Don't be afraid of hard work

"The only place that success comes before work is in the dictionary." Vince Lombardi

If one of your goal's this year is to lose weight or accomplish something else that is difficult and monumental, I have some advice. Work hard. Mediocre people can accomplish amazing things through hard work. Whatever your dreams or goals you can make them happen if you map out your plan and stick to it.

Often when I want to lose weight I tell myself I can do it, that's it going to be easy because I'm so motivated. But then I lose sight of that motivation and I get depressed and think, "Why am I doing this to myself?" But the truth is, it is not easy to lose weight or accomplish any other worthwhile goal.

Here's my tips for effective weight loss tools that are hard work but will make a difference for life.

1 - Push yourself with cardio - intervals (speeding up and slowing down) burn the highest number of calories. They are also one of the hardest things you can do. But honestly if you're just going through the motions on the elliptical day after day and aren't pushing yourself you're not going to see results.

2 - Variety - Your body gets used to the same cardio, weight-lifting routine, etc. very quickly. Change what you're doing and you'll get past that plateau.

3 - Lift heavier weights. It's been proven time and again that lifting light weights and performing numerous repetitions is ineffective. If you want to see results you have to lift a weight that challenges your muscle within 8-12 reps. Don't worry, you won't bulk up.

4 - Lift slower on the eccentric or lowering phase. Slow down as you lower the weight or lower your body into a squat. The eccentric phase is when you build strength without increasing size which also increases your metabolism.

5 - Don't starve yourself, but do be accountable for what you're eating. Write down what you eat. Focus on veggies, lean proteins, high-fiber carbs, low-fat dairy, fruit for a treat, and loads of water.

6 - Set one goal a month. Make a healthy change into a habit before moving onto another healthy fix. I write a goal a month on my calendar, then when I turn to a new month I'm excited to focus on my new goal.

Good luck with all your goals and keep up the hard work,

Cami