Summatime!

Oh how I love summer in San Diego! Wonderful weather; early morning work-outs at the beach; cool breezes; lazy beach days reading favorite books; watching my kids surf and play beach volleyball; the aroma of BBQ's firing up around me cooking burgers and hotdogs. Potato chips and fresh lemonade! What's not to love about that?

Are you beach body ready? Are you loving your abs in your colorful, new Trina Turk bikini? Or, are you glued to your lawnchair wearing a cover up and dark sunglasses hoping not to be seen? Don't waste your summer sitting in a chair missing out on the action! I want you to get involved in your BEST life and participate but I know that if you don't feel great about yourself, you avoid these fun activities.

So here is my challenge and I want you to try this. I am listing the Top 7 Things that have helped me lose weight and get in shape. These are things that I do on a DAILY BASIS. See if you can do at least 5 of them per day and then please email me and tell me if you noticed any changes &/or feel any different about yourself. (success142617@yahoo.com)

1) Wake up every morning early with a NEW ATTITUDE and see it as a fresh start. Forget about what happened yesterday even if you scarfed down a whole pizza; drank way too much red wine or sat on the couch watching Netflix all day. We have all had those days - let go of the guilt.

2) Hydrate!!! Have a big glass of water before your first cup of morning coffee. I guarantee, you won't drink as much coffee if you drink water first. Then agree to drink another glass of water every time you refill your coffee. When it comes to coffee...try an organic, free trade, dark roasted brand such as Papua. Less acid therefore gentler to your stomach.

3) Exercise!!! I prefer to get this done first thing in the morning because it sets me in a more positive mood for the day and helps me stay disciplined with my eating all day long. If you need to have a bite to eat before you work out - do it. I prefer to work out on an empty stomach and then eat afterwards but that's just what works for me. Exercise doesn't have to be grueling and strenuous. If you are just getting started, I recommend walking briskly for 1-3 miles outdoors. If you have a treadmill - jack it all the way up to incline #15 and walk as fast as you can for 30 min. You will burn triple the calories walking uphill.

4) Drink lots of filtered water all day long and add a slice of lemon to it. I got this tip from my 77 year old mom. She drinks water with lemon constantly and she has beautiful, plump skin - very few wrinkles. The lemon also helps alkalinize your body; increases your metabolism and keeps the internal fires burning. This is an area I am definitely striving to improve with. I am like a camel and I sometimes go all day and forget to drink water - ugh!

5) Eat small meals frequently consisting of raw fruits and vegetables. When I say "meals" this could be simply a whole sliced Green apple with a handful of raw walnuts; raw crudites with a yummy Greek yogurt dipping sauce; a sliced, grilled chicken breast on a bed of arugula with a squeeze of lemon juice. Keep it clean and simple and opt for leaner, fresher, organic ingredients! If you crave crunchy, salty snacks like me, try a bowl of steamed edamame (soy beans) sprinkled with tamari (gluten-free soy sauce); a bowl of air popped popcorn sprinkled with a little garlic salt or parmesan cheese; rice crackers spread with hummus; toasted sesame Nori snacks (available at Costco).

6) Stop eating by 7:00 p.m! during the work week. Enough said.

7) Focus on your health first; weight second. If you put the emphasis on being healthier - I promise you will lose weight. Please don't weigh yourself until you have spent at least one month purely focused on nutrition, exercise and hydration. Here's one quote from a well respected personal trainer: "There are three kinds of people in this world: Those who never weigh themselves, those who occasionally hop on a scale, and those who obsess about their weight daily. I get asked all the time, “How often should I weigh myself?” My answer is simple: Don’t bother!"

I hope you are up for the CHALLENGE - see you at the Beach!!!

Work-Out Wednesday at Fletcher Cove, Solana Beach
7:00 - 7:55 a.m.

Check out my Healthy Recipes in Jonny Bowden & Jeannette Bessinger's latest cookbook: