to the goal in the least amount of time?

All our lives are full to the brim! Who has the time to spend two hours in a gym unless you are retired, right? For those of you who desire to feel great, lose a few lbs and get it done before Valentine’s Day, I have valuable tips for you.

First let’s look at the most efficient cardio you can do to burn the most amount of calories in the least amount of time. I am assuming that you exercise regularly, have a healthy heart and will use good judgment as to how far to push.

For starters, stop doing the same workout every time you are at the gym. Too many people use their favorite machines; do the same intensity and same duration. Your body has settled into that and will not give you the same weight-loss results unless you change the pace and shock it with a new routine.

For example, if you most often use swimming for cardio, change it to an elliptical machine or ride the stationary bike, but switch it up occasionally. Use new toys and keep it simple; ten minutes of each works great.

For people without any knee or back problems, I suggest jumping rope. You will save lots of time and burn an amazing amount of calories. Start with 100 skips and increase the duration thereafter. You should be able to skip 100 times within one minute. Keep it all in perspective: If you usually pedal the bike for 20 minutes, imagine jumping rope for 20 minutes non-stop. Yeah!

Another suggestion for an effective calorie-burning exercise is stair climbing or walking up hill on the treadmill “without holding the handles”. I’m referring to trying level 10 and up on the incline.

I also love rowing machines. They give you a whole body workout as long as you understand the form and rhythm. When done correctly, a rowing machine will strengthen your back, improve your posture, strengthen your legs, loosen up your hips and drastically improve your stamina, which results in great weight loss.

Not everyone enjoys cardio machines since they can be boring and generally caters mostly to your cardio vascular system and not bone density or flexibility at the same time. I have one more option which includes an educated, well-varied workout involving every aspect of this discussion, and fun as well; Virtual Fitness.

By far my favorite way to get the most out of my workout is to exercise one on one with a virtual coach. When exercising at a gym, you will need an hour or more to get your workout done. But on Skype or FaceTime, since you have nowhere to go but your living room, your workouts move quickly and are as hard as your fitness level will allow in half the time. Using your time effectively and obtaining all aspects of wellness is not only helpful in alleviating stress but actually will help you relieve stress, save your money and time. Functional exercises or obstacle-type boot camp workouts will give you what you need to achieve a well-balanced routine in the least amount of time and maximize your gain. Results are guaranteed. It is a must try! Check us out at www.VirtualFitness1.com for more details.

Now that we have addressed cardio, let’s talk about eating wisely. Four smaller meals consisting of healthy choices will speed up your metabolism. Have you ever heard of the word anabolic? Anabolic foods are known to take more calories to digest than they contain so they translate into negative calories. It is the kind of food you can eat every day, all day and lose weight enjoying it. Awesome, right?

Celery, green apples, and you remember hearing of the cabbage diet? Yes, they all count on that list. That was the hidden secret behind the soup. Eat cabbage/vegetable soup everyday and lose weight. It is simple, easy, smart and healthful. It will satisfy you because you chew forever and because the food contains a lot of water and most people are dehydrated. You will get double the bonus and feel full before you amount to any calories.

The only down fall is gastric distress. In other words, you will feel gassy but it’s so worth it. Actually, only cooked cabbage will give you bubbles in the belly so eat coleslaw daily, just watch the amount of oil or mayo you add to it. These choices are heart healthy and will help you get to your weight-loss goal in no time.

This is a new year, and you value time and your health more than ever, so get it straight this time around and try a new and more effective system. If what you have been doing for years only keeps you at the same weight and fitness level, try something new and enjoy the benefit.

Enjoy what you do, and most importantly, do it to nurture yourself. No one will ever take as good of care of you as you will. It is called wisdom acquired.

Coach Line