Can you believe its vacation and swimsuit season?

Did it sneak up on you and surprise you when you had to put on a swimsuit?

Its hard to get and stay fit all year around.

I know, believe me, I know... If being thin, and fit were easy everyone would be walking around with a lean, sexy body. But hey, it's not in this hectic world we live in today.

 Believe me, I understand all too well that there's temptation around every corner. I'm just like you.

Everywhere you look there's fast food, junk food, chocolate, candy, ice cream, pizza, and for some of us - kid food... And I know it tastes good.

And I know when you get stressed your body craves it even more and it's easier to justify. That's why to be successful you have to have a plan. You have to know what you're going to do to avoid those temptations.

You have to plan your meals in advance. Again, if this were easy everyone would be thin and in great shape. But they're not.

The first thing to do is come to grips with reality. To accept the fact that getting the body of your dreams is going to take effort.

The second is to understand that it's not going to be miserable. In fact, it's going to be a LOT of fun.

When you exercise you feel awesome (ok if you train with me you know the motto is "hate it now, love it later") - and then the weight comes off. But you also feel stronger. You're more alive. You can meet the demands of your day SO much easier.

No way that's miserable,is it? - And when you start eating healthier the same thing happens. It really, really is true: you are what you eat.

Now, take a second and really think about that. What you are putting in your mouth is what your body is using to regenerate itself with all the time.

If you're eating crappy food... well then... You get it.

So two quick tips to get you started:

1) Eat your starch carbs before 2pm. - This allows your body to be more likely to use the carbs for energy (provided you kept your portions small) during the day, and less likely to store them as fat at night.

2) Add veggies to every meal: This will help you feel more full, add nutrients to your food, and help with the digestion process which is critical to feeling good.

An extra tip to keep your awareness up and your unnecessary calorie count down: Eliminate any sugar drinks. Soda, workout drinks, lemonade, and yes alcohol. Its amazing how many calories people consume in the form of liquid. Eat your calories!

Stay tuned for more tips and suggestions to getting fit this summer.