This is the final and most important step in how to get a beach bod in time for summer . Why so crucial? Because it was my arch nemesis during my health journey and I know other people have fought this demon, too.

This was the cycle: I’d be rolling right along, happily balancing on the wagon, eating well and exercising regularly, and then something would happen. I noticed that it occurred around the 3 month mark, sometimes at 6 months. It usually came in a clever guise. I saw it arrive in the form of a lovely tropical, all-inclusive vacation before, and also as a nasty, hard-hitting cold virus.

Whatever its face, whenever it appeared, my routine and my good intentions went spiraling down the toilet. All my progress shriveled up shortly afterwards and I was back to the beginning. It took many attempts and failures before I realized what was happening and how to prevent it. So to help you avoid some anguish, here is my secret to getting over the 3 month hump …

Step 6 to your Beach Bod: Battle Boredom!

Your body is an extremely efficient machine. It craves routine and quickly becomes accustomed to whatever you repeatedly put it through. And just like you, it can get bored. It’ll stop changing and…just be.

That’s fine if that’s what you want. But there’s something rejuvenating about change. If you’re trying to improve your body, like getting stronger so you can take life on by the horns, then there comes a point in your routine where you have to kick it up a notch. You know, put a little more effort into it.

Giving a little more to your routine will help you battle boredom but remember the secret to making healthy living easy ! That is, kick it up by ONLY a notch for now. If you go all crazy, like we all tend to do sometimes, you’re going to burn out quickly. When that happens, you’re more likely to completely abandon all efforts. It’s important to listen to your body and do what you can, when you can.

Here are a few tips that will help you keep things fun and generate some excitement so you can see changes faster:

Go Harder. Have you been focusing on low intensity workouts where you’re barely breaking a sweat? Try the intermediate level and sweat! Intermediates can kick it up to advanced. Do other things like increasing your weights to the next size up (like 5lbs to 7lbs) and look to make your exercise time really count .

Go Faster. If you’ve been walking everyday, why not try some interval training ? If you’ve been doing intervals, why not try jogging? This does not mean rush through your workouts, though! Especially with strength training as you’re most effective when you use gravity to increase resistance.

Go Longer. Been walking 3 kilometers a day? Keep increasing that distance every day until you reach 4. Or maybe you’ve been working out for ½ an hour a day. Slowly increase that time until you get to a full hour.

Go Different. Spice up your efforts by doing something different! If you’ve been going it alone, find a partner. Or get a new workout video, pick up a new fitness magazine packed with never-before tried (by you) routines. The possibilities are endless! Pick up a sport and join a team; try a new activity like yoga, pilates, kickboxing, boxing, etc. Take dance lessons, join a near-by facility to get access to their pool and squash court. You can even schedule sex sessions featuring a new position every week!

Set New Goals. This will help you achieve the above suggestions. For example, if you’ve been swimming laps, do the same number only in a shorter amount of time – this will make you go faster. Make your walk longer, either in distance or time. Just don’t compensate here and walk slower when you increase your time! Maintain your previous pace and challenge yourself … a wee bit…for now .

Do you have any suggestions in how to make your physical exercise routine more fun?

Fitness vs. Nutritional Routine

You can experience boredom in both your fitness routine and your diet. For the sake of simplicity, I’ve chosen to focus on fitness in this post because I noticed that once I missed one or two days of exercise, my mood plummeted and my food cravings would follow shortly.

Be aware of when you’re getting bored of your usual healthy diet and kick THAT up a notch. Try new cuisine from different cultures and test your palate. Or try new grains like quinoa and millet. Have fun with it!

And that, my friends, was the 6^th step of the Bodacious Beach Bod Series. I hope you enjoyed the posts and they help you along your health journey. Feel free to come back to any one of these posts and tell us your experiences.

The feeling of freedom comes in different forms and from various sources. When I got rid of 25lbs in 3 months last year, I felt free. The excess weight that had been weighing me down physically, mentally and emotionally was gone! I was a brand new person. The same happened when I decided to stop smoking (4^th time’s a charm), and this burden lifted as I broke free from nicotine.

The last few weekends I’ve spent some time spring cleaning and decluttering . It’s so refreshing to know that everything in my closet fits me perfectly and will be worn! I refused to keep clothes that were too big…`just in case’. No way! That’s a lurking negative belief ready to pounce. There’s no going back – only forward.

Besides the mental and emotional freedom of decluttering, the financial benefits if you sell the stuff and the efficient living effects from an organized environment, there are very real physical benefits to spring cleaning.

