But somehow I feel like I’ve only won the battle, not the war, aka, Summer BBQs. With Memorial Day just around the corner, they’re a-comin’ and with them, beer, hot dogs, potato salad, chips and dip… It’s all going to tempt me beyond belief, especially once I have a few cocktails. So in an effort to maintain what I’ve worked so hard for, I’ve come up with a BBQ Game Plan.

This may sound deep, but setting an intention before I begin my day has really helped me stay on track. So why not set one before I head to any summer gathering where not-so-healthy food is involved?

Promise yourself to be kind to your body. Treat it like a temple; after all, it is what allows you to function normally everyday. Doing this will keep you conscious of your noshing choices.

Be sure healthy options are available. Find out if your friends, especially guy friends, are serving anything other than artery clogging fare. If they’re not, bring a veggie platter, and maybe some chicken or shrimp. That way you won’t be forced to eat a greasy cheeseburger.

Load up on veggies. So you’re there, you’re hungry, you see all the deliciousness being grilled and passed around. Refocus on your intention and GO FOR THE VEGETABLES. Load up on these bad boys and, of course, have the healthiest protein possible. You will fill up quickly (helloooo, fiber!) and ease the temptation for the fattier options.

Determine portion control. Okay, you’re really dying to try some macaroni or potato salad. Go ahead and indulge. BUT your serving should be small, about the size of your palm. Refrain from going back for more; remember you are in love with your new body.

Don’t drink too much. I totally lose track of my healthy eating mantra when I get drunk. Somehow I always think it’s okay to pile everything on my plate, like it doesn’t count. IT DOES. Even worse, our beloved beer, wine and the like have plenty of calories that will only add to the count, so that’s another reason to pace yourself.

I know this may sound really inconvenient and lame, but if you want to develop healthier habits when it comes to summer parties and barbecues (and not have to skip out on them because you’re afraid you’ll throw away everything you’ve worked for), it’s best to start off on the right foot, right now.

Remind yourself of those intense cardio sessions, thousands of crunches, hot yoga classes as well as the healthier food choices you’ve made. You are proof that dedication to your health and fitness works. Stay strong and satisfied with your beautiful bikini body.

It’s strange, but for some reason spending 45 minutes on the elliptical feels unnatural when the weather starts warming up. It’s like lying in a tanning bed when it’s 80 degrees and sunny outside.

Clearly, I’ve already grown tired of my normal workout routine for the year.

The solution? Exploring outdoor activities that will provide me with a sense of adventure as I tone up. Now you may be wondering, “Hmm, is there really anything fun out there that will burn lots of calories?” I felt the same. But the reality is, YES, YOU ABSOLUTELY CAN! Check out these options below.

Kayaking
Benefits: Tones arms, chest, back and stomach. The paddle movement works every muscle in the upper body.
Calorie Burn: 300-400 calories per hour; this stat depends on your weight — the more you weigh the more calories you burn.

Rock Climbing
Benefits: Improves strength and endurance in calves, shoulders and core, as well as flexibility in the hips and hamstrings. Coordination, balance and mental focus will also be sharpened. Many climbers report a heightened sense of self-confidence and independence.
Calorie Burn: 600-700 calories per hour!!
** Beginners should look for an indoor climbing facility in their area. This is the best way to learn the ropes.

Surfing
Benefits: Improves endurance, balance (incredibly) and challenges all muscles groups. Surf stroke is also a great stress reducer and is an intense upper body work out.
Calorie Burn: 400 per 2 hour period. Most surfers spend half the day surfing, so that can burn up to 1200 calories!!!

Swimming
Benefits: Builds endurance, muscles strength and cardiovascular fitness. It can also be a very meditative exercise.
Calorie Burn: 300-400 per hour at a moderate pace.

Running on the Beach
Benefits: Increases endurance, stamina and builds muscle; the right way to run on the beach is to a) stay off the soft sand, run close to the tide, b) run at low tide which gives you a much firmer surface to run, and c) split the distance or time of your run in half so that both feet get equal time on a not-so-level running surface. (i.e. if you’re running for 30 minutes, turn around and go in the other direction at the 15 minute mark.)
Calorie Burn: 500-600 calories per half hour (seriously!!!). Because sand provides a greater resistance, you body has to work almost twice as hard to move against the surface.

Volleyball
Benefits: Increases agility, hand-eye coordination, strength … and social skills! There is nothing more fun/hilarious than getting a bunch of buds together for a match on the beach or sand pit.
Calorie Burn: 200-250 calories per hour (clearly not as great a workout as the others!)

