Get it Tight, Get it Right Summer Fitness Plan- OVERVIEW

After a bit of a hiatus from blogging, I am back! The weather is warming up. The days are longer. And now is the time to start enjoying the outdoors and shedding that winter weight. It's only May-so you've still got time to get healthier and feel more fit by vacation time.

I recently got a phone call from Celebrity Stylist, BE! Magazine Style Editor and my good friend, Christopher Mannor who was my inspiration for this fitness blog. Last week, Chris asked me to be a contributor for the next issue of BE! Magazine. The assignment he gave me was to write an article about staying in shape through dance. After completing my article (which will be on news stands in a few weeks), I realized I had lots more fitness tips to share. So here they are:


Tip Number 1: If you want to lose weight and see results quickly, you've got to combine cardio with some sort of weight bearing activity. Weight bearing can mean lifting free weights, using machines, or even your own body weight to fatigue one group of muscles. Normally, people will work out their back & biceps on one day, they're legs (quads & hamstrings) another day, and chest & triceps on the following weight training day. And it goes without saying that healthy eating plays a large role as well. Everyone's body type and metabolism is different. So finding the balance that works for you can take time. If you lead an extremely active lifestyle, you can eat more calories. But if you sit behind a desk most of the day, you're not expending as much energy, so your body needs fewer calories and food to maintain itself. You can consult with your doctor or a nutritionist for a diet plan that suits you specifically. Or try a website like http://www.foodfit.com/.




Tip Number 2: Choose a cardio activity that you actually enjoy!


Don't believe the hype that you HAVE to run on the treadmill to lose weight. If you hate running, then don't do it. Find another activity or sport that you have fun doing. This is the only way you're going to stick with your fitness plan for the long haul. Living in Southern California, I'm lucky enough to have beautiful weather about 300 days out of the year. So I like to mix up my cardio with outdoor activities as opposed to sweating it out in the gym everyday. I'll work out in the gym if it's raining. If the weather is nice, I'll hike Runyon Canyon, run (or walk) the stairs in Culver City or Santa Monica, go for a run around my neighborhood, or a long walk in the sand on Venice Beach with a friend. Other cardio activities I enjoy are doing freestyle boxing on the punching bag in my backyard, playing tennis, rollerblading, jumping rope, and of course-DANCING! There are so many types of sports you can play that qualify as cardiovascular: soccer, basketball, beach volleyball, bicycling, skiing, snowboarding, etc. Choose one, or all of them, that you enjoy most.





Tip #3: If you don't live in a warm weather region, and you have to workout at the gym, I recommend cross-training on different cardio machines. Here's a sample gym cross training cardio plan:

TREADMILL

• walk 5 mins on the treadmill with no incline to warm up your muscles
• walk 5 mins on the treadmill at 3% incline
• walk 5 mins on the treadmill at 6% incline

(Total =15 minutes on the treadmill)



Spend a 3-5 minutes gently stretching your legs then, proceed to the next phase of cross-training.



ELLIPTICAL OR STAIRMASTER

• 15 minutes on the elliptical machine or the stairmaster at a 50% resistance level

Immediately proceed to the final phase of cross-training.



ROWING MACHINE OR BIKE

• 15 minutes on the rowing machine or stationary bike at a 50% resistance level

TOTAL = 45 minutes of cardio

Tip #4: If you have an injury, bad knees, or you are too heavy to put very much pressure on your joints, try some of my other favorite workout activities:

SWIMMING-> You can spend just 30 minutes doing laps, splashing around, or even playing Marco Polo in the pool will burn calories and tighten you up without putting undue stress on your body. Try contacting your local YMCA or gym and ask about water aerobics classes. You will be surprised how quickly you'll notice changes in your shape and the added amount of energy you'll have.

YOGA-> I practice yoga almost everyday! I'll do a few poses first thing in the morning, and at night before I go to bed. At the end of a long, stressful 10-14 hour day on-set or in the office, I'm often anxious, and my brain is running too quickly for me to relax and fall to sleep right away. So I'll do yoga for 10-15 minutes to relax my body & mind, and ground myself. The deep breathing & slow movements that are needed in yoga are a great exercise to counteract stress. It's also a great way to stretch the body and make your muscles longer & leaner. If you opt for a yoga class, remember that there are different types. If you're just starting out, I suggest one of the following:

HATHA is a general term for a yoga class. Most often, this will be a slow-paced and gentle form that introduces basic yoga poses.

IYENGAR style of yoga is most concerned with body alignment. This is one of the best styles for beginners because you'll learn how to precisely perform each yoga pose to obtain maximum benefits and avoid injury.

KUNDALINI style focuses on the breath in conjunction with physical movement. The idea of Kundalini is to free energy in the lower body and allow it to flow upwards. It's all about controlling your breathing and exploring the effects of the breath on your mind & body.

I hope this provided some inspiration for YOU to get outside and start getting fit for the Summer. Stay tuned for more fitness & eating tips that will get you closer to your summer body.

Peace & Blessings,

SKM