CHRIS is an acronym for a health and fitness lifestyle.

C - Clean Eating
H - High Fiber
R - Rest
I - Ice Cream 
S - Strength Training

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The human body is the ultimate machine, as it will adapt to any change we thrust upon it. 

This adaption is the obstacle to creating a new, healthier you. 

Therefore, we must shock or manipulate our bodies periodically, to develop the change you have been striving for. 

These are the tenets for the CHRIS system.

C - Clean Eating Lifestyle

Eat food that is straight from nature, off a tree, bush, plant or vine. 
Eat meats that are whole and straight from the butcher.  You would be surprised what’s in prepackaged meat.
Eat grains that are still complete and have not been broken down into "paste," such as brown rice, whole wheat and other whole grains.
Eat fewer ingredients. Try not to purchase foods that have more than five ingredients and be sure you recognize each and every ingredient. 
Eat five to six small meals per day, this lessens the digestive process and ensures a continual supply of nutrients.

H - High Fiber

Breakfast cereals can be a good source of fiber. Some fruits and vegetables are particularly helpful in treating constipation.  For those who do not like high-fiber foods, such as fruits, beans, and vegetables, a good source of fiber is unprocessed wheat bran; one to two tablespoons can be mixed with food or a protein shake.  Fiber can lower the risk of developing certain health conditions: heart disease, cancer, diabetes and many other health issues, due to removing the toxicants and waste quicker from your intestinal tract. 

The recommended consumption for the average adult over 50 years of age is 21g for women and 30g for men. For those under 50, the amounts are 25g for women, 38g for men.

R - Rest is as important as training

A common mistake many athletes make is overtraining.  While it is true you must work hard to improve performance, lose weight, or develop a more tone physique, overtraining and not adding proper rest into your program can make you weaker. Rest is how you become stronger.  Improvement only occurs during the rest period following training.  Sufficient rest must be included in a training program for regeneration to occur. 

So enjoy that day off at least once every five days.

I - Introduce a "Re-Feed" day once-a-week

Re-feeding consists of adding 25% more calories than required for maintenance for a day.  The higher you decide to bring your calories, the shorter period of time you will want to re-feed for.  Re-feeds help boost a hormone called leptin, which is the "mother" of all fat-burning hormones.  As one diets, leptin levels drop, in an attempt by the body to spare body fat.

Periodic, proper re-feeding can raise leptin levels and help one continue to burn fat an optimum rate.

S - Strength Training

Strength training will help you lose more fat than you’ll gain in muscle. As you add muscle from strength training, your resting metabolism will increase, so you’ll burn more calories all day long.

Strength training will reduce your risk of diabetes. Adult-onset diabetes is a growing problem for women and men. Research indicates that weight training can increase glucose utilization in the body by 23 percent in four months.  

Strength training will fight heart disease. Strength training will improve your cholesterol profile and blood pressure, according to recent research. Of course, your exercise program should also include cardiovascular exercise and flexibility training.  

Following these five simple guidelines with both persistence and time, will guide you toward the new you.

More about Chris Tina Bruce

Chris Tina Bruce is a male-to-female transgender bodybuilder, spokesperson and fitness talent.

She is the founder of Be Bold Be Proud, a grassroots non-profit transgender equality organization. She is also the founder of Discover Health and Fitness, a freelance writer and the proud parent of two amazing children. She obtained her bachelor of science degree from Georgia State University, and is also a National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer (CPT).

Chris Tina lives by some very simple rules and affirmations: All of life is a transition; where you are does not have to define who you will be and together we can cultivate change. Be Bold, Be Proud, Be Yourself.

For more information about Chris, her Fitness Fun Camps, private sessions, nutrition programs or next bodybuilding show, check out her website, follow her Hillcrest Fitness Facebook page, or call (972) 989-6076.

You can also follow Be Bold Be Proud on Twitter, or also on Facebook.