So get out there and take advantage of the long, warm, sunny days coming your way. You’ll really have the chance to see what your body is capable of and, who knows, maybe you’ll find a true passion (or extremely hot guy) along the way.

When I conjure up the image of a serious runner, I envision a muscular man in inappropriately short shorts, wearing a work belt of water bottles, a knee brace, and slurping energy gel packs. I’ve seen this person too many times and although I classify myself as a runner, I doubt I’ll ever sport water bottles at my hips. I do, however, very much identify with needing knee support.

Too many times, my running activity is hindered by pain. After numerous doctor’s visits and trips to the physical therapist, I’ve learned that chondromalacia patella or “Runner’s Knee” is the cause. This is when your knee cap rubs against one side of the knee joint … ugh, I just cringe at the thought of it. As you can imagine, I’ve gotten accustomed to believing that running would and always will be a battle when it comes to the condition of my knees.

But I don’t want to stop running!
And according to a recent article in the New York Times, I might not have to.

So often we hear that running causes joint problems or arthritis, among many other injuries. Now new evidence suggests that running may actually shield against something like arthritis, in part because the knee develops a kind of motion groove. “You can run for miles, decades, a lifetime, without harming it. But if this exquisite balance is disturbed, usually by an injury, the loading mechanisms shift, the moving parts of the knee are no longer in their accustomed alignment and a ‘degenerative pathway’ seems to open. The cartilage, like an unbalanced tire, wears away. Pain, tissue disintegration and, eventually, arthritis can follow.”

Yeah, sounds painful. But that also means that there is a way to prevent injury to our knees and keep on runnin’.

Obviously, we must avoid injuring our knees in the first place. Duh. And we must also do whatever we can to correct those injuries so they don’t get worse. This begins with targeted strength training. “The hip stabilizers, quads, hamstrings, and core must all be strong enough. As soon as there is weakness, some other muscle or joint must take over, and that’s when injuries happen.” Here are some great strengthening exercises that will build up support for those knees and keep ‘em happy.

I’m delighted to hear that my favorite pastime (besides Project Runway marathons) does not have to end due to silly knee pain. I haven’t quite got that “motion groove” thing down yet, but when I do I’ll be able to run until I’m wrinkley and gray… at which point I may give in and strap on a water bottle utility belt.

New Year’s Eve, many moons ago, I spent the end of the evening hugging the toilet at my parents’ house. I recall my mother saying, in that all-too-knowing tone, “See Blair, alcohol is poison.”

“Thanks, Mom. Blahhhhh!”

At that moment, while I agreed completely, I still felt like telling her to shut up. I needed her back there holding my hair, not scolding me for drinking “poison.”

Never would I have imagined – in my wildest dreams! – later reading articles boasting, “Alcohol is Good for You!”

But here we are in 2009 and it’s been proven that wine, and now beer and liquor, provide certain benefits to the body.

As we know, wine has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, fight aging, and improve lung function. This is due to the flavanoids found in red wine that act as antioxidants, as well as the effects in red grape skin (MSNBC.com). But beer and hard alcohol are now showing their good-for-you colors, too. Beer contains vitamin B6, which prevents the buildup of homocysteine, a chemical linked with heart disease (FitnessMagazine.com). (It’s kind of hard to believe that beer has a vitamin in it, but those people at Fitness Magazine know what they’re talking about…) And drinking hard alcohol will raise your good HDL cholesterol levels, something that is obviously very beneficial to people with high cholesterol.

Ok, so clearly there is a catch: In order to receive these benefits, we must drink our drinks in moderation. Booo, I know. But sipping too much too often will only counter the good effects by increasing the risk of certain cancers and liver disease.

But, still, the next time you choose to just have one or two glasses of wine, or beer, or vodka and club soda, remember that you are doing your body a favor. And be sure to tell your mom that, too.

I’ve resisted buying the iPhone for three reasons.

A) It’s freakin expensive.
B) EVERYONE has one and, well, I just don’t want to be like everyone else.
C) If my boss was to find out I have internet access at all times, she will think it’s OK to email me outside office hours.

But recently I spent hours, yes hours, playing with my friend’s iPhone: I visited FMyLife.com, I Facebook-stalked, I discovered there are health and fitness applications! It was the most fun I’ve ever had.

So before I bite the bullet and buy one of these suckers, I want to share my fave nutrition and fitness-related apps with you.

1) The LIVESTRONG.com Calorie Tracker
If you’re like me and often find yourself looking up the calorie content in everything, this one is for you. Not only does it help keep track of your daily calorie intake, but you can also see how many calories you’ve burned throughout the day.

