Sodium is like that annoying, socially awkward kid who just can’t take a hint. No matter where you go, he’s there, usually sporting some short jorts, trying to get your attention.  He knows he’s not welcome, at least he should,  but he can’t take a hint. And then you’re bloated.

OK, so I might be mixing up my analogy here (I don’t think sodium wears cut-offs or weird kids make you retain water), but you get my point: sodium is annoying, it’s bad for you and it happens to be in everything. Which might be tasty, but is also a problem when we’re only supposed to consume around 2,300 mg of sodium a day (which is basically a teaspoon of salt). Besides the other harmful effects sodium has on the body (think high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, etc), the biggest offender – especially in bikini season – is bloating.

Blah. Bloating. Even the word sounds fat.

Summer bloat is every girl’s worst nightmare. No matter how hard we hit the gym to get fit for summer, that extra water retention always manages to come back and haunt us right before we hit the beach. So how can we prevent it? Easy, avoid sodium. And how do we avoid sodium? Well, you gotta know where to find it….

On average, only 5% of our daily sodium intake is from adding salt into our foods. The real culprits are processed and prepared foods. A whopping 77% of our daily sodium intake comes from these foods! In my personal war against all bloat-inducing-foods (BIFs?), I’ve come across a few unlikely salt culprits that you should consider before slipping on your bikinis this summer – and probs during the rest of the year too. Read More »

As a fitness blogger, there is one question I hear more than any other: “How do I get flat abs?”

People think by doing 100 crunches every night will give them a six pack when it’s actually almost the opposite. With Spring Break coming up, you may or may not be half way there to your ideal bikini body. Lucky for you, I’m sharing the best kept secrets when it comes to getting amazing abs in no time at all.

The most important thing to fix when trying to get flat abs is your diet. Start making smart choices by limiting the number of carbs you eat. Swap refined white carby foods like white rice or white bread for whole grains. Sprouted grain bread, like Ezekial, is amazingly filling and delicious. Your body actually digests this minimally processed food like a vegetable. To reduce bloating and water retention, limit sodium intake to no more than double the amount of calories per serving (i.e. If it has 100 calories, the sodium should not exceed 200 grams). Recently I was amazed at how this simple salt reduction made me simply feel skinnier. Rather than counting your calories, try and stick to real foods like vegetables, fruits, and lean protein. If you have a layer of fat over your abdominal muscles, the hard work spent doing crunches will never be appreciated. Read More »

Now that half my friends are on a diet, thanks to effing New Years, I have to share something with y’all. You know that bathroom scale that you get on every morning? It’s lying to you. You heard me. It’s lying. So, everyone can just stop freaking out about what it told you this morning, because it probably isn’t true.

There are a multitude of factors, from water consumption to plain old hormones, that can artificially – and temporarily – affect that ever important number on the scale, anywhere from 1-5 pounds in a day.

#1. Water water water.

Water can affect your weight in a couple of ways: drinking too much, and not enough. As a substance, water is pretty heavy, so if you drink a couple big glasses, you’ll see an immediate impact on your weight. On the other hand, dehydration can also lead to a higher number, because it causes the body to retain what water it does have (it thinks there’s a draught or something?). Our bodies are made of 60% water, so any changes in that arena are going to have a noticeable impact overall.

#2 Food

This one seems so obvious, but people sometimes forget that food weighs as much in your stomach as it does on your plate, at least initially. Take that into account when you step on the scale, or better yet, wait ’til you’ve digested before you get anywhere near it. Read More »