Here I am at 60, watching gals in their teens, 30s, 40s and 50s working-out and training for their first fitness competition — bikini model!  I am so proud of what they do and all the discipline they apply to their daily regimen — every day, for weeks and months!  My motto is to Be Lean and Strong at Any Age, and, if we follow even half of what they practice, I am sure we all will! 

Here are some tips I have learned from the fitness models and trainers I work with, who are all on USANA vitamins, minerals and optimizers, I am happy to say!

– Eat five to six times a day, small, complete meals — lean protein, veggies, whole grains

– Drink at least half your weight in ounces of pure water a day, and drink one glass before and after exercise

– Exercise at least one hour a day (one hour is to maintain, more is to lose)

– Don’t eat the five no-nos:  processed sugar, processed starch, high-fat dairy, high-fat protein and trans-fats

– Don’t drink empty-calorie drinks

– The really serious ones in their 12-week pre-competition phase eschew anything but lean chicken and fish, and power-down tons of broccoli, green beans, asparagus, green and chamomile teas.  Very little fruit, which does not work for me.

I follow much the same program, but I am more lenient with myself and my clients.  I figure we deserve a “cheat day” about every 9 days.  More and I will gain weight, less and I am rather bitchy.

But, on the days I pretend I am a fitness-model in training, I can drop 2 lbs a day!  So, if you want to lose weight and firm-up fast, just try eating and training like a fitness model for a week!