Ask most people what their New Year's Resolutions were, and you'll likely find a common answer to lose weight. With so many of us wanting to shed the pounds, why is the obesity pandemic reaching new heights?

Weight loss tends to conjure up images of near starvation and tons of cardio. Most of us do not even start on our New Year's Resolution simply because the thought of it stops us dead in our tracks.

What if we had some tools for weight loss? Four simple ideas that are practically guaranteed to shed fat, drop the weight, and slim us down? That would be a major first step towards a weight loss program.

Tool 1 - Strength Training
We have to recognize this as a viable fat-loss method. Every pound of muscle burns 35-50 extra calories per day. Adding lean muscle mass is the best way to jumpstart and sustain fat reduction.

Tool 2 - Cardio
Cardio is good, but it's not the only tool we should use. Cardio should be partnered with other strategies. Anything that gets your heart pumping will do: walking, jogging, running, dancing, swimming, biking, or house cleaning.

Tool 3 - Nutrition
Nutrition is often the hardest part of the weight-loss process. We simply have forgotten how to eat well in our culture. We need to eat protein, carbs, and fat to sustain our way of life. Cut one of the three out and imbalances will occur.

Tool 4 - Rest
Rest is not a luxury; it is a necessity. We should eat well every day, and we should work out 5-6 times per week. The leftover days are meant for rest. Our muscles need time to rebuild and repair themselves.

Using strength training, cardio, nutrition and rest to our advantage will result in fat loss. There is no magic bullet -- just simple and effective tools to create the body we want. Make a promise to yourself right now. Try using the above tools consistently and to the best of your ability for 4 weeks. You'll look great and feel amazing.

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