2) Restaurant Nutrition
This one is a little scary, especially if you tend to hit up Chili’s too much. It provides you with nutritional information for 37 popular chain restaurants. So before you order that bacon cheeseburger, check your iPhone. You may want to pass.

3) Weightbot
So cute (!) and apparently one of the most popular apps. When you launch it, you enter your height, weight loss goal, and the date you want to reach it by. Then each day, you enter your weight and it will calculate your BMI. It basically just helps you see your weight loss progress so you can stay on track and not forget about your goals.

4) iFitness
A personal trainer on my phone? Hell yea. From the home screen, you can access specific exercises, workouts, and pre-set routines. Once you get to the exercise screen, the real fun happens: you can browse exercises per muscle group or individual muscle. An actual series of images will show you how to perform each movement. And finally, you can create your own workout. Pretty sweet.

5) RunKeeper
For all you serious runners, bikers, and hikers, this app will be especially useful. It allows you to track your distance, speed, and pace (among other things) with the iPhone’s built-in GPS. But if you’re a casual runner, this one won’t do much for you — check out the next one.

6) Fitnio
This aerobic tracking app is the most simple. Similarly to RunKeeper, it allows you to track your distance, your speed, and your calorie burn, but is much easier to understand and use. I’d probably go with this one if your new to cardio…or just too lazy to figure out the more difficult application.

As I sit writing this, I even see 6-year-olds playing with an iPhone.
That’s it. I’m getting one today. I’ll report back with my level of satisfaction/calories burned.

That’s still what I think about traditional medicine: It can be severely invasive. Are objects and chemicals meant to be stuck into our bodies? To me, it just seems a bit unnatural, not to mention painful.

Since establishing my own set of ideas about life, society and health, I’ve become immensely involved with holistic healing. I know, I sound like a total kook; but this stuff is not only interesting, it’s also effective. I swear.

Our whole lives we have been poked and prodded, whether it be due to an injury or simply because we are female. Every sickness we’ve had has been treated alone as if the body is incapable of attacking the problem itself. Truth be told, our bodies definitely need some assistance with the big bad ones, like cancer, heart disease, etc. But not in the way we’ve learned. Evidence is mounting that diet and lifestyle are the best cures for our worst afflictions.

The latest scientific studies, according to www.altmed.com, show that “simple choices that we make in our lifestyle — what we eat, how we respond to stress, whether or not we smoke cigarettes, how much exercise we get, and the quality of our relationships and social support — can be as powerful as drugs and surgery.” I think this makes so much sense. Just think how amazing you feel post-workout, when laughing with friends, or when hugging your mom … All of that is healing.

“When you eat a healthier diet, quit smoking, exercise, meditate, and have more love in your life, then your brain receives more blood and oxygen, so you can think more clearly, have more energy, and need less sleep. Your face gets more blood flow, so your skin glows more and wrinkles less. Your heart gets more blood flow, so you have more stamina and even begin to reverse heart disease,” says Deeprak Chopra, the author of more than 50 books on mind, body and spirit.

So how can you get more holistic? Yoga, acupuncture, and ayurveda.

Yoga: Promotes Stress-relief and Weight-loss.
The most familiar form of non-traditional physical exercise has incredible benefits. Aside from increasing flexibility, lubrication in joints, and blood supply to various parts of the body, yoga harmonizes the mind and body, as well as creates calmness and emotional balance. I think most people brush it off as a non-workout because there’s very little sweating involved. But try to see it as a whole body therapy, a way of transforming yourself from the inside out. This practice allows you to develop a different relationship with your body, one that makes you appreciate it more for all this it does. When this happens you’re much less likely to shovel cheeseburgers and pastries into your mouth.

Acupunture: Relieves Anxiety, Insomnia, Menstrual Cramps, Back Pain
This form of Chinese medicine consists of inserting and manipulating fine filiform needles into specific points in the body. This technique is used to re-balance the energy pathways located throughout the body. It may sound a little crazy, but studies show that regular treatment relieves back pain better than the more traditional methods.

Ayurveda: Promotes Digestive Health
Ayurveda is defined as a system of healing based on homeopathy and naturapthy, with an extensive use of herbs. Yeah, sounds a bit out there, right? According to it’s philosophy, “universal life force manifests as three different energies, or doshas, known as vata, pitta, and kapha,” says Yoga Journal. What that means is that everyone has their own nutritional needs and this holistic method allows you to fine tune exactly what you should be eating for your body. To learn more about this go to YogaJounrnal.com; they have some really informative articles.

So who knows? Maybe giving alternative medicine a try will open your world and improve chronic problems you’ve been experiencing for years. Or maybe not. But why not give it shot? Pun intended.

