Does it get more Action Hero Babe than that?

And, hey, while earning high espionage marks and adorning her arms with bracelets that fire the “Widow’s Bite” might not be on the average gal’s to-do list, that’s not to say that we wouldn’t mind a little femme fatale attitude in our lives.

Believe it or not, Johansson said slipping into the role of Black Widow –– a world class athlete, gymnast and expert martial artist –– didn’t come easily. Instead, a ton of strength and agility training, and fight choreography were involved, something Johansson said, “you just suck it up and do it.” Well, if the actress in her leaves-little-to-the-imagination costume isn’t proof that hard work pays off, then I don’t know what is!

So how do you channel your inner Black Widow? An Action Hero Babe has to be strong, fast and energetic, and she absolutely has to know how to flex her brain muscles. And, of course, let’s be honest –– an Action Hero Babe has to be hot!

Fired up? Awesome. Here’s how to become a BADASS like Johansson and rock on with yo’ bad (and totally sexy) self.

Step 1: GET STRONG

A huge part of being an Action Hero Babe like Johansson is creating a strong, but not excessively muscular physique. After all, the Black Widow gets her bod by a steady balance of gymnastics, strength moves and even dance training. However, you can replicate the look with a strength routine as easily done at home as it is at the gym.

1. Stick Squat –– 20 reps
2. Bentover Row –– 15 reps x 8 lbs
3. Valslide Sprinter Lunge –– 15 reps each leg
4. Dumbbell Chest Press –– 20 reps x 12 lbs
5. Valslide Body Saw or Plank Hold –– 15 or 30 seconds

Do the circuit three times.

Stick Squat
Start in a standing position holding a dowel overhead with your arms straight and your feet shoulder width apart. Begin lowering your hips down and back like sitting into a chair. Keep your arms straight and abs tight. When your thighs get to parallel, push through your heels and drive yourself back up through your glutes.

Bentover Row
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, abs tight and knees bent. Bend forward at the waist, keeping your back flat. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, arms hanging down, and palms facing your legs. Exhale as you bring the dumbbells toward the chest while squeezing the shoulder blades together. Inhale as you lower the weight.

Valslide Sprinter Lunge
Place one foot in the middle of a Valslide. Slide that leg back while bending the stationary foot at 90 degrees. While the leg is sliding back, reach your hands towards the floor. As you power back up by pushing through the stationary foot, raise both arms straight overhead in one motion. Keep your abs tight. Finish all the reps on one side before switching.

Dumbbell Chest Press On Bench
Lie down on your back with your feet up holding a dumbbell in each hand at chest level. Raise the dumbbells straight up until your elbows are close to being locked and lower them back slowly after a short pause. Exhale when pressing dumbbells up and inhale when lowering them back.

Valslide Body Saw
Get into plank position with your forearms on the floor and a Valslide under each foot. Push back from your forearms, allowing your feet to slide back. Then, return to the starting position by pulling yourself forward with your forearms. Make sure to keep your abs tight and don’t allow your hips to sink.

Plank Hold
Get into a plank position as pictured, with your forearms on the ground, keeping your abs tight and your back straight. Hold this position for the specified amount of time.

Step 2: GET SEXY

I’m not talking about putting on a sexy dress and wearing high heels (although that’s fun too). Instead, let’s focus on naked sexy. And I don’t mean you have to get naked. I want you to feel sexy in your skin whether you’re in jeans and a tank top, a fancy dress or your boyfriend’s shirt. The point is a lean, toned body is sexy. The Black Widow actress said in a recent interview that her Avengers’ bod required her to eat a clean diet with “a lot of kale and salmon.” So, how do you get fit like Scarlett? For the lean part, nutrition is key. Here are your basics:

- Ditch the processed carbs and refined carbohydrates (i.e. cookies, crackers, pasta, packaged diet foods, pizza and ice cream).
- Cut out soda and alcohol.
- Have some protein at each meal (salmon, chicken, shrimp, all good choices), but watch the portions. Three to 4 ounces at meals and 1.5 ounces at snack time.
- Eat veggies like kale!, with all of your meals.
- Drink 80-100 ounces of water daily. To create the “tone” follow the Get Strong Workout above.

