Fitness in the Kitchen With Jorge Cruise

These are the real answers you need to kick off the New Year.

Fitness and nutrition adviser to the stars Jorge Cruise joins the contributors staff of 24Life to directly answer 24Life readers’ questions and bring you leading-edge workout and nutrition tips to get you moving and eating well on the way to your goals.

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A New York Times best-selling author, fitness expert and weight-loss coach, Cruise is always working to research, innovate and create formulas that work for his clients, who expect workouts and nutrition plans that work quickly. Celebrities who have followed Cruise’s diet plans include Jennifer Lopez, Lucy Liu, Kyle Richards, Eva Longoria and Steve Harvey.

24Life Reader Question: I really want to make this year the year I get in shape. What is the most important thing I can do?

Jorge Cruise (JC): Whenever I begin working with a client, whether it’s Steve Harvey or a suburban mom in the Midwest, I always tell them that the first step is to think fit. I tell them to sit down and write the top three reasons why they want to get in shape (and they can’t say just to “look” good). I encourage them to dig deep and search for the reasons that are motivating them. Anyone looking to get in shape this year should do the same. Once you discover the reasons why, you become mentally prepared for your fitness journey. Without willpower and constant motivation, you won’t hit the goals you set for yourself.

24Life Reader Question: I tend to do great and eat healthy all day long and then I lose it at night. Any advice?

JC: I recommend always eating a meal packed with protein and plants for dinner. If you’ve had a nice meal and tend to binge-eat while watching TV, I strongly recommend journaling. If you are an emotional eater, chances are you are just eating to cope with a situation or stress in your life. If you take a moment and write down your thoughts and put those feelings down on paper, you really get it out of your system and the anxiety and emotions settle down.

But if you are someone who is really hungry at night even after eating dinner, I suggest you stick to liquids. Make some caffeine-free tea, or pour yourself a glass of sparkling water like LaCroix or San Pellegrino. The bubbles from the carbonation turn off hunger by filling up your stomach.

24Life Reader Question:Sometimes I only have 30 minutes to work out. What is the best use of my time?

JC: If you are looking to maximize time and results, the best workout you can do is cardiovascular training that focuses on alternating short periods of intense movements with less intense recovery periods. I created my own version of this called Hilo Yoga. The workout combines intense moves like shadowboxing with recovery yoga poses like the Buddha Squat. The back-and-forth alteration between intense and recovery moves pushes your body toward its metabolic limits. A Hilo Yoga workout revs up the body’s metabolism and increases its fat burning, serotonin, muscle preservation and production of your human growth hormone.

Photo credit: Jorge Cruise Media and Thinkstock, iStock, scyther5.