I’ve always known caffeine isn’t the best method to induce an energy boost, but I think it’s usually the easiest and most available choice. (Plus it’s an appetite suppressant, which satisfies the slightly calorie obsessed voice in my head.)

In an effort to make myself more nutritionally savvy and less lethargic, moody, or bitchy, I’ve uncovered which foods mend any state of mind and body. These foods are better for your bod and much more effective than the sugar/caffeine you usually turn to in your times of need.

Lacking Energy
Grab a handful of trail mix, and I’m not talking about the fattening, full-of-disgusting-preservatives kind. I mean, nuts and raisins. Nuts, like almonds, peanuts, and cashews stock the body with protein and magnesium which is important in metabolism, nerve function, and muscle function. All things we need to stay alert.

Feeling Fat
Ugh, I hate these moments and the last thing I’d ever want to do is eat. But research suggests you eat some lean meat. The protein fills you up and speeds your metabolism, which ultimately cuts cravings. High-protein diets have been proven to help build muscle and attack extra belly fat. Although I’m not sure I totally believe this one, I’m willing to give it a go.

Hanging Over
Usually when I get home from a long evening of binge drinking, I’ll eat multiple slices of pizza and chug glasses upon glasses of water. Apparently we can do more to ward off feeling like poo the next day: Drink O.J. Fructose, a sugar found in orange juice, can speed the body’s metabolism of alcohol by as much as 25%, so by morning you’ll feel almost normal. The Vitamin C also helps combat cell damage that results from excessive drinking.

Getting Laid
Unfortunately there isn’t a food out there that will ensure you get action whenever you want. However, if you need a little help getting in the “mood,” dark chocolate is the best way to go. The cocoa in chocolate contains stimulants that increase your body’s sensitivity, as well as a chemical that can give you a slight natural high. A study found that women who ate chocolate (with at lease 60% cacao), had a higher sex drive than those who didn’t. Um, any excuse to eat chocolate sounds good to me.

Working Out
In the past, I’ve been unsure about what to eat post-workout. I know it should include protein, but it’s been proven that carbs are very important too: 20-30 grams of protein along with 50-65 grams of carbohydrates help build new muscle and repair old muscle. So grab a slice of toast with peanut butter or some brown rice with chicken.

It’s kind of incredible how certain foods affect the body. Eating the right thing at the right time can make all the difference!

I love spinning. It’s probably the most intense 30-45 minute sweat session I have, a) because the instructor pushes me super hard, b) because I like competing with the other people in the class (whoever goes the fastest wins, right?), and c) because I totally heart the rockin,’ music.

But when I’m on my own on the treadmill or elliptical, it seems I don’t achieve quite the same level of exercise. I know it’s because I don’t have someone yelling at me to go faster, but I think it also has something to do with the lame playlist on my iPod.

So in an effort to motivate us all, I’ve created the best tunage combo for your next cardio session. There are the slower songs to get you all warmed up, the hardcore tunes to get you through the tough parts of the workout, and some more chill songs to bring that heart rate back to normal.

You don’t need a teacher kicking your butt; your iPod can do it for you. Just set up this playlist and you’re on your way.

Warming up:

1. “I Kissed a Girl” – Katy Perry
2. “We Break the Dawn” – Michelle Williams
3. “Ooh Yeah” – Moby

Getting into it:

4. “4 Minutes” – Madonna & Justin Timberlake
5. “Disturbia” – Rhianna
6. “Forever” – Chris Brown (My absolute fave!)
7. “Damaged” – Danity Kane
8. “So What” – Pink
9. “Addicted” – Saving Abel
10. “Use Somebody” – Kings of Leon
11. “Boots of Chinese Plastic” – The Pretenders
12. “I Don’t Care” – Fall Out Boy
13. “Universal Mind Control” – Common
14. “Something Is Not Right with Me” – Cold War Kids
15. “Psychosocial” – Slipknot

Cooling down:

16. “Dreamin’ of You” – Bob Dylan
17. “Mercy” – Duffy
18. “It’s Amazing” – Jem
19. “Not Now But Soon” – Imogen Heap
20. “Energy” – Keri Hilson

There you have it. Now get to the gym and push that tush!!!

Before you dismiss this as just another article about the master cleanse, please read on!

Studies have proven that liquid cleanses, like the juice cleanse, the infamous master cleanse, and even the water with lemon cleanse, are more harmful to the body than beneficial. Probably because girls tend to do them for weeks, even months at a time, to lose weight.

We forget that the purpose of a cleanse is to help rid the body of toxins from processed foods and from our environment, not to become anorexic for a week.

