You can't juice a banana.

Without a doubt, every party, family gathering, shin-dig, barbecue or picnic that I go to, I get asked, at least once…

“How do I lose this?”

“This”, of course, refers to a trouble spot on someone’s body that seems to be accumulating excessive amounts of fat.

It’s most often the mid-section, but there are times when people will show me the jiggle under their arms or excess fat between their butt and their thighs (women call these saddlebags, I think) or, if they’re feeling extra desperate, they’ll just shove their butt in my face while I’m trying to finish my salad.

When they get my response, they always look somewhat disappointed. For some reason, they think I’m going to give them some miracle exercise or tell them about some underground Chinese herb that is the cure-all for their ailments.

Sorry to say, but the best way to clear up that tire around your waist that is causing you to buy bigger and bigger pants every year, is to CLEAN UP YOUR DIET.

I can sense the disappointment already.

It is true, though. Diet accounts for the majority of your results. Exercise and lifestyle obviously will contribute to you living a lean and healthy life, but rest assured, as the saying in the fitness industry goes…

You can’t out-train a crappy diet.

In saying that, here are 4 things that you can do NOW to get on the right track. Mind you, these aren’t quick-fixes and they won’t be the solution to your weight loss problems, but they will help. And if you’re having trouble with losing weight because you can’t get your diet under control, then this is where you should start….

1. Drink more water.
Get rid of the empty calorie containing drinks – soda, coffee drinks like those frappe-sugar-cinos, even juices (yes, juices…just eat the real fruit). The overwhelming majority of us are dehydrated and don’t even know it. Just make a conscious effort to drink more water and you’ll feel more energetic, you’ll think clearer and chances are, what you mistaken to be hunger will really be thirst, resulting in you eating less.

2. Eat A Salad Everyday.
This was a tip from my buddy, Yuri Elkaim, a natural food expert, that I incorporated into my lifestyle after he told me about it our interview HERE. It’s made a world of difference in how I feel, how I look (I’ve dropped 2% bodyfat since) and how I live (I have more energy and less feelings of lethargy). I used to hate salads, but since I’ve been buying a various different greens (from spinach, to arugula, to kale and even dandelion) I enjoy the varying tastes even more. Here’s one of my favorite salads for you to try…

Chris’ Cayenne Candied Pecan California Salad

1 bunch Arugula or Baby Spinach
8 Strawberries (sliced)
2 Tbsp Goat Cheese
1 handful pecans
1 tsp Maple Syrup
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Vinegar
Salt & Pepper to taste

Put the arugula in a bowl. Mix the Olive Oil, Vinegar, salt & pepper in a separate bowl and toss with the arugula.
In a separate bowl add the pecans, maple syrup and sprinkle the cayenne. Toss until all the pecans are covered with the cayenne/maple mixture.
Top the arugula with strawberries, crumbled goat cheese and “Cayenne Candied Pecans” and serve.

The sweetness of the maple goes perfect with the sourness of the goat cheese and the kick of the cayenne. This is one unbelievable salad…I promise.

Fish Oil

3. Take Fish Oil.
I’m not big on supplements. I’ve cut out protein shakes, meal replacements, muscle builders and fat burners all from my diet over the past 3 or 4 years because if humans could thrive without these things for millions of years, then why bother with them now?

Fish oil, however, is one supplement that I do take. Here are some reasons why…
-it supports testosterone levels and contributes to optimal muscle development (really big for guys today who seem to have declining levels of T and HGH)
-it reduces inflammation in your muscles and joints and speeds recovery time
-decrease triglyceride levels and reduce the risk of heart disease
-increase fat burning and also make it more difficult for your body to store fat

4. Short-term Intermittent Fasting
I’ve been doing IFs once or twice per week for the past 2 years now. Why fasting? Here’s the video (done by my good friend, Brad Pilon) that got me hooked…

Basically, when your body produces insulin, you are in storage mode. When your body produces growth hormone, you’re in fat burning mode. The only way to produce growth hormone is when you sleep, engage in intense exercise and during periods of fasting.

Kettlebell Training

I try to sleep 8 hours per night.

Sleep? – CHECK.

I train with KBs, run hills & play pick-up basketball.

Intense Exercise? CHECK.

The only thing left in the trifecta was to practice IF – CHECK!!!

So What Now?

Like I’m slowly starting to realize, just take one of these steps and implement it today. Then take another and do it tomorrow. Make little changes here and there and before you know it, you’ll be forming healthier habits on your way to losing weight and living a better life.