It’s Memorial Day weekend next week and most of us will be back in a bathing suit so it’s time to start focusing again on diet and exercise. The bathing suit bod isn’t the true goal but it can definitely get you motivated. The true goal is to feel good which starts with a healthy diet and exercise. It can get really tough to make time to really make it a habit, but a few small tips and my favorite diet and exercise routines will have you feeling good for the summer.

Tips to get started
-No scale: Looking at the scale is an easy way to get discouraged. Use the way your close fit as a way to gauge your progress
-Inspiration/ friends/ Instagram: Using your friends and social media to inspire you or have someone encourage you in your work is a great way to keep you going
-Make a plan what works best for you: Not everyone likes the same exercises and food so it is important to find the exercises and food that will work for you long term

My Workouts

1. Rumble - boxing has become my new favorite sport. I love the fast pace and all of the different muscles that you have to use. I rave about it all the time to my friends and family and tell them how fun it is, especially with the loud pump up music and dim lights at Rumble boxing. Now I’m even more excited to keep boxing because I recently found out my great grandpa boxed in the golden gloves at Madison square gardens in NYC... must be destiny.

2. Y 7 yoga - yoga is a great switch to working on different muscles and tendons we don’t really focus on a lot, but it’s really useful in promoting flexibility which helps with ... and helps with blood circulation and bring oxygen to the brain giving happiness and a less feeling of stress. HOWEVER it is so important to find the right yoga studio that fits your needs. I love Y7 in NYC with their fresh hip hop Wednesday’s and some free flow and dark lights. This is not everyone’s cup of tea but yoga has become one of my favorite light exercises on the body. Even try out Groupons and YouTube videos. Yoga with Adrienne is my favorite teacher on YouTube that has every yoga flow for you and you can do it right in your house.

3. Nike NTC/NRC -So if you didn’t know already, Nike doesn’t just sell athletic apparel. Their apps are also amazing for picking out a customized workout plan, choosing quick targeted workout sessions, running outside with gps or indoor on the treadmill. I love that you can invite friends to see progress and how much time you’re putting in! And the best part is you don’t even have to leave your apartment to get a good sweat in!

4. ClassPass- if you have class pass in your city, definitely utilize it! They give a whole week free and you can to try out some of the trendiest gyms and exercises. They also offer massages, facials, infrared light saunas, etc. Highly recommend when you’re not quite sure what you want to do for your workout, but you definitely have to watch out for their hefty missed class penalty charge of $20.00.

5. Basic Ass Gym Time- It’s something a lot of people dread doing but just throw a pair of headphones in to jam out with and get it done. I always start on the treadmill or bike to loosen up but then don’t be afraid to try out the other lifting machines for the first time. They can really help target specific muscles and have directions on the machine to help you use it correctly.
Maybe even a hot trainer can help you through some of the machines ;)

6. Other stuff- I like to do a lot of other exercising too like playing volleyball or going on hikes, but really like I said before, it comes down to doing something that gets you moving and makes you feel good.

Dieting
-Don’t make anything a “forbidden fruit”. When you tell yourself you absolutely can’t have something, it can make you want it that much more.
-Using small bowls and actually using a bowl instead of just bringing out the whole bag of snacks makes it much easier to not eat an entire bag in an entire sitting.
-Resist appetizers (especially bread and chips&salsa) it’s hard but these really add up
-Have a glass of water to decide if you’re actually hungry: dehydration can actually give you the feeling of being hungry so a glass of water may actually do the trick when you’re hungry.
-Social eating is very hard because peer pressure is telling you to get a burger and fries with a full blown 100 oz frozen margarita but start to limit or choose other healthy options ..or even invite others to your home while you cook something good.
-Cut out Carbs, I found out last year that I have the gene for celiac so I am very sensitive to gluten and I feel a tremendous difference in my health when avoiding it, but it’s also not great for everyone else either. It can clog your lungs, store fat, and more and more people are finding a lot of sensitivities to carbs that are causing other issues in your body like eczema.
-Limit alcohol and sugar drinks. It’s hard when it’s social and easy to do but cutting out even just a few nights of drinking alcohol and soda makes a huge difference.

My Favorite Foods for Dieting

Watermelon, cod, fish, TJ’s ready to go Caesar salad, cooked or steamed veggies, smoothies with maca, strawberries and nutella for quick treat, frozen banana and peanut butter blended if you need an ice cream replacement.