Step #5 to your Beach Bod: Detoxify your Environment

DID YOU KNOW? There are generally 3 to 4 times more dangerous pollutants and particles inside our homes than outside! Indoor air quality is an often overlooked health contributor. If you want to reduce your exposure to toxins, air out your home as much as possible. Authors Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen of YOU: Staying Young suggests at least once a week even in the summer and winter months.

This makes total sense considering that our homes nowadays are more airtight, we use poisonous products to freshen, clean and disinfect them, plus we’re spending more time indoors. The following are a few of the many ways to detoxify your home and decrease your exposure to toxins:

1. Wash your hands as soon as you come home.
2. Leave your shoes at the door.
3. Use nontoxic products (based in alcohol, peroxide, vinegar or baking soda) to scrub.
4. Use natural alternatives (natural oils, alcohol and oxygen-based cleaners.
5. Use biodegradable and non-toxic dish detergent.
6. Use woodchips instead of moth balls.
7. Dilute bleach.
8. Regular house cleaning controls pests & odours – no need to buy toxic products!
9. Filter your drinking water.
10. Use deodorant instead of antiperspirant.
11. Use ceramic, glass, paper towel or waxed paper to microwave – avoid nuking plastic.
12. Use dishtowels that you bleach every week – avoid sponges.
13. Reduce canned food consumption.
14. Air out your dry cleaning.
15. Learn about heavy metal load, toxicity, cleansing and nutritional requirements.
16. Protect pillows and beds from the bed bugs and their poo with 1-micron pore material.

These and other environmental detox suggestions are a small part of The YOU Extended Warranty Plan, a complete and holistic health plan found in Part II of You: Staying Young . I highly recommend this book! It’s super easy to read and understand, as the authors use silly and entertaining metaphors and illustrations to educate.

Let’s end this post with a few bonus tips that will help you detoxify your environment so you can free yourself from the burden of the past and start fresh!

1) Start decluttering the big stuff. The human eye likes space; the mind craves simplicity as it is often our way to calmness. If this de-stressing technique interests you, check out my favourite blog, Zenhabits.org . In the meantime, scale down your environment and create some space. Got some gym equipment you haven’t used in a year? Take a pic, write up an ad and sell it on Craig’s List or eBay . Other big tickets items may include TVs, appliances and furniture.

2) Plan in steps. Whether you go from top to bottom, front to back, biggest spaces to smallest spaces, create a plan that’ll work for you. Just don’t fool yourself and think you can get rid of 10 years of junk out of a 5 person household in a weekend. I like have a flexible spring cleaning schedule with prioritized list of tasks. `Must-do’ tasks include cleaning out the fridge and oven while decluttering my junk drawer is still important, I’d rather go for a walk.

3) Do what you want to do, when you want. There’s really no point in doing something you don’t want to do. Challenge is good for the soul while force gets you only partial results. The real mental and emotion cleansing benefits come from the journey, which leads us to the next tip…

4) Make it fun! Come on, grab a beer or whatever you fancy most and put on the tunes! Get your family involved. Or invite a friend over to help you rationally decide what can go and forever sever those emotional attachments! Consider it functional fitness and really work those muscles! Plan to order in that night, maybe pizza, because the last thing you will want to do is cook and cleanup after cleaning all day. Plan to treat yourself in other ways when your spring cleaning bonanza is done, like a manicure, a new CD or a week’s vacation.

I hope you’ve found step #5 in getting a Bodacious Beach Bod in Time for Summer helpful. If you did, Check out the rest of the series:

Step #1
Step #2
Step #3
Step #4

Do you spring clean and declutter? If so, how does it make you feel? For those who don’t see spring cleaning in the same way, what are your thoughts and experiences?

Two hottie Toronto personal trainers were featured in an article in this past Monday’s Metro. They’ve trained the likes of Miss Universe Canada , actors, Maple Leaf players, supermodels and world boxing champions. You know what they had to say about health and fitness?

“Fix your nutrition. The rest will fix itself,” says one blond, buff brother. The other Adonis says, “Nutrition is paramount. It is almost 80 per cent of the equation for performance and weight loss.”

If you haven’t heard it before, you are what you eat and so this brings us to…

Step #4 to your Beach Bod: Eat Nutritious Food

If you’re just tuning in now to the series, check out step 3 which also provides links to steps 1 and 2 , as well.

