Gloss How-To: Shed Those Holiday Pounds

Posted on January 3, 2012 by Lolita Carrico

So, we’re a few days into the New Year and maybe also indulged a bit too much over the holidays and have a few extra pounds you’d like to shed.

We talked to celebrity fitness trainer Valerie Waters — she’s helped Jennifer Garner, Jessica Biel, Cindy Crawford and others maintain their fab figures — and got her best tips & tricks on how to recover from holiday weight gain and achieve your best body in 2011:

How To Shed Those Holiday Pounds…and Keep Them Off!

SET A DEADLINE

It’s easy for me to get clients in shape because usually, when they call me, they have a hard fast deadline to meet. It may be the Golden Globes, a bikini photo shoot, or a sexy scene in a movie that has lit a fire under them, but the bottom line is: everyone does better with a deadline! Even if you don’t have your own Red Carpet moment coming up, you can still pick a date – ideally about 6 weeks out – and circle it on the calendar. Plan a photo shoot or a special night out for that date, and then commit to doing your very best between now and then. You will be amazed at how much you can accomplish.

MOTIVATION FOLLOWS ACTION – SO TAKE ACTION

You think you lack motivation to start an exercise program, but it’s hard to get motivated while sitting on the couch. Sign up for a 6-week bootcamp, get a friend to meet you for a spin or yoga class, or join a new gym. The point is to take some action and then build on that. Once you start to see results, your motivation will soar.

STRENGTH CIRCUITS RULE

If you want to lose weight, shape your body, tone your arms and/or get stronger, you need to strength train. If you do it in a circuit, not only will you burn tons of calories, you will be in and out of the gym in no time flat! I like big circuits. My most popular Red Carpet Ready Workouts typically have 3 circuits that you complete 2 to 3 times.

EXAMPLE OF A RED CARPET READY CIRCUIT:

-          Sumo Squat   15 x 15 lbs

-          2 Arm Row     15 x 5-8 lbs

-          Valslide Reverse Lunge    12-15 each leg

-          Dumbbell Chest Press       12 x 12 lbs

-          Straight Leg Cross & Touch     20 each

-          Valslide 1 Arm Slide     10 each

LEARN TO COOK AND CONTROL THE SOURCE

You can lose weight and eat healthy if you don’t cook but it is so much easier if you learn to cook a few simple things. Even if you try really hard to order healthy while eating out, restaurant portions are often too big and have lots of added fat or sugar. By learning a few simple recipes, you eat healthy but delicious meals! You will also have a greater sense of how much fat, sugar and salt you are consuming. My Red Carpet Ready program comes with a bunch of healthy, easy to prepare recipes, but you can also find some for free on my blog at www.ValerieWaters.com

Also check out: www.livewell360.com , www.thehealthytippingpoint.com , www.ohsheglows.com for amazing, healthy recipes.

GET SOMETHING NEW

There’s nothing like a new fitness tool or gadget to pump up your workouts again.

My favorites are:

VALSLIDE: This revolutionary new exercise tool creates mild instability, turning every exercise into a core exercise. The smooth, sliding motion makes exercises seem easier, while the continuous tension on the muscles makes each move more effective. To see Jennifer Garner demonstrate the Valslide on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, go HERE

GYMBOSS TIMER: This interval timer will give your workout the structure and discipline you need to go to the next level. Plus, it makes your workout fun!

VALBAND: This mini band looks innocent, but it will work your hips and glutes like nothing else – an absolute must for glute activation.

TRX: TRX is a type of training that uses your own body weight and gravity, to build strength, balance, coordination, flexibility, core and joint stability, all while preventing injuries.

KETTLEBELLS: kettlebells offer users a wider range of motion than dumbbells that sit in the palm of the hand, and they also better simulate the way we carry things in our daily lives. If you’ve been using dumbbells, kettlebells are a great way to switch things up and introduce a new tool into your workouts.

DRINK MORE WATER

If you are feeling bloated, chances are you’re not drinking enough water. Water is vital to your digestion, your organs and your metabolism. If you are consistently not drinking enough water, your body will hold on to water to protect itself. Drinking more water allows your body to release the bloat.