Top Ten Get-Fit-For-Spring Tips

Days are gettin' warmer, gals! My biggest get-fit motivation this year is my wedding in October. Here are the things that have really helped me kick-start my fitness program. I hope they help you out, too!

1) Gear up with comfortable, ankle-stable sneaks, and work out clothes you feel cute and shapely in.

2) Make yourself an inspiring, fun cardio mix for your ipod or walkman, and update it regularly.

3) Eat VERY CLEAN six days a week. What does 'clean' include? Lots of fish, chicken, and tofu; vegetables galore (steamed or raw, plain or with a teaspoon of olive oil or fat-free dressing); apples, pomegranates, pears, grapefruits, and berries; brown or basmati rice (what fills your cupped hand is the perfect amount of this), beans, oatmeal, one avocado a week, and low-fat dairy products. 'Clean' does not include white flour, sugar, and hydrogenated fats.

4) On your seventh day, eat WHATEVER you want, breakfast lunch and dinner. This is your chance to bake and roast and fry, go out with friends to that delicious restaurant, or cuddle up on the couch with chips and sweets. Don't feel guilty, because this is keeping your metabolism high and active by not allowing it to get used to the same low-calorie meals. Also, life is about enjoying. This way, you can enjoy your favorite foods and still look just the way you want. Plus, at the end of your 'free day,' you will be glad to get back to clean eating, trust me on this.

5) On those six clean days, try to eat like a cow, the key phrase here being: GRAZE. East four to six small rounded meals a day. Try to include a portion of healthy carbs, protein, and non-saturated fat in each of these meals.

6) GET MOVING. Start with power-walking sessions from forty-five minutes to an hour and the pounds will melt off. As you get fitter, start to take jogs once in a while. These jogs will slowly but surely turn into runs. Believe me: I started out walking for an hour, and now, two years later, I am finally able to jog for an hour. It's amazing to experience your body's strength and adaption! Other great work-outs: jump rope, tae-bo, dance, swimming.

7) Use your own body weight for strength training (sit-ups, push-ups, crunches), or join a gym and hit the weights. If you only do cardio, you will lose weight but won't change your form. In other words, if you are a pear shape, you will just shrink into a smaller pear shape. Using weights, you can sculpt your body to be balanced and lean.

8) Meditate. Keeping a clear mind and a strong heart will help you let go of habits that are holding you back from becoming the person you have always wanted to be.

9) Drink tons of water. Hungry? Drink a couple glasses of water first. Also, make herbal tea with lemon, or caffein-free chai with skim milk. (Limit your intake of fruit juices, which are mostly sugar and will just make you hungrier. Instead, if you're craving it, eat whole fruits, which will fill you with fiber.)

10) This may hurt at the beginning, but it helped me: take a 'before' photo of yourself (or have a trusted person take it of you...Ramon took mine, what a guy.) In nothing but a bikini, pose standing with your hands on your hips and your feet hip-width apart. This is going to give you a 'YIKES!' experience at first, but remember, this is only temporary as long as you do something about it. And one comforting thing: your before photo could be someone else's AFTER photo! Be thankful for your body, that you are able to walk, run, jump, stretch. Now, go out and make use of those abilities!