So what’s a nutritious diet NOT? According to the Metro article, anything white will only harm your body; that is, white bread, pasta, potatoes (I don’t totally agree with this one!) and sugars. Dairy (again, maybe while you’re trying to lose weight but organic dairy is chocked full of good nutrients…) and fatty foods are also on the No-No list.

What’s on the yes list? Here, I totally agree with what the Hot Tamale Smit Brothers say when they rhyme off: leafy greens, fruits, sweet potatoes, brown rice and legumes as the most nutrient-rich and caloric-deficient foods. They also say that good fats are essential to good nutrition, but choose those from fish, grape seed, almonds and uncooked olive oil. Avocados are also great but high in calories so a little should go along way.

Check out Canada’s food guidelines for a more comprehensive guide to nutrition – and while you’re there, why not peruse the other health information on healthy habits and fitness?

A Cool Test to Measure Health

What if you come across a meal or a food where you can’t remember whether or not it’s good for you? Well, have I got a neat little test for you! I came across it just last night and it’s a self-exam version of a kinesiology muscle test that was the basis of my favourite book, Power vs. Force!

Here’s Stephanie from backinskinnyjeans.com showing us her strength test (I can’t WAIT to start using it!):

So – does it work for you or what?

Earlier this week, I revealed the first step in getting a bikini-ready body was a belief in and a commitment to healthy living . The second step is essentially prepping your body and mind for regular total body workouts by starting with your centre, building core strength and stability.

Now it’s time to pay a little attention to nutrition. No worries, though, no rabbit food for you yet. This is a seemingly small step and might even be your favourite in this weight loss approach!

Step #3 to your Beach Bod: Increase Your Protein

Last month, I published a post, Heavenly, Healthy Snacks that Last , which talked about the difference in how our bodies process different types of foods. Basically, protein has a high glycemic index, which takes longer to digest, and therefore combining carbs with protein allows one to be more satisfied for longer.

But this isn’t the whole story. Protein provides the body with amino acids which are needed to build muscles and other tissue. But if protein is consumed by itself, the body will use it for energy rather than rebuilding. The body would rather process carbs for immediate energy and fiber. Adding carbs will essentially protect the protein so it can be used for other functions in maintaining body health. (Source: womenfitness.net )

But what are these other important bodily functions? And how does it help in weight loss?

We need food so we can convert it into energy to live. The equation is simple: living = caloric intake – caloric expenditure. Weight loss results when the body fails to get enough calories throughout the day to survive. It will find and burn the calories it needs to function from its storage unit, i.e. fat.

The nature of our relationship with protein is varied and complex. Protein helps maintain a healthy weight while it can also help you shed unwanted fat. We just saw how protein helps preserve and build lean muscle tissue. But protein also plays an important part in metabolism, the rate at which the body burns calories.

If you want to lose weight quickly, easily and in a healthy way, protein may just be the answer because it naturally boosts your metabolic rate . It does this in several ways:

1. Your body requires more calories to process protein because it’s harder to digest than other types of food. So the act of eating protein actually burns calories ! Burning calories to digest food is called the thermic effect .
2. Muscle mass requires more calories to simply exist and therefore raises your resting metabolic rate. This means the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn when you’re doing nothing ! This is why you often see lean people eat more than bigger people and not gain any weight.

While there’s evidence to suggest that protein helps in weight loss (I know it was a huge factor in helping me lose 25 lbs in 3 months and an overall 43 lbs, 43 inches to-date), a high protein diet is usually accompanied with unhealthy fats and too many calories.

The following tips will help you get the benefits from a high protein diet without as many negative side-effects:

1. Increase protein to about 40% each meal (40% carbs, 20% fat) – but just until you lose the weight. When you get to your ideal weight, maintain it with well-balanced, nutritious meals consisting of 45%-60% carbs (veggies, fruit and grains), 15%-30% protein (nuts, seeds, dairy, legumes and meat) and 20% – 35% fat (good fat as in olive and flax oils).*
2. Use plant protein – try hemp protein powders like those from Vega and Living Harvest . Use flavoured in your morning smoothies and plain in your green juices . I’ve also heard dulse is a good source of protein but I haven’t tried this yet. Anyone got any comments?
3. Try clean, organic meats – free-range chicken and turkey (grain fed will do if organic is unavailable), lamb, wild game, wild deep water fish (salmon , halibut , cod , mackerel, sardines). If you’re trying to lose weight, stick to the lean options which are in italics.
4. Eat 4 – 6 times a day – because of how the body processes protein, you’re burning calories each time you eat! What a concept, eh? Eat your normal 3 meals a day but in smaller portions, plus 1-3 snacks in between. Combine some healthy protein sources with complex carbs (see healthy snack ideas here).

