SPRING TIME !!

Even though its only March 15th, the weather has been absolutely GORGEOUS in New York, and I think (hope) it's safe to kiss winter goodbye. With Spring here, the days are getting longer, and SUMMER SUN is going to be here before we know it. Don't wait until you realize last summer's shorts don't fit you. Don't wait until your friend invites you to the beach and you realize you look like a whale in your bikini. For me, everyday I need to be bikini ready. No, not because I spend my days at the beach, but because I like to keep myself in beach shape all year round. Some people like to put on a few pounds over winter, or eat more due to seasonal depression/cold weather, etc. Well, before you all start complaining that you don't have enough time to get your body beach ready, I'm telling you to START NOW!! 
--Bikini Bod workout schedule
--Get your butt to the gym 6 days a week, take one "rest" day.
--Split those 6 days like this: 5 cardio sessions, 5 weight training sessions, 1 do whatever the heck you want day. (I like to use the "do whatever you want" day if I'm too sore to follow my initial workout plan, or maybe to just do a 4 mile run, or do some conditioning. Its more of the "no pressure" mindset that I think is important to give yourself at least once a week.)
-----A note on the "rest" day: If you're training super hard , you NEED this day. Don't do a yoga class. Don't do some light cardio just because you can. REST your muscles. They need the extra time to rebuild so that you can rip them to shreds again the upcoming week.


Now, this is totally optional, but if you want a SAMPLE layout of how to split your cardio/strength.. and avoid going to the gym twice a day...here's where I would start for the first 2-3 weeks


Day 1: work shoulders+back, follow with 30-45 minutes steady-state cardio (INTENSE THOUGH)
Day 2: 30 minutes HIIT cardio, Train biceps and triceps
Day 3: do whatever you want
Day 4: 20 minutes of near-death intensity cardio, train legs (think glutes/hams/quads)
Day 5: Train chest and extra abs, follow with 45-60 minutes steady state cardio
Day 6: Train weakest area, Heavy weight, entirely burn the muscles, follow with 30 minutes of almost death cardio
Day 7:REST YOUR BODY ! 


See, this is simply ONE example of the ONE MILLION ways you could plan a week of working out. And if you plan seven days ahead, you really cant predict how your body is going to respond, so you might need to tailor throughout the week. One thing I didn't put in the plan is ABS ... because you should be hitting them throughout your workouts , anywhere from 4-6 days a week. See how a plan like this works after 2 weeks or so, and then make some changes accordingly. If you have lots of fat to lose, you might need more cardio, or use that "do whatever you want" option to put some cardio in. Cardio is a super vague term also, if you're a runner, you're probably going to run. If you're an elliptical queen...PLEASE up the ante. Keep the incline above 10 at all times and push the resistance. I used the elliptical today because my legs were SHOT from my leg workout yesterday, and spent an hour on the damn machine between levels 10-20. On sore legs. Uhh..if that's not some motivation for you little cardio bunnies...


Anyway, embrace SPRING, and get yourself a HOT string bikini (or speedo, for you men reading this...) for the beach! If you live on the East Coast, you have at least 3 months, so use every second!! Follow my blog for diet tips and fitness tips as usual :-) 






While I'm not trying to get in beach shape...I am trying to drop a looooot of weight for something else... so let's do it together! 


Cheers to spring! 
xoxoxo