Step 3: BE FIERCE

Part of what makes the Black Widow so BADASS is her take-no-prisoners attitude. Even in the moments when she’s feeling a little weak, she’s working those brain neurons like their her favorite set of kettlebells. She’s confident, smart and unabashedly willing to take on a challenge. You’ve heard the saying, “Do one thing a day that scares you,” right? Yeah, it’s about time you take on that task. Here’s how to do it:

Try a new class that you haven’t done before. Sure, you love your tried-and-true step aerobics class, but what if you’re harboring a marital arts queen who’s waiting to show off her skills? The point: You won’t know until you step outside of your comfort zone!

Strike up a conversation with someone new. Putting yourself out there can be scary, but remember that the worse thing that’s going to happen is you’ll find out the person just isn’t interested. Not the worst thing ever, right? Put a smile on your face and shake someone’s hand. You just might make a new friend or, better yet, a workout buddy who will help keep you motivated.

Speak up. Go ahead and ask for a discount at a store, or call someone out when you think they have a bad attitude. Just keep calm and do it with a pleasant attitude. I’m betting there’s a gutsy vixen inside of you who’s just waiting to turn on her sexy charm!

Don’t let inside chatter stand in your way. Start being an action taker instead of a passive decision maker. Worried that a friend is mad at you because of something you said during your last conversation? Ask her instead of creating scenarios that might be. Think your boss is peeved about your performance? Address it –– you might find out she has personal problems weighing on her mind that have nothing to do with you.

Check your superhero persona at the door –– sometimes. We don’t live in a fantasy world, and that’s why we need to be able to know when enough is enough. There are days when a 10-minute walk and a few Valslide lunges are all you’re going to be able to squeeze into a hectic schedule. There will be moments when taking a nap is better for your body than taking a swim. That’s OK. But there will also be times (hopefully a lot of these soon) where you feel unstoppable. This is when you want to go throw down. Use your energy when you have it to totally rock your workouts. Part of being a fierce Action Hero Babe is about knowing how to bring balance to your life when everything feels a little off.

These may not seem like rocket science, but switching those neurons from snooze to “Ka-blam!” could be the difference between the everyday you and the one who flexes her FIERCE muscle. But you have to work at it day by day, baby. Because even though, Action Hero Babes, like Scarlett Johansson, are bod role models worth leaning on, this is about YOU. This about YOUR confidence. Because when it comes down to it, you are the superhero for your own life –– no damsels in distress here.

Try this  sample Action Hero Babe workout and when your ready to get started with the Action Hero Babe Body Transformation Program, click here!

Are you an Action Hero Babe in Training?  I’d love to hear how you define Strong, Sexy and Fierce in your life.  Leave your comments here…

There are organizations online that offer the opportunity to adopt a rainforest, or donate money to preserve our wildlife, but what would you say if I offered a suggestion that would help you lose weight, save you money, and help the environment all at once?

Bring your lunch to work.

Believe it or not, something as simple as bringing your lunch to work can reduce your carbon footprint – which means that you can be proud of yourself on Earth Day (and every day) that you’re not contributing to the 1.8 million tons of trash created by the packaging that take-out food comes in. That’s a whole lotta trash!

An added bonus is that you’re not only helping preserve Earth’s environment, you’re also saving yourself the money of eating out. If you were to eat out during the work week, let’s say spending $7 a day on your eats, you’ll be saving yourself a whopping $140 a month by bringing your lunch to work!

Additionally, you’ll be sparing your body the aftermath of what you might have consumed had you gotten your fast food fix.

Even if you were attempting to make a healthier decision by heading to Subway for a tuna sandwich, you’d be consuming around 700 to 800 calories (that’s after the drink and bag of chips to make your meal a combo).

By packing your own lunch, you will be much more aware of what you’re putting in your body and therefore less likely to overdo the sodium, fat, carbohydrates, and overall calories.

So come Summer, not only will you be rockin’ your hot bikini body, you’ll know that you’ve done your part to preserve the planet we live on.

