Lose weight before the new year

New Haven (WTNH) - Are you waiting until you make your New Year's resolution before you lose weight? Weight loss specialist and personal trainer Lisa Lynn explains the benefits of losing weight before the new year, and provides some tried-and-true tips to help you do it.

The following information was provided by Lisa Lynn:

Yes, it is possible to tone up and lose weight before the new year! I know what you're thinking: one more thing for the to-do list. However, staying healthy and fit should be at the very top of your priority list. You know what they say: "Without your health, nothing else matters." I like to take this one step further as a trainer/ weight loss specialist by encouraging people to actually lose weight and tone up before the New Year. I have found that pushing people harder this time of year is actually a very good thing, because it gives them something positive to focus on that they can actually do something about, and they don't feel so powerless and helpless. I also find that having something to focus on keeps their long term goals in mind and that not only helps you to stay on track, it will actually cause weight loss even through the holidays. I like to refer to this as a guard rail of sorts. Can you imagine traveling down a highway without guard rails? They keep us safe and on the road. Most of us who struggle with weight issues and not being able to stick to our exercise programs need tighter guard rails to keep us safe and on track, despite what our heads tell us. Quitting exercise and eating healthy is never an option, so get over that kind of thinking! The goal is to just keep moving and keep our heads in the right place.

Here are three tried, true and proven ways to lose weight and tone up before the holidays.

1. Start the day off right with exercise. Get up 20 minutes early and do some type of exercise before you start your day. Keep in mind that anything is better than nothing. I promise you will never be sorry. Watch how much better you feel and how much more you will get done because you are energized. A few examples are: jumping rope, doing jumping jacks or getting on your treadmill if you have one. These are not the only things you can do; they are just a few examples to start off with that don't require any equipment or travel, and they give you a lot of return for a small time investment for fat loss.

2. Work out during your favorite TV show. There are so many things that you can do while watching TV: either during commercials or during the whole show. Even if it's at a slow pace, you can make a difference in how you look. I suggest pushups, situps, and wide squats, because they tighten and tone the fastest, but any exercise is always going to be better than no exercise. Everyone has a favorite move, so do some of those! Other examples include leg lifts, dips or get out your dumbbells and do your workout routine. I am sure you will find this will not only make you feel better, it will also help to de-stress; who doesn't need that right now?

3. Keep it simple and drink your nutrition. What if I told you that you could lose up to 25% more weight if you simply drank a shake for breakfast or for dinner for that matter? It's true! Study after study has proven that even without exercise, you can still lose weight by decreasing your calories and one of the easiest, yummiest ways to do that is to simply drink a Complete Protein shake for breakfast. It's cheap and requires no cooking or thinking. Simply stir 2 scoops of yummy chocolate powder in a glass, stir (or not- I like it clumpy like the taste of cake batter) and drink it down. You will not only boost your metabolism 25%, you will also be getting lots of B vitamins to keep your body and your mental state healthy when you need it the most. Did I mention it will gently energize you without stimulants? We all need more energy to get these long to-do lists done on time for the holidays!

Don't forget to take your multi-vitamins to ensure that you stay healthy during a time when we all need to be well. We all overdo it during this time of year, and the right nutrients will make all the difference!

Visit www.lisalynnfitness.com for more exercise/ nutrition tips, or to order some of Lisa's wonderful products.

Mention you saw Lisa on News Channel 8 and she'll take $5.00 off your order if you order before December 10th.