Why is it that we can flounder for months, pondering the possibility of getting back into shape, but the moment we decide to finally take aim at our bulging backsides, we automatically go into combat mode?
Walk into any gym in the United State and you’ll see what I mean. Everywhere you look you’ll find otherwise sensible people doing things so crazy they’d be outlawed in most POW camps. The whole longer-faster-harder-heavier-no-pain-no-gain approach to fitness is just one example of the hostile methods we enlist to whip our bodies into shape.

But then, who can blame us? We've all experienced the feeling that the only way to annihilate fat is to employ the most aggressive means possible. There's no denying it. Body fat is a formidable, obstinate opponent. But before you embark on your next seek-and-destroy mission, have a look at a few tactics that can determine the difference between winning and losing the fight.

Be A Strategist, Not A Warrior
Winning a war takes more than just brawn and brute force. Think of it this way. If all it took was a lot of hard work and sweat, there’d be a lot more fit people in the world, right? Guaranteed, if you charge in, full speed ahead, without a sound and efficient plan behind you, you'll be waving that white flag before you know it.

Don’t just start exercising. Find a proven fitness and nutrition plan that matches your current state of affairs. Explore the latest innovations, and arm yourself with the tools that will help you hold that ugly body fat behind enemy lines for good.

Calculate Your Odds
The odds of winning any challenge can usually be reduced to a few basic numbers, and fighting flab is no exception. On your side are three big bad soldier dudes (cardio, strength training and nutrition) against a billion tiny but very tough fat cells. In order for your army of three to fend off one pound of those nasty little fat cells each week, you have to drop a total of 3,500 calories off your roster.

So, let’s say you put Sergeant Cardio in charge of 900 of those calories with three 30-minute bouts of aerobic activity Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Then you bring in Lieutenant Liftsalot on Tuesdays and Thursdays to battle an additional 800 calories with two 45-minute strength training sessions.

That leaves Captain Munchie in charge of the rest - 1,800 calories - making it easy to see why nutrition is so important. Captain Munchie can either:
1) Blow the whole thing by eating too much
2) Keep things even by eating just enough, or
3) Do his part to finish the fight by consuming the right amount of calories

It literally boils down to a difference of 300 calories a day, provided everyone else reports for duty on a regular basis. When you think of it in these terms, it's easy to see how a few missed workouts, a couple of extra beers, or a generous slice of office birthday cake CAN make a difference.

Follow the Rules of Engagement
Rule 1. Fight the battle Monday through Saturday and give it a rest on Sunday. On that day, eat anything you want and do whatever you want.

Rule 2. Divide your campaign evenly - fight half your battle with work, the other half with food.

Rule 3. When any one of your three soldiers drops the ball, make the others pick it up. Two glasses of wine means an extra 20 minutes of cardio - miss a workout and you can forget about that brownie fudge sundae you've been saving up for.

So, if everyone sticks to their guns (sorry, I couldn't resist) in the next 12 weeks, you could be a whole new, leaner person! As the Marines say, “Semper Fi,” stay faithful, and you will emerge victorious! Now...drop and give me 20.

Dianne Orwig is a success coach, motivational speaker, personal trainer, and founder of LivingFit Online™, a program that has helped thousands of men and women not only transform their bodies, but live more balanced, focused lives though her pioneering, less-works-better approach to fitness. For more information visit www.lovelivingfit.com or send an email to Dianne@lovelivingfit.com.

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