Bring-Your-Lunch-to-Work-Ready-Recipes

Little Italy Chicken Pitas with Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette

(from MyRecipes.com)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper $
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 4 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (about 3/4 pound)
• 1 cup chopped tomato (about 1 medium) $
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Asiago cheese
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
• 6 (6-inch) pitas, cut in half
• 3 cups mixed baby greens

Preparation

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in chicken, tomato, cheese, and basil. Line each pita half with 1/4 cup greens. Divide chicken mixture evenly among pita halves.

Lentil, Tuna, and Roasted Pepper Salad

We are all striving to improve our fitness levels, including myself, so I decided to bring you a new Valslide challenge. This one was designed by my friend and fitness expert Tanner Marty from Leaflifestyle.com

This workout is a fun way to bring your training up a notch. You are going to burn tons of calories, melting the fat off your body.

You will also sculpt your legs, abs, butt, chest, and shoulders.

This workout won’t take long, but it is totally effective for getting beach ready in record time!

For the workout, all you need are your Valslides and a timer – I’m a big fan of GYMBOSS

Set your Gym Boss timer for 5 seconds rest and 20 second work intervals.

Valslide Reverse Lunge (Right Leg) – 20 seconds
Valslide Reverse Lunge (Left Leg) – 20 seconds
Atomic Pushup – 20 seconds
Valslide Side Lunge (Right Leg) – 20 seconds
Valslide Side Lunge (Left Leg) – 20 seconds
Valslide Pushup Fly – 20 seconds
Jump Squat – 20 seconds

Do the circuit twice.

Be sure to record your score and leave a comment below.

I suspect soon we will see the “Leg Bomb” movement.

If you want to throw out a “Leg Bomb” like Angie then you better bust a few moves now.

Here are my top 5 exercises for getting your legs “bomb” worthy.

1. Skaters – 20 each way
2. Sumo Squat Leg Lift – 20 each side
3. The Valslide Sprinter – 15 each leg
4. Valslide Side Lunge with Weight – 15 each leg
5. Single Leg RDL with Body Bar – 12 each leg

Do these 5 exercises as a circuit with no rest in-between. Rest 1 minute at the end of the circuit. Do the circuit 3 times.

To completely rock the “Leg Bomb” your best bet would be to follow my “Bikini Body Express” diet. However, you will also have good results if you follow these basic Red Carpet Ready rules.

Yes, I went there.

1. Drink up! 80-100 oz. of pure water each day. This is mandatory. Most people simply do not drink enough water.

2. Eat your veggies. They’re a diet cliché for a reason.

3. Have a little protein at each meal and snack. The key here is portion control. About 4 oz of protein at meals and just 1.5 oz at snacks.

4. Ditch the processed foods and anything with white flour or sugar.

5. Dark chocolate is your friend. If you need a sweet treat this is your best bet.

Your skin matters. Diet and exercise will improve your skin tone. However if you don’t have Angie’s creamy white legs or Jennifer Lopez’s tawny legs than give yourself a spray tan or try my new fave “Body Bling” by Scott Barnes. By the way, Scott has recently teamed up with my long time stylist Frank Galasso to open a new special boutique salon “Barnes & Galasso”.

Okay, get to work and then rock the “Leg Bomb” pose.

Post your best “Leg Bomb” pose on my Facebook or Twitter between now and Monday for the chance to win something that will completely blow your  mind.

Ok, maybe not “blow your mind,” but it will be cool.  And this will be fun!

Every year starts with a flurry or resolution making. Typically, getting in shape is at the top of the list.  Then stuff happens (kids get colds, you have to work late) and the slippery slope of the uncommitted begins.I believe this year will be different for you.

I’ve been getting emails and hearing on Facebook and Twitter how bad you want it.I have created programs for you that work and I’ve introduced you to others like my friend John Romaniello who have also shared their best stuff. You have an incredible free resource at Livestrong.com and you can find a supportive community in the Red Carpet Ready Club or over at Jason Ferruggia’s Inner Circle.

There really are no excuses left.

Remember that Tony Robbins says “our past doesn’t equal our future”.  We can change.  You can change and I believe
you will.

Here’s why:

1. You want it. You really really want it.

Last year, getting in shape was something you thought you “should” do. Maybe you worked out some, until you got too busy or maybe you were in a bit of funk and just couldn’t push it very hard in your workouts. Well that was then. 2012 is about getting your best body ever!