Every day our body is exposed to chemicals from car exhaust, pollution, and the very lotion we apply to our skin. We breathe in harmful particles floating in the air. We eat fruit that has been soaked in pesticides and meat that has been injected with antibiotics.

Our incredible bodies constantly filter out all of these toxins on an a daily basis — it is a self-healing, self-renewing and self-cleansing organism. However, all of this can be too much and we find ourselves feeling sluggish and unhealthy. This indicates that your body needs some help. A holistic detox is the best method.

Here’s how:

1. Purchase an internal cleansing system.
I am currently finishing up the Whole Body Cleanse (2 week cleanse) made by Enzymatic Therapy and love it. The box includes 3 bottles of supplements: Super Milk Thistle  – stimulates toxin-clearing bile flow, Fiber Fusion – daily cleansing fiber binds to toxins so they don’t get reabsorbed into your bloodstream, and The Laxative Formula – gently purges the intestines of built up toxins, makes sure the toxins are carried out of your body for thorough detoxification. I have experienced zero abdominal discomfort from this and it definitely hasn’t made me feel like I have to run to the bathroom every five minutes.

2. Change your diet.
In conjunction with the internal cleansing system, you need to make your diet super healthy.
- Avoid all refined carbs including white flour and sugar.
- Avoid all foods with chemical preservatives and flavorings including foods that contain toxic elements.
- Drink at least one to two liters of pure water daily.
- Eat ripe fruits and vegetables that are free of chemical fertilizers.
- Minimize coffee, tea, dairy products, and … alcohol (I know, this is a toughie).
- Eat protein like white fish and chicken.

3. Sweat and sleep.
Do some moderate exercise so that you can sweat out the toxins as well. If you don’t feel up for this and have access to a sauna at your gym, use it. Also, sleep is so so important. I think many of us forget that we need more bed-time than we actually give ourselves. Getting 8 hours of shut-eye will determine your appetite, energy and mood.

Within 2 weeks of practicing theses lifestyle changes, you should notice a significant improvement in not only how you feel, but how you see your body. It’s given me a new appreciation for the incredible support it gives me on a daily basis. Show your bod some love too!!

It’s strange, but for some reason spending 45 minutes on the elliptical feels unnatural this time of year. It’s like lying in a tanning bed when you it’s 80 degrees and sunny outside.

Clearly I’ve slightly, OK totally, abandoned my usual workout routine.

The solution? Exploring outdoor activities that will provide me with a sense of adventure as I tone up. Now you may be wondering, “Hmm, is there really anything fun out there that will burn lots of calories?” I felt the same. But the reality is, YES, YOU ABSOLUTELY CAN! Check out these options below. 

Kayaking
Benefits: Tones arms, chest, back and stomach. The paddle movement works every muscle in the upper body.
Calorie Burn: 300-400 calories per hour; this stat depends on your weight — the more you weigh the more calories you burn.

Rock Climbing
Benefits: Improves strength and endurance in calves, shoulders and core, as well as flexibility in the hips and hamstrings. Coordination, balance and mental focus will also be sharpened. Many climbers report a heightened sense of self-confidence and independence.
Calorie Burn: 600-700 calories per hour!!
** Beginners should look for an indoor climbing facility in their area. This is the best way to learn the ropes.

Surfing
Benefits: Improves endurance, balance (incredibly) and challenges all muscles groups. Surf stroke is also a great stress reducer and is an intense upper body work out.
Calorie Burn: 400 per 2 hour period. Most surfers spend half the day surfing, so that can burn up to 1200 calories!!!

Swimming
Benefits: Builds endurance, muscles strength and cardiovascular fitness. It can also be a very meditative exercise.
Calorie Burn: 300-400 per hour at a moderate pace.

Running on the Beach
Benefits: Increases endurance, stamina and builds muscle; the right way to run on the beach is to a) stay off the soft sand, run close to the tide, b) run at low tide which gives you a much firmer surface to run, and c) split the distance or time of your run in half so that both feet get equal time on a not-so-level running surface. (i.e. if you’re running for 30 minutes, turn around and go in the other direction at the 15 minute mark.)
Calorie Burn: 500-600 calories per half hour (seriously!!!). Because sand provides a greater resistance, you body has to work almost twice as hard to move against the surface.

Volleyball
Benefits: Increases agility, hand-eye coordination, strength … and social skills! There is nothing more fun/hilarious than getting a bunch of buds together for a match on the beach or sand pit.
Calorie Burn: 200-250 calories per hour (clearly not as great a workout as the others!)

So get out there and take advantage of the long, warm, sunny days. You’ll really have the chance to see what your body is capable of, and who knows, maybe you’ll find a true passion (or extremely hot guy) along the way.