I hope you enjoy step #3 in How to Get a Bodacious Beach Bod in Time for Summer . Just remember that because protein fills you up longer, you won’t need a lot to satisfy you – especially if you take the suggestion to eat more frequently.

And if you haven’t taken the first step yet, what are you waiting for? Be on the lookout for step #4 and in no time you’ll have a body you can’t wait to show off on the beach!

*NOTE: These are large ranges because my research findings were inconsistent. However, considering everyone is a unique individual with their own optimal levels, a range is probably better anyway so you can find out what works best for you.

If you’ve been following this series of posts , then you’ve probably already taken the first step towards your bodacious beach bod . That is, you’ve made a commitment to yourself to do something healthy everyday so you can make healthy living a habit.

If you decided to walk for a half an hour instead of watch a TV show you’re not even really interested in anyways, then you and I have something in common. That’s how I began my health journey over a year ago (and lost 43 lbs and 43 inches since then, for those who don’t already know).

Today, I’d like to share with you the second healthy activity I strategically implemented into my regime. Every second day – while I watched TV and after my 30 minute walk – I performed 1 set each of 5 core exercises which took all of 20 minutes.

Step #2 to your Beach Bod: Core Exercises

Your core is basically made up of your abdominal, lower back, butt and pelvic muscles. It is your center, where nature intended all your movements to originate from. Core strength will give you core stability , which will improve your balance, posture , breathing, mental and physical acuity while at the same time decreasing chances of injury as well as chronic back and neck pain (in most cases).

Sounds like a cure-all, doesn’t it? It IS. Core exercise is resistance training using your own body weight. This means that it builds muscle (which speeds up your metabolism) and strengthens your bones (this deserves its own post but trust me here). Plus there’s no real equipment needed besides your own body – so it’s ultra convenient and cheap !

However, I’d suggest a couple more items from the equipment department:

1. Floor mat – I use a yoga mat I got from Winners for $20
2. Stop watch – or a clock with a second hand

Pick 5 core exercises to start with, for instance these are my favourites:

1. The Plank (modified)
2. The Superman
3. Pushups (modified)
4. The Bridge
5. The Bicycle or The Bird Dog (scroll down in this link to Figures 6A – 6E)

Tips:

1. Quality vs. quantity. Did you notice I didn’t include how many repetitions were in 1 set? That’s because it’s more important to do them well with perfect technique, than doing lots of them. You will get better and faster results if you practice the movements working the muscles that the exercises were designed to work. Try reading the instructions in the above links several times, or rereading them just before you do them the first few times. Do as many as you can to make your own individualized set.
2. Forgive yourself, have patience and keep up your routine! At first, it will be difficult to perform these exercises perfectly. But as your muscles get stronger, you’ll be able to feel them more when you contract them. As time goes on (like 3 weeks), you’ll be able to better distinguish which muscles you’re working and whether they are the right or wrong ones. Have faith that you and your body will get it right eventually through practice.
3. Take your time and enjoy it. Resist rushing through your core exercises. It’s only 15 minutes for 5 of them (that’s an average of only 3 minutes each!) and if you’re doing them during commercials, then you’re not missing anything. Go slowly and get your head into it by concentrating on what your body is doing. Forget about the bills and your list of things to do. This is your health time; your investment into a better and longer life.
4. Really work it, work it hard. You can maximize the benefit of the exercise if you really focus on the movement. Sure, it’s difficult while those muscles are tensed but, man, I promise that the calm after the storm is so blessed! Besides, by really getting into it and putting your heart and mind into the exercises, you’re also practicing being “in the moment.” When you get tired or your mind wanders, it’s time to move onto the next core exercise.
5. Breathing. Holding your breath makes it harder to perform the movements. Breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth. Exhale when the exercise is the hardest (muscles are contracted) and inhale when it’s the easiest (muscles are being stretched).
6. Stretch. Help your body recover by removing the lactic acid that exercise produces. Stretching, as well as exercising, is one of the best ways to relax and relieve stress. I like to move into a restorative yoga pose between exercises.

Core exercises are my favourite because they take no time at all, so even on a really busy day I can fit them in my morning routine, fulfilling my promise of daily exercise. They are also extremely effective, working even the deepest internal abdominal muscles. Best of all, they leave me feeling balanced and calm – whether I’m just starting my day or ending it.