No matter what! You want it, you can have it but you will have to do the work.

Three moves for arms, investing zero dollars in your equipment or just doing pilates is not going to cut it. You will sweat but you will love it! Getting your best body is now a”must” not a “should”.

2. You follow the plan.

Lots of different plans work but they don’t work if you don’t actually do them.

You are not a vegetarian if you still eat bacon on Sundays.

You are not doing Intermittent Fasting if you eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at conventional times.

And you’re not following my Bikini Body Express plan if you only workout 2 times per week. You may get some results but they will not be the spectacular results that others are getting.

 It was so lovely to meet you again- you are always so encouraging and positive. I remembered how I told you at the reunion 2 years ago, that I simply couldn’t do the clean eating thing. You just gently but firmly disagreed with me then. Fast forward 2 years and it turns out YOU were right. Following your BBX program finally transformed my eating habits- It seems very strange, but eating clean is not difficult for me any longer.

The best thing was the last…trying on all the glamorous dresses (AND FITTING INTO size 4 and 6!!!!

- Silke Sheppard

3. You finally ditch the process junk and eat real food.

Ok, maybe you aren’t doing drive through anymore (thank goodness) but those frozen diet foods, sugary cereals, supermarket sushi and chocolate bars masquerading as protein bars have got to go.

The easiest way to make the switch is to do a giant kitchen purge and then a restock. Make sure you have healthy stuff on hand so you can make dinner in the same amount of time as it takes for the pizza delivery to show up.

Think about when you eat processed food and why. Is it because you skipped breakfast and then couldn’t resist the muffin at Starbucks? Is it because you just got home, you’re tired and there’s no food in the house?

Remember what I’ve said before “strategy trumps willpower.”

Get your strategies in place.

It will make healthy eating more automatic.

4. You eat and drink green.

It is an indisputable fact that green foods, like spinach, kale, broccoli, asparagus and more are the cornerstone of every healthy diet yet many people still aren’t eating enough of them. I know you think you don’t like veggies but you’re not twelve.

It’s time for you to do what’s good for you.

In the beginning, really try to eat what’s in season. They’ll taste soooo much better.

You can also sneak them into everything have a green smoothie, my more veggie than egg scramble or loaded vegetable soup. Add super greens to your morning drink. I put them in my Valrise everyday and sometimes again in my smoothie.

Try having a green juice for your afternoon snack instead of coffee and a muffin. The benefits are enormous but what you’ll notice right away is not only how good you feel but how good you feel about yourself.

It is a very clear action that says you love and respect your body, it is your temple after all.  Think of these greens (veggies, powders and juices) as your temple food.

Do this and other good acts tend to fall into place.

I LOVE this stuff:

5. You stay with it.

All trainers will tell you the most important thing is consistency. The best plan in the world won’t work if you quit. Sometimes you get results immediately but most results come with consistent action over time.

I started lifting weights at 14 and have not taken more than 2 weeks off since.

Cindy Crawford had a standing appointment with me, Monday Wednesday, and Friday at 10am for 10 years!

I’m pretty sure she is equally consistent now.

Poppy Montgomery works out a minimum of 3 times per week (usually 5 times) even while shooting her television show 15 hours a day and taking a red-eye to Los Angeles.

That’s commitment.

What are you committing to? How bad to you want it?

Leave me a comment below.

Are you feeling puffy? Is the travel, late nights, parties, alcohol and sweets giving you the dreaded carb face? Does your stomach feel swollen and your digestion off? You may need to de-puff. I know I do.

Fortunately it’s rather painless and in 4 days or less, you will be feeling remarkably slimmer.

I used a similar plan with my client Rachel Nichols, who had just 4 days between a vacation in Brazil (including the long flight back) and her Maxim magazine cover shoot. She totally rocked her shoot and you can rock your next event if you follow my de-puff routine. You will need a few supplies outside of your normal Red Carpet Ready food.

They are:

- 1 bag frozen peas
- A couple lemons
- Dandelion Root
- Chia Seeds
- Coconut Water

Purge & Prepare

Start with a kitchen purge. You absolutely must get the cookies, candy, crackers and other puff inducing foods out of the house. The first day is the toughest because you may be detoxing a bit which leaves you a little vulnerable. Make it easier on yourself by removing the temptation and replacing them with flat belly foods. Also now is the time to stock up on your de-puff rescue items.

