A recent article in The New York Times brought up a very important point (and one often ignored by fans of “instant gratification”) – getting the results you want takes times. Sounds profound, doesn’t it? In fact, it may take a LOT of time to reach your goal weight, or to feel comfortable and confident in your swim suit.

Discouraged? Don’t be. It’s tough when you watch weekly episodes of The Biggest Loser and see contestants losing massive amounts of weight each week. Remember, these individuals are under medical supervision, do many hours of physical activity each day and have a team of dietitians assisting with meal plans designed to facilitate weight loss. It doesn’t help either that book shelves are lined with titles that claim you can achieve the body of your dreams in as little as 4 mins per day, or with as few as 6 exercises performed twice per week. Boy, wouldn’t that be nice? And what about teas that supposedly burn fat? And, the countless number of pills, potions, and cleansing products that promise quick and permanent weight loss – they all sound wonderful, don’t they? Too good to be true? Why, yes. For the average Joe (yes, that is you), 1-2 lbs of weight loss per week is typical, and healthy.

Did you sit down on Dec. 31st and write down a list of health and fitness goals for 2009? Are you already frustrated with your results, or worse, given up on achieving them? Read Gina Kolata’s article, then go grab your list and get back to work. You CAN do it – it just takes time

Granted, four weeks isn’t a lot of time to make a HUGE difference in your appearance (unless you’re a guest on The Biggest Loser. Oh, I am SO saving this topic for a series post), but it is enough time to make a noticeable difference — if you put forth a focused effort (read: no room for cheating) in these four areas:

1. Eat /Drink Smarter

Don’t crash diet. Rather, stick to between 1500-1700 calories per day (not a huge change, depending on your activity level, but enough elicit a weight loss of between 4-5 pounds in 4 weeks).

How:

• Stick to smaller portions
• Eat more fruits and vegetables at every meal
• Eat more whole grains
• Stick with lean protein (fish, chicken, turkey, tofu)
• Don’t drink your calories (fruit juices and alcohol are two big diet killers). As a general rule, don’t drink your calories if you don’t have to.

2. Bump up the intensity of your workouts

How:

If you are already working out regularly, add bouts of intense, plyometric movements to your routine, such as: burpees, jump squats, jump lunges, mountain climbers or jump tucks.

3. Intensify your cardio

The body responds to change, so get off the “same old, same old” cycle.

How:

Throw in something new, or make your current cardio regimen longer (i.e, 50 mins instead of 45), a bit harder, or try interval training (cycles of intense activity, followed by active recovery). If you normally run on the treadmill for 40 mins and call it quits, try running for 30, then do intervals on the recumbent bike for 10 mins. Or, if you are used to running on the treadmill, try running outdoors — you’ll burn more calories and get some fresh air too.

4. Group moves together to get more bang for the buck

How:

• Rather than doing lunges with hand weights dangling at your side, combine the lunge with bicep curls.
• Combine squats with an overhead press. Or, for a super-hard move, try doing the squats/overhead press combo on a BOSU! That is when the fun really begins — your legs will be screaming for mercy.

And one final tip: track what you’re eating with a food log. When you have to right down what you eat, you are forced to be honest with yourself. Many times that fifth cookie, after being recorded in your journal, stands out as not a good idea after all. Chances are, the next day you’ll make healthier choices.

* Note: Blue Sky Gym and the author disclaim any liability for any injury, physical or emotional, suffered during or as a result of exercise or activities recommended. As always, you should use common sense and consult your health professional before beginning any exercise routine or program.