What are your thoughts on core strength? Anyone want to share their favourite core exercises?

Stay tuned to Step 3 in the Bodacious Beach Bod Series!

“The successful person makes a habit of doing what the failing person doesn’t like to do.” Thomas Edison

Edison had something here, but there’s more to it than this success equation suggests. Like those who fail, most successful people also dislike what they make a habit of…at first. What truly sets them apart is they find a way to enjoy it .

They’ve found the secret to turning difficult into easy . Habits are easy because they are default behaviour. They become second nature only through repetition but it’s against human nature to repeatedly do something that causes you pain, either mentally, emotionally or physically.

Successful people find the positive in what they have to do and focus on that. They know that if they persevere, they will succeed…and if they’re actually enjoying what they do – how can they fail? They also know that while change is uncomfortable at first, it only lasts awhile until they get used to it.

Step #1 to your Beach Bod: A Commitment

So you want to change. You have a belief that being healthy will give you the strength to enjoy life fully now, extend your lifetime and leave you a vibrant senior. No problem. Knowing the difference between successful people and those who fail, you can start NOW in making healthy living a habit. All you need is a commitment to yourself and you will evoke change.

Make a promise to be good to yourself everyday. Healthy living is the BEST and single most effective means of showing you that you love yourself. When you love someone, don’t you want to take care of them? It’s because you know intuitively that when you take care of something, whether it’s a car, house, plant, mate or child, it’ll last longer! So why not give yourself the same consideration?

Health is easy: feed your body prime fuel and burn it off with activity. This is what all children, animals and healthy individuals crave!

So right this second, why don’t you make a commitment to yourself that you will do something everyday to start leading a healthier lifestyle?

Tips:

1. Every day. To make healthy living long-lasting, you’ve got to make it into a habit. This means doing some form of activity and eating something healthy everyday.
2. Choose healthy alternatives that you enjoy. This is a biggie if you want to make healthy living a habit. If you like walking, choose that. If you can make walking more enjoyable with company, then find a friend who likes to walk. Make healthy living work for you.
3. Forgive yourself. You don’t have to be perfect. If you slip up, that’s cool. Just don’t make it an excuse to give up…loose a few battles but win the war.
4. Guard your commitment fiercely. Don’t let anyone or anything stand in your way. Make you and your health your number one priority. Because really, how can you lead a full life, or care for others, if you don’t have the energy? Try implementing your health plan first thing in the morning so no matter how the day pans out, you’ve fulfilled your promise.
5. Start small. Canada’s healthy living guide suggests at least 30 minutes of activity a day. So that’s what I did, I promised to get outside and walk for at least a half an hour every day. But for you, it could be adding a single fruit or vegetable to every meal or taking the stairs rather than the escalator. Make it more challenging when you get bored.
6. Don’t rush. Enjoy the journey! It’s amazing what you miss when you rush. When I walked my minimum 30 minutes, I slowed my mind down and enjoyed Nature. I listened to the birds, saw flowers I didn’t know existed, felt the bark on trees and even met a few people (and their dogs) in my neighbourhood.

These 6 tips are sure to help you make healthy living a habit. Do you have any suggestions that might help others fulfill their commitment?

Commitment evokes change. A lifelong promise to take good care of yourself is Step #1 in the Bodacious Beach Bod Series. Stay tuned for Step #2, Building Core Strength.

Spring is officially here, which means we have 3 months to prepare for the hot weather…and less clothing. If you’re slightly worried about peeling back the layers and baring skin, then this Bodacious Beach Bod Series is for YOU.

T he next six posts will uncover a 6 step approach to weight loss that can easily fit into any lifestyle. Along with the tips at the end of each post, this series will help you develop tenacious, healthy habits. I know because I did it myself! I discovered this approach last year when I lost 25 pounds in 3 months and to this day continue to lead a healthy, active lifestyle. Actually, not only have I managed to keep the weight off, I’ve lost a total of 43 pounds and 43 inches to-date!

This Bodacious Beach Bod Series focuses on nutrition and fitness (leaving out the cleansing for those who don’t believe in it). This 6 step approach will help you shed the gigglies and firm up those flabby muscles so you can take on the world! It will also increase your metabolism for long-lasting effects.

So get yourself geared up to take 6 steps closer to your health goals and make the most out of Spring…the beach bod is just a really cool side-effect.

Step #1
Step #2
Step #3
Step #4
Step #5
Step #6