Hot Lemon Water & Frozen Peas

Start your de-puff routine with a cup of hot lemon water. This will act as a mild diuretic. Have a few sips and then find a comfortable place to recline for 5 minutes with the frozen peas on your face. I usually wrap them in a thin t-shirt or a paper towel will work too. This really helps reduce eye puffiness. Continue drinking your lemon water as you relax.

The Valrise

I’ve written about this in a previous blog post. It is something I use regularly but find it particularly helpful when I need to de-puff. The chia seeds are a great source of fiber, so helpful in getting your elimination back on track. The coconut water will help balance electrolytes (particularly helpful if you also have a hangover) and the supergreens add a bunch of important nutrients but even more important is that they bring you back to a more balanced, alkaline state which is what we are going for. So drink your Valrise.

- 4 oz. of coconut water

- 2 tablespoons of chia seeds

- 1 teaspoon of supergreens

- optional 1/2 teaspoon probiotics

Stir vigorously and then drink it down quickly. The chia seeds will start to gel quickly.

The Hangover Workout

Gratuitous shirtless picture of former client and Hangover star, Bradley Cooper.

You have many options here but the goal is to sweat. Since you may have a hangover either alcohol or food related, I do not recommend the super intense 4 minute tabata workouts or wind sprints. Instead, I like big circuits and high reps with a combination body weight and moderate weight exercises. Again, this is just an example. You may prefer a different circuit, a run outside or a hot yoga class.

Hangover Workout

1. Valband Side to sides – 20 reps
2. Overhead Squat  - 15 reps (I just use a stick or dowel)
3. Lunge Kick – 20 each
4. Push Ups – 15
5. TRX Row – 15
6. Valslide Bodysaw – 20
7. Valslide 1 arm slide – 10 each arm

Repeat this circuit 3 times.

1. Half-Jack – 20
2. Valslide Side Lunge with reach – 20 each
3. Bruce Lee Kicks – 20 each
4. Standing Y’s, T’s W’s – 10/10/10
5. Valslide Mini Pike – 15
6. Valslide Upside Down Snow Angel – 20

The Depuff Diet.

You are going to follow the Rachel Nichols’ 4 day Maxim diet for best de-puffing results.

Rachel ROCKED this shoot – with only 4 days to prepare.

Here’s a sample day:

**Coconut water, Chia Seeds + Super Green – 1st thing! (The Valrise)

Breakfast (choose one)

Cherry Berry Cacao Kapow Smoothie OR
Green Goddess Smoothie OR
More Veggie than Egg Scramble

Lunch

4 oz. protein (chicken, fish, steak or eggs) + Veggies or Salad
*Can add 1/3 avocado OR 1/3 cup black beans OR 1/2 sweet potato

 

Snack

Smoothie OR
1/2 apple + 1-2 oz. of cheese OR
Piece of Turkey and some Grapes

(Basically a little piece of protein + 1/2 cup low gylcemic carbs)

 

Dinner
3-4 oz. Protein and 2 cups of Veggies

 

**Dandelion Root – 2caps – 2 times per day

The Soak

I love a good steam when I want to detox but that’s not always an option. My next favorite is just a good soak in the tub filled with hot water and a half of carton of Epsom salt. This also helps me relax and prep for an early bedtime which curbs late night munchies.

Bonus – We’ve all heard the saying “fake it until you make it.” Well, I believe a good fake tan helps your appearance (especially if you are looking ragged from stress or too many late nights) and feeling better with the lift that self tanner gives you should be enough for you to stick with your de-puff protocol.

If you follow my routine you should be puff free in about 4 days. If you need more than just a quick de-puffing, then consider getting a jump start on your New Year’s fitness program with either my Valslide Essentials or my Action Hero Babe Plan. You will have time to de-puff before New Year’s Eve but you need to start now.

1 part Inspiration

2 parts Perspiration

3 parts Determination

1 part Inspiration

I try my best to inspire you to take action, get fit and eat better but I am certainly not your only option. There are incredible stories everywhere about someone deciding to make a change then doing the work to succeed.

