Do you have what it takes to get the body of your dreams?

For many the summer months bring with them a harsh reminder of unmet fitness goals.

While the toned men and slender women of the world put on their skin-tastic summer gear and proudly put themselves on display, those with jiggles and dimples would rather opt for a cover up and hang out under an umbrella.

So why haven't you met your fitness goals?

Why must you go through another agonizing summer, turning your head as you pass by a dozen magazines showcasing skinny celebrities in bikinis? You should be enjoying your summer days without wondering which pair of shorts covers the most.

The truth is that anyone can get the body of their dreams...even you. And wouldn't it feel great to pull on your bathing suit without bracing yourself before looking in the mirror?

You can turn your fitness dreams into reality-read on for the three things you need to begin achieving amazing results.

1. Your Mind

You may be wondering what your mind has to do with getting your body into great shape. In a single word, your mind has everything to do with getting the body of your dreams. Your mind will single handedly make or break your success.

How? Well, your mind works hard to reinforce the beliefs that you hold about yourself. If you think of yourself as a fat person, or an out-of-shape person, or just an average person then your subconscious mind will do everything in its power to keep you that way.

It's like self-sabotage.

However, if you begin to think of yourself as fit, healthy and attractive, then your mind will do everything it can to make your belief a reality.

*Take time everyday to visualize your new body and to focus on your goals.

2. Your Plan

Everyone who successfully sets out to lose body fat and achieve results does so by implementing a plan.

Your plan is crucial to your success, picture it as a guiding map needed to find a new destination. Without it you are lost.

Here are the 2 major parts to your plan:

1. Diet: They say you are what you eat, and that is never truer than while losing weight. Cut junk food from your diet and stick with fresh healthy foods instead. Eat small meals throughout the day containing protein, carbohydrates and minimal fat.
2. Exercise: Yes, you will have to break a sweat, but the good news is that once you make exercise a habit you will likely find it to be enjoyable - In fact, I know you will. It is important that you make exercise a part of your lifestyle, and not something that you do on random occasions. For maximal results exercise 4-5 times each week doing both cardiovascular and resistance training.

*Stick with your healthy eating plan and exercise routine-these are the building blocks to your success.

3. Your Determination

Determination is the one thing that will guarantee that you will lose weight, tone your body and feel better than ever. You have to want it-that's it. Thinking about it is not enough. Now it's time for action!

You have to want your dream body...more than you want that burger and fries.more than you want to skip your workout.more than you want that chocolate cookie.more than you want to sit on the couch.

The shape and size of your body is in your hands, and your hands only. I believe that you possess the kind of determination that it takes to change your body-you simply need to dig down deep enough within yourself to find it.

Fuel your fire by building a network of support in your life. Enlist friends, family and loved ones to encourage your efforts and to keep tabs on your progress. In fact, I would love to be a key player in your network of support-don't hesitate to contact me to get me onboard. Fitness is my passion and I can help make it yours too!

*Surround yourself with support and don't give up.

I get excited when talking about getting you the body of your dreams-this is what I do everyday for my clients. Making the decision to transform your body is something to celebrate.

Don't have or can't afford a personal trainer? I can help you make it happen for yourself with my online personal training and together we'll create a fitness and fat loss program that will change your life! Helping you achieve your fitness goals is my passion - it's a job that I don't take lightly. Allow me to get you fit and strong the safe, healthy way. For more information on how I can help you with your health & fitness goals, "click here".

Interested in receiving my free bi-monthly Phil's Get-Fit-R e-Newsletter filled with content rich health & fitness articles, tips and tasty healthy Fat Loss and Muscle Gaining recipes? Click here for more information and also to subscribe.

Balsamic Plum Tomatoes

Nothing compliments dinner quite like this summery tomato salad. Enjoy homemade vinaigrette tossed over sliced plum tomato and red onion topped with the unforgettable taste of basil.

Yield: 4 servings

Here's what you need...

6 medium plum tomatoes, sliced
1/2 cup sliced red onion
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 fresh basil leaves, snipped

1. In a bowl, gently combine the tomatoes and onion. In a jar with tight-fitting lid, combine vinegar, oil, sugar, salt, garlic powder and pepper; shake well.
2. Pour over tomato mixture; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with basil. Serve at room temperature with slotted spoon.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving (1 cup) equals 114 calories, 7g fat, 12g carbohydrate, 2g protein.

* Make it a high protein meal by adding a grilled chicken breast on top.

Interested in receiving my free bi-monthly Phil's Get-Fit-R e-Newsletter filled with content rich health & fitness articles, tips and tasty healthy Fat Loss and Muscle Gaining recipes? Click here for more information and also to subscribe.

Are You Too Hurt to Exercise?

Don't Let an Injury Come Between You and Your Goals

Can you relate to this scenario? After putting it off for too long, you commit to get fit-only to find yourself injured the minute you start working out. All of the sudden your fitness goals go back on the shelf and you are left to deal with the pain.

Whether your injury occurs right off the bat or after years of regular workouts the result is always the same. It is discouraging, painful and downright depressing.

And since studies suggest that up to 38% of all exercisers suffer from an injury each year, it is a subject worth exploring.

Top 3 Workout Injuries
The following three ailments occur commonly among active people. Let's explore the cause of each and then detail your very own injury prevention plan-because let's face it, you simply don't have time to spend nursing and injury (and losing all that progress you had made).

