So you took a break from your fitness routine this summer. You ate, you drank, you relaxed, and ate some more.
Well, now it’s time to face the music.
As you look in the mirror after a summer of less-than-healthy eating… Your body is puffy and bloated. Your joints are achy. Your clothes feel tight.
Maybe you are feeling that way right now.
Here’s how to get you back on the fitness fast track.
1) Find Your Focus
Summer happened. You ate things from the “never eat these” list, you drank more that you should have…but now it’s over.
Draw a line in the sand. You’re back now so the bad eating stops now.
If you’re serious about your fitness goals, then the past few weeks were the
2) Get Hydrated
While summer days can take on many forms, the end result is most often dehydration and water retention. The only way to restore your balance is to get hydrated.
Your first priority in getting back on track is to drink plenty of water throughout the day. Start with a tall glass of water in the morning, and carry a water bottle with you to sip throughout the day.
Don’t add any artificial sweeteners or stimulants to your water – these will sabotage your hydration efforts. For flavor, add sliced fresh fruit, herbs or vegetables to your water, just like at the spa.
3) Cleanse Your System
For your first few days getting back on track I need you to be extra picky about what you eat. Stick with only whole, real foods like fruits, vegetables and lean meats. Whole, real foods will help to restore balance and block out cravings.
Don’t eat any packaged foods for the next few days. This means no snack foods, processed meat slices, dairy, baked goods or alcohol.
Try the recipe for Creole Chicken and Green Beans below – this is a wonderful, whole food dish.
4) Get Some Rest
As relaxing as summer days are, most end with the feeling of exhaustion. Make catching up on sleep a priority over the next few days.
When your body is low on sleep, it becomes easier to make poor eating choices. You’re also less likely to get back into your workouts if you don’t give your body a chance to rest.
Aim for getting a full 8 hours of sleep each night.
5) Jump Back Into Your Exercise Routine
It’s time to sweat out all those indulgences. So lace up your shoes and put on your favorite gym clothes. When you start your first workout, ease in slowly. Take the time to warm up and stretch your muscles before powering up to a solid 30-minute routine.
I have just the exercise plan for you – one that will not only help you recover from your summer but will help keep you motivated and going strong in the future.
If you haven’t joined yet, now is the perfect time for you to start. Together we will get you to your goals with my results-driven method.
Simply click the button below to claim your free consultation!
Register Today!You may feel tempted to skip your workouts rather than jumping back into your fitness routine but be warned that it’s a slippery slope. One day slides into the next day and the next day. Before you know it the holidays are here and you still haven’t gotten in a workout.
Jump into your workouts immediately. Sure, you’re going to feel a little rusty on that first day back but remember that the sooner you get back into the swing of your routine the better. You can do it!
Most comfort food dinners are packed with unhealthy fats, unnecessary calories and obscene levels of simple carbs…and flavor, lots of flavor. With this comforting Creole Chicken and Green Bean Dinner I’ve left the abundance of flavor, while removing the unhealthy fats, unnecessary calories and those pesky simple carbs. Win-win!
Enjoy this hearty, protein-rich comfort food dinner with a salad of dark leafy greens for the perfect fitness meal.
Courtesy of RealHealthyRecipes.com
What you need
Serves 6
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 ½ lbs skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
3 slices nitrate-free bacon, chopped
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
½ cup white wine
1 can (15oz) diced tomatoes
⅓ cup water
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons hot sauce
½ lb fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
Instructions
1. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, bell pepper and onion. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until tender. Transfer to a bowl.
2. Add the chicken to the skillet and generously season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned. Add the bacon and garlic and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, water, bell pepper mixture, oregano, cumin, thyme and hot sauce. Bring to a boil.
4. Add the green beans, reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Enjoy!
Nutrition
One serving equals 247 calories, 8g fat, 10g carbohydrate, 4g sugar, 327mg sodium, 4g fiber, and 29g protein
Motivate your friends, family
I don't write too many Yelp reviews, but I felt it necessary to write about Success Fitness Studio. I had horrible sciatic pains starting from my lower back and running down my left leg. I could barely walk, I would wake up in the middle of the night, and I was in excruciating pain every time I sat down and stood up. I tried acupuncture which helped a bit. I went to a doctor who prescribed me anit-inflammatory pills and sent me to physical therapy which didn't help at all. My doctor told me the next step was steroid shots or an operation. I'm a healthy 36 year old, and the thought of getting a back operation was crazy to me. I met with Success Fitness after someone recommended me, and he told me within 3-4 months I would be pain free. It was a slow process, and it took more like 6 months to be completely pain free, but I am. I have moved on from the basics, and am now doing strength and agility exercises. Their philosophy makes sense and I've learned exercises and stretches that I will do on my own for the rest my life. I'm an absolute believer in their practice and I am extremely grateful for what they have done for me. I would HIGHLY recommend checking them out if you are having back pain or other injuries that general conditioning isn't curing. DON'T get surgery before meeting with them!
I have trained with Santiago since 2005 and have achieved excellent results. After several back surgeries, Santiago is one of the few trainers I trusted to strengthen my core and tone my body without injury. He is highly experienced, extremely knowledgeable, and a wonderful person who genuinely cares about his clients. I recently moved out of the city and drive into the city 1.5 hours to continue training with him 3-4 days a week. His studio also has a very comfortable atmosphere. Everyone should have a Santiago in their corner!
Success is the workout of the future! Santiago has designed the perfect space, designed a brilliant workout philosophy and has partnered with super trainers that are 100% client-focused. The fitness world, especially in Manhattan, is filled with high-pressured salespeople, gimmicky pricing structures and trainers who are more focused on themselves than the client, not Success Fitness, Santi, Liz and Sergio; they are the real deal.
As someone who travels 60% of the time, I have found the workouts easy to remember and replicate wherever I am. Both my husband and I swear by the "matrix" we learned at Success and make it a daily part of our life now. This brief routine (only a small part of the regular workout) has completely eliminated my chronic back pain and the obvious stiffness one feels after a 9 hour flight.
The team at Success are both fun to be with and focused and a refreshing change from most other NYC gyms. You have to try to believe it!