Whether you find it in a magazine success story, a blog or YouTube video, use the inspiration to light a fire in your belly.  If another has done something amazing, so can you.

2 parts Perspiration

Did you really think you could you just watch the Nike video and like the waving of a magic wand, be transformed? No, I didn’t think so. You know you have to do the work, and it’s not a walk in the park either, although that might lovely on your recovery day.

To be successful in any endeavor you have to put in some blood, sweat and tears but this is what makes the reward so sweet. So don’t turn away from from the work, turn toward it and embrace it.

Success is sweet: the sweeter if long delayed and attained through manifold struggles and defeats.
-A. Branson Alcott

3 parts Determination

This is when you have to dig in a bit and do your workout when you would rather stay in bed or say no to the cookie when everyone else says yes. You have to stay with it. 3 workouts or couple days of clean eating does not an Action hero or cover model make.  (shameless plug:  today is the last day for the Hot for the Holidays sale.  You can get Action Hero Babe (and 3 of my other most popular programs!) for 20% off .  Just go here.

Regardless whether you want to be Red Carpet Ready or just fit and strong it takes consistent action,consistent workouts and consistent clean eating. There is no such thing as maintenance!

If you are not determined to keep pushing, to keep making better choices your body will respond by getting soft and then so will your willpower and so will your brainpower.

Get inspired. Be willing to perspire. Stay determined.

Rise above the masses that have given up their fitness during the holidays. You’re better that.

You will have a jump start on 2012. Your jump start starts now!

X-Factor’s Nicole Sherzinger using the Valslide!

Everyone’s doing it!  Are you?   You can get the Valslide Essentials kit on sale right now over at the Hot For The Holidays sale.

We just trimmed a little clip out of the Valslide Abs DVD to show you how to do this advanced exercises…  give it a shot and get it right, get it tight… just like Nicole!

If you’re like my Red Carpet Ready Club members, you’ve either succeeded in making them come true or you are still working on them and will continue to workout and eat clean all the way through “the get fat season.”

Er, I mean, the “holiday season.”

Sure you may have a have a cookie or 2 or 3 but you don’t use that as an excuse to completely go off the deep end. The next meal, you focus on protein and veggies and you kick butt in the gym.

I do understand that there are more demands on your time than ever so I want to make things easier for you.

Here are my “5 Get Hot for the Holidays” tips:

1. Take your gym with you!

Not having access to a gym should never be a problem. You can always do bodyweight exercises but with the Valslide, you can do better than bodyweight exercises and have hundreds of exercises at your disposal. Weighing less than a pound Valslides are extremely portable. Throw them in your purse, briefcase or carry-on and you will always have a gym with you. Do one of the 20 minute Valslide workouts or incorporate them into any program you are following by replacing the old lunge, push up or plank standbys with the new more effective Valslide variations. Be prepared to be amazed by your results!

2. Make your bed daily.

No, you didn’t just get transported to a housekeeping blog. Studies show that orderly habits can help build self-control which is always a good thing when trying to stick with a diet and exercise program that isn’t yet automatic. Plus, it really does just make your bedroom look a whole lot better.

I was a haphazard bed maker until I read this about this tip on Gretchen Rubin’s blog, The Happiness Project. She said “ I love a calm environment, and making the bed is one of the quickest, easiest steps to keeping our bedroom orderly. Also, I get a real feeling of accomplishment from having completed this small task. It’s nice to start the day feeling that I’ve crossed something – however minor – off my list. It starts me off feeling productive, disciplined, and efficient.”

It just made sense to me and I’ve been making bed every since. I can’t say for sure that I have more self-control but I sure like the way my room looks.

3. Have a Valrise!

I just named my morning drink a Valrise because I have it every morning soon after rising.

I mix 4 oz. of coconut water with 2 Tablespoons of Chia seeds and 1 Tablespoon of Organic Lives Supergreens and then drink it down.

Chia seeds are a nutritional powerhouse loaded with Omega -3 essential fatty acids and a good dose of fiber. SuperGreen is the fastest and easiest way to achieve complete green nutrition and supercharge my health. By starting my day with the Valrise I feel I get off on the right foot and I am more likely to stay the course.