1. Strain / Pulled Muscle: occurs when a tendon (connects muscle to bone) or muscle is stretched or torn. If you suffer from a strain you will feel pain and swelling in the muscle belly, or loss of function if the strain occurred in a tendon. Many strains occur as the result of an improper warm-up and insufficient stretching.

2. Sprain: occurs when a ligament (connects bone to bone) is stretched or torn. While this can happen to any ligament in your body, the most common placements of sprains are in the ankle, wrist and knee. Often this injury will happen suddenly as the ligament is stretched beyond its normal limit, usually during a fall or other acute trauma.

3. Low Back Pain: it is said that 80% of the population will experience back pain at some point in their lives-and the list of causes is as diverse as the sufferers themselves. Here are the main reasons for workout related back pain:

• Improper form: Similar to bad posture, using improper form while performing weight bearing exercises will leave your back sore and aching. The good news is that once your form is corrected this pain should subside after a healing period.

• Weak muscles: If you have a desk job then chances are your deep back muscles are inactive and unconditioned. When you start an exercise program, but fail to properly strengthen these muscles, the result is often an aching back.

• Strained muscles: Not to pick on that desk job, but another result of sitting all day is tight back muscles. When these muscles are not properly warmed up muscle strains occur.

Your 5-Step Injury Prevention Plan
Injuries don't have to slow you from meeting your fitness goals. The following 5 steps will dramatically reduce your chance of injury and if you do find yourself injured, but have been following these 5 steps, your recovery will be quick and efficient.

Step 1: Stretch
What is more boring than stretching? You want to exercise, not sit around touching your toes-right? Even though it isn't exciting, stretching is the best way to increase muscle elasticity and durability. Tight muscles are big contributors to strains-remember? Take the time to stretch after your workout to stave off injury.

Step 2: Warm Up
Preparing for your workout should not begin and end with putting on your gym clothes. Your muscles need to be coaxed into motion by way of a 10-15 minute warm up in order to prepare them for injury-free use. Cold muscles are less elastic and are therefore more prone to tears.

Step 3: Proper Gear
For most fitness enthusiasts proper gear has everything to do with their shoes. Don't be fooled-not just any shoe will do. Find shoes that offer support and traction for your exercise of choice, and make sure that they aren't too tight or too loose. If you are prone to ankle injuries then try a pair of high-tops for extra support.

Step 4: Lifestyle
Stop for a moment and think about your car-if you don't maintain it with regular tune ups, oil changes and quality fuel then you can't expect it to perform well on the road. The same applies to your body. Getting healthy amounts of sleep, eating well balanced meals and staying hydrated will all contribute to your performance during exercise. The healthier your lifestyle is the less likely you are to suffer an injury.

Step 5: Condition
This may seem like the most obvious step to injury prevention, but unfortunately it is the most overlooked. People who keep their bodies in top condition by exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy lifestyle are the least likely to injure themselves. When exercise programs are started and stopped sporadically your muscles are most likely to become injured.

Of course being conditioned also has another great benefit that everyone enjoys - you get to look and feel great! And who doesn't what that, right?

The ultimate injury prevention plan is to work with a local qualified personal trainer or with me, a qualified fitness expert! Together we will explore proper technique and will craft a plan for your unique fitness goals.

Wouldn't you love to see awesome results before this summer comes to an end? It's time to take action and get the results that you deserve!

Interested in receiving my free bi-monthly Phil's Get-Fit-R e-Newsletter filled with content rich health & fitness articles, tips and tasty healthy Fat Loss and Muscle Gaining recipes? Click here for more information and also to subscribe.

Are You Teaching Your Kids Unhealthy Habits?

As a parent, you have many obligations and responsibilities to juggle, all centered on your kids. You constantly serve as an example, not just when they are little, but throughout their lives. These obligations and burdens mean that you are a constant role model; you are the person that your kids look up to.

This means that how you take care of yourself will have an impact in shaping your children's health over the course of their lives, too. If you are overweight, and do not take the time to exercise and manage your health, how can you expect your children to do so? If you see exercise as a chore or a burden, how long before your kids pick up that attitude from you and carry it forward throughout their lives? Oh yeah, this also pertains to your eating habits also. Don't expect to instill good eating habits with your kids if they see you on the couch eating chips, etc.

Obesity is something that is determined in part by genetics, but is mediated by several other factors as well, among them diet, exercise, and activity level. Kids are, by nature, high energy. They are always running and shrieking when they are little, and burn off lots of energy by playing.

Make that your focus. Take the time to play with them. Do not make exercise 'trudge on the treadmill'. Make it, "OK, let's go to the park and play ultimate Frisbee". Do things together as a family. Plan family hikes, walks, and bike rides. Use them as an excuse to get some exercise together and talk about the day.

How much exercise is enough? In general, try to get 30 to 60 minutes of low-level exercise per day, whether it is walking through the park at a brisk pace, running with the dog, or chasing your kids around the playground with a super soaker. Whatever you do, make it fun.

Give your kids some input into what activities you will do as a family. Some kids get into competition and sports, while some would rather do something fun that does not involve proving that they are better than anyone else. In particular, pay attention to your introverted children and let them know that what they want to do matters and that they will not get bullied by their older, more assertive siblings.

Since your kids will learn from your example, make sure you are setting the right one. If you are not taking the time to run around and play, they will emulate you and, once a child becomes obese, they can get 'stuck' in that health problem for the rest of their lives.

Interested in receiving my free bi-monthly Phil's Get-Fit-R e-Newsletter filled with content rich health & fitness articles, tips and tasty healthy Fat Loss and Muscle Gaining recipes? Click here for more information and also to subscribe.