1. Make a Playlist
A playlist tailored to your favorite kinds of music can make your hour in the gym one of the quickest and most enjoyable of the day. Here’s one of my favorite, go-to, super-girly playlists for a kick-butt workout. Now go run – ramp up the resistance on the elliptical, or hop on a bike.
- The Naked and the Famous, “Young Blood”
- Karmin, “Brokenhearted”
- Icona Pop, “I Love It”
- Kaci Battaglia, “Crazy Possessive”
- Darude, “Sandstorm”
- Robyn, “Include Me Out”
- Martin Solveig & Dragonette, “Big in Japan”
- Jessie James, “Wanted”
- Ellie Goulding, “Anything Could Happen”
I love this playlist so much that I will personally and publically apologize to any doll who uses this playlist and doesn’t have one of the best workouts of her life. #gorun
2. Work toward a Goal
While you’re jamming to your new, awesome playlist, set a goal for yourself, and envision yourself accomplishing that goal. Have a dance or party coming up? A wedding? A vacation? Set a goal that has some kind of a time limit attached to it. Remember, however, that the goal is not to be “thin” for this event or that vacation. The ultimate goal is to be “fit for life.” But you can be fit for life and sexy in your bikini while sipping lemon-water poolside. #majorwin
3. Try Something New
Challenge yourself to try a new kind of exercise. Better yet? Try something that scares you. I’m an avid spinner and Pilates girl. Dance classes have always terrified me. As an ex-cheerleader, my sense of rhythm involves choppy, broken motions accompanied by awkward one-syllable shouts – aka cheers. Not so pretty among a group of practiced, elegant ballet or Zumba dancers. Upon trying a new class, I will go to the class seeking a new kind of killer workout but will leave hopefully with a sense of accomplishment because I tried something out of my comfort zone. Practice makes perfect, so I know I will eventually improve upon the moves that I learn if I continue to attend the class. If I don’t like it, all I lost was an hour of my time and about 500 calories. #burningupthedancefloor
4. Choose Healthy when Hungry
Feeling down and sluggish? When putting on your sneakers, charging your iPod and heading to the gym sound like the worst, hardest things in the world, it’s easy to reach for your baby tub of Ben & Jerry’s and think, “I’ll workout and start my diet tomorrow.” It’s hard to pick yourself up midday, but trust me, if you can accomplish this, you will instantly feel better. It takes tremendous self-control and personal strength to challenge your laziness. If you can’t get to the gym, do some push-ups and crunches. If you can’t bear to break even the slightest sweat, stick to super healthy, energy-boosting, nutrient-rich snacks and meals. Instead of setting yourself back a whole day by double-dipping in laziness (skipping the gym and over-indulging in your food of choice), give yourself a break by skipping the gym and treat your body right by fueling it with clean, wholesome foods that will help you power through your workout tomorrow. Change your mindset from, “I’ll start tomorrow,” to “I’m being good to myself and my body right now.” #ilovemybody
5. Don’t Focus on Numbers
Losing motivation because the numbers on the scale haven’t budged? Forget the scale. In my personal experience, only scales in doctors’ offices are truly accurate, as they are calibrated frequently and carefully. Additionally, remember that muscle weighs more than fat, meaning that you can drop a jeans size and actually see the number on the scale increase. Finally, your weight fluctuates significantly throughout the day, and water weight is a huge factor. Focus on strength, muscle tone, endurance and energy instead of the number on the scale, and you will get the results that you want. #musclesaresexy