Plus, the fiber in the chia seeds is a good way to keep things moving if you happen to indulge in too many holiday foods that your body is not quite used to.

4. No matter what

Tired, stressed or hungover, the workout is going to happen.

One, because it will make you feel better and…

Two, we are not leaving 2011 without a fight.

Your best body will win, if you work for it. So get to it.

Create a kickass body that can actually kick some ass!

(and wouldn’t you know it… I happen to have a program to do just that.  And it’s for sale!    Action Hero Babe, baby!  Check it out here.)

5. Rules, you need them.

We’ve all heard the saying “everything in moderation” well it’s good in theory but when it comes to eating, I prefer to have clear, well defined rules.

Now, I am writing the rules, so I am setting up the parameters but defining them makes things easier. When you have clear rules for how you eat, you no longer need to be “on a diet” it just becomes “a way of life”.

A vegetarian doesn’t need to use up precious willpower resisting the cheeseburger because they have a rule in place that says “I don’t eat meat”.

A few months ago I started the “no bread” rule. To me, this is so much easier than the “sometimes bread” rule. For you, bread may not be an issue. You may instead need a “only eat breakfast sitting at a table” rule. This would automatically eliminate eating breakfast at the drive thru or standing in front of the refrigerator.

Val’s rules (just 3 of them)

1. No Bread (I did break this recently and it was a very slippery slope indeed!) Rule is now back in place.

 

2. Choose only organic, hormone free, protein sources.

 

3. Start each day with a Valrise.

I have lots more but that should get you started. My newest program “I Want My Bikini Body Express” is base on my current rules.

There is still one month left of this year. If you resolved to get in your best shape in 2011, get on with it. You will feel so proud of yourself when you accomplish your goal! So charge, all the way to the end of the year!

For those of you in the states, I know you are probably busy with your holiday plans (and if you’re not – this applies to you too ) but I just wanted to tell you how grateful I am for this connection. I still read all my emails and blog posts and I just love hearing about your success, slip-ups and experiences.

I’ve had the “how to stay the course on thanksgiving” conversation with my clients all week so I thought you might share with you what I told them.

1. Workout first

Train early and you may just feel a little bit virtuous the rest of the day. It doesn’t have to be long but you do need to bring some heat to it if you want it to count. I did an awesome workout this morning that took less than 20 minutes and definitely put some fitness in the bank for tomorrow.

Overhead Squat: 20

Bodyweight row on my dip station: 10

Turbo Lunge Kick: 25 each leg

Valslide Atomic Pushups: 10

Single Leg Glute Bridges: 20 each leg

Do Circuit 3 times

Or try this workout.  ;-)

2. Protein First

Focus on the protein and veggies and go easy on the mashed potatoes, stuffing and pie. I’m not saying you can’t have a little of everything, just start with the protein and veggies. You will fell less bloated later.

(super delicious recipes here. My girl Sheila at Livewell360 just put together a bunch of her faves…)

3. Publically Pre-commit

Write out your day-after plan and post it somewhere (like on this blog). If you make a commitment ahead of time to workout, get back on your Red Carpet Ready Program® or 24/7 Fat Loss Plan you are more likely to follow through.

Also, the act of writing down what you are going to do tomorrow, means you don’t have to think about it. Just get up, put on your workout clothes and follow the plan. Then make a shake like my Unforgettable Smoothie or have a more veggie than egg scramble.

Studies show that discipline and will power are limited resources and all decision making draws from this same limited well. So, having made a bunch of decisions about what to eat or not to eat on Thanksgiving and what Black Friday sales to hit, your discipline has already been seriously depleted. Your workout should be non-negotiable. Have it written down, clothes layed out and if you’re doing intervals, have your gymboss timer set.

When you are writing your pre-commitment, be sure to include the “why.” Why are you going to workout? Why are you going to ditch the leftover mashed potatoes and get back on the plan? Is it so you can rock your skinny jeans? Is it so you can look hot on New Year’s Eve? Maybe you just want to feel healthy & strong or be a good example for your kids. The bigger your “why” the more power it has, so go to town! Tell me what you are committing to and why it’s so important that you stick to it.

Have a totally awesome Thanksgiving Day and share your pre-commitment in the comments section below.