So you wanna learn how to get in shape in time for summer, huh? Since time-is-a-tickin’, you’re gonna need a strategy that shows you how to get ripped fast and furiously.

Luckily that’s kinda my thing. But where do you even begin?? With the first step, of course.

Step 1: Learn

If you don’t understand how to get healthy, then you’re setting yourself up for failure. And don’t be one of those know-it-all types, either. You’re never too experienced to learn something new. In fact, you should treat every day as an opportunity to learn new stuff. It’s an effective way to get better at the things in life that are most important to you.

All pep talks aside, here’s where I recommend starting: read my tutorials about Healthy Eating, Healthy Cooking, Exercise and Weight Loss. They will give you the foundational knowledge you need so you can get in shape in time for summer. It should take you less than a half hour to get through all of them, and it will be 30 minutes well invested … trust me on that one.

Step 2: Set Your Goal

The next step is to decide what you want to accomplish. Since you already read my article about healthy goal setting, this one should be easy for you.  Keep you goal(s) SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-driven.

Here are some examples:

• Lose 10 pounds by June 25.
• Fit into a size __ bathing suit by June 30.
• Drop one inch from my waist by Fourth of July weekend.
• Run a 5k in under 30 minutes by July 1.

Get the picture? Good. Now go write down those goals and place them everywhere you spend a lot of time: on your computer background, in a visible place on your desk at school or in your office, at home in your kitchen, etc.

Step 3: Calculate Your Calories Needed

You probably didn’t think there would be math involved here, did you? But getting in shape is a numbers game. So you need to understand exactly how much you should be eating if you want to get in better shape by summertime. Luckily, there are several websites online that will easily calculate this number for you. I like the one from the Mayo Clinic. So here’s what you need to do:

1. Go here to calculator the number of calories you need to maintain your current weight.
2. Find out how many calories you need to burn based on your goals and the time you have to achieve them. For example:
   1. Let’s say the number of calories you need to maintain your weight is 2,000 …
   2. And you want to lose 10 pounds in time for summer …
   3. And you have two months to reach that goal …
   4. You would need to lose 1.25 pounds per week …
   5. And since you need to burn 3,500 calories to lose a single pound, this would mean you would need to burn an additional 4,375 calories each week to reach this goal (1.25 x 3,500).

Step 4: Choose Your Balance of Diet and Exercise to Get in Shape

Since you now know how many extra calories you need to burn to reach your goal, it’s time to formulate a game plan to get you there. Using the previous example, if you don’t exercise at all you’ll need to burn an extra 625 calories per day (4,375/7). Don’t do this. The best way to get in shape by summertime is by eating better and exercising regularly.

Here’s my recommendation: lower your calorie intake by 200-300 per day and then burn the rest off with exercise. Check out this chart to see how many calories you burn doing different exercises.

Plan on exercising at least 4 days a week for 1 hour or more. It takes hard work and commitment … but that’s the sacrifice you’re gonna have to make if you want to reach your goal and you don’t have much time. Nothing worth achieving in life comes easy. Track your workouts in a journal each day too. It’s a great way to hold yourself accountable and stay motivated.

The key is to pick several exercises and activities you actually enjoy doing. If you hate running, don’t force yourself to run. Try biking or swimming instead. Like playing basketball? Then play hoops a few days a week. Don’t be afraid to try new things too.

You should have a solid understanding of what to eat after reading my Healthy Eating 101 tutorial (you did read it, right?).

Here are the basic tips to stick to:

• Eat less carbs and only whole grain carbohydrates (no carbs with refined grains and sugar).
• Eliminate the majority of your liquid calories (soda, juice, alcohol) and replace these drinks with water, tea, or coffee.
• Eat lean sources of protein.
• Eat more vegetables and fruits and less processed, packaged foods.
• Snack on nuts, seeds, fruits, and veggies.

And there you have it … that’s how you will get in shape in time for summer. Now go back to Step 1 and get started!

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You’re probably well aware of the reasons you should eat healthy but a lot of times taking that first step can be difficult. The following five healthy eating tips are vitally important to your quest for a healthier lifestyle. And the cool part is, these are things you can start doing today. Too many times you hear “experts” telling you about the drastic health changes you need to make if you want to be healthy. But that’s not how things work in the real world.

Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs
-Henry Ford

Eating healthy is a process that doesn’t happen overnight. It takes baby steps. You need a list of easy-to-follow tips you can start doing now … not next week or next month. Here are five of the most important tips you’ll ever get if you want to get healthier and stay that way. 

1. Eat local.

“Eating local” means buying food that’s grown close to where you live. Unfortunately, the small farmer is a dying breed but you can help change that. You may be wondering why it even matters. I’ll give you several reasons:

• Local food is fresher and tastes better.
• When you buy local, you know exactly where your food is coming from (much of the produce you get at the grocery store comes from other countries all over the the world).
• You can speak directly to the person growing your food and ask him or her any questions you have directly (such as whether or not they use harmful pesticides).
• Locally grown food has less of a negative impact on the environment (fresh produce travels an estimated 1,500 miles before it reaches your plate, which uses an enormous amount of energy).
• You help support your local economy.

So now the question is how do you eat local? The best place to start is at the farmers market, where a variety of farmers gather to sell their stuff to consumers like you and me. You can also buy directly from the farm (some farms even offer delivery services). Check out Local Harvest, a great resource for finding farmers markets and farms close to your home.

2. Eat healthier snacks.

While the vending machine is a convenient option when you’re hungry, convenience usually means unhealthy. When you choose healthier snacks every day, you’ll have more energy, feel better … and may even lose a few pounds.

My go-to healthy snacks are:

• Nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, pepitas, pecans, pistachios, etc.)
• String cheese
• Fruit
• Vegetables with hummus (like carrots, celery, pepper, cucumber, etc.)

Check out my article on snacking the healthy way for more ideas.

3. Fill half your plate with vegetables for dinner.

This one is simple. Although I’m not a fan of the current USDA food guidelines, one thing I do like is their recommendation to make half your dinner plate vegetables. It’s an easy healthy eating tip to remember, and one of the best ways to incorporate more veggies into your daily routine.

4. Drink water, coffee, or tea.

According to a report published by Harvard University, the average person consumes nearly 10 percent of their daily calories from drinks. Sugary drinks, in particular, substantially increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, having a heart attack, and being overweight or obese.

So here’s a healthy eating tip you can start doing NOW: make a commitment to swap out all sugary drinks with water, coffee, or tea. You may want to think twice about diet soda too.

This one’s really not hard to do and can save you several hundred calories each day.

5. Substitute one packaged food for a fresh one every day.

Here’s another super-easy tip for you. Every day, substitute at least one packaged food for a fresh one. Here are some examples:

• Use a fresh tomato instead of canned ones.
• Eat an apple instead of applesauce.
• Instead of a pre-made smoothie mix, make your own.
• Instead of regular potato chips, make your own sweet potato chips.

The less packaged foods you eat, the healthier you’ll become. That’s because packaged foods are filled with highly processed, unnatural ingredients. Choose real food instead and your body will thank you.

So there you have it, 5 simple healthy eating tips you can start using today … and every day. Let me know your favorite healthy eating tips by leaving a comment below.

And if you found this article helpful, then you’ll love my eNewsletter, where you’ll get exclusive healthy eating tips and recipes. Join here …

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