What do trainers do to stay fit? Huffington Post

I am often asked for my trainer tricks or what I do to get and stay fit. People ask what I do when the munchies strike, how often I work out, and if I ever indulge in adult beverages! The answer is YES, I do, but I live by the 80/20 rule. (Actually, I’m closer to the 90/10 rule.) I stick to healthy habits 90 percent of the time and allow for some indulgence 10 percent of the time. Here are some of the things I do regularly to stay fit.

Breakfast: For breakfast, I typically make a green smoothie with frozen banana and pineapple, almond milk, coconut extract, kale and spinach. I just stuff all of the ingredients in the blender. This smoothie has vitamins A and C, calcium, fiber, folic acid, magnesium and other nutrients. With all the greens, I’m loaded with energy!

Exercise: I am scheduled to teach seven classes per week. Since I travel so much, I usually end up teaching an average of five hours and I am lucky to have amazing coworkers who fill the gap. I’m an extrovert (can ya tell?) so group fitness has been a part of my exercise routine for more than 20 years. Every day I teach something different — kickboxing, strength training, cycle, yoga… I love to have a varied workout schedule. When weather permits in my cold state of Minnesota, I walk or jog outside, teach boot camps and bike. I love the warm weather, but once it turns around 40 degrees, I take it inside. Bottom line, I aim for an hour a day but often miss a day or two due to travel. I use my two-day rule: I never go more than two days in a row without exercise. I will run the stairs in an office building if I have to!!

Most tempting food: I love ice cream, but most of the time I will substitute it with Greek yogurt sweetened with Truvia, and I add dark chocolate chips, berries and walnuts.

For the munchies: When I really need to munch, I make popcorn because you can eat a lot for not many calories. I make six quarts and I can literally eat the whole thing. But even if you succumb to the whole thing, it’s only 500 calories, full of fiber and my kids usually wrestle some away from me. A grande egg nog latte is 500 calories and full of sugar and fat! I’d much rather have a whole bowl of popcorn. On a healthy note, I am a big veggies and hummus lover — my snack of choice.

Monitoring: I love my FitBit Flex armband because I can track my steps and see my levels of activity throughout the day. It’s Bluetooth compatible, and it syncs quickly with my phone to give me feedback on my activity levels, steps and sleep. It holds me accountable; I look forward to achieving my 10,000 steps a day. I love that you can change out the bracelet with different color options… fitness can be fashionable!

Cocktails: My drink of choice is red wine. A five-ounce glass typically has about 125 calories, much lower in calories than many other alcoholic beverages. (Some mixed cocktails can have up to 800 calories!) Red wine also has antioxidants, making it good for your heart. In the summer, we make homemade margaritas. The juice of real limes and a little simple syrup (mix sugar and water). Add triple sec and tequila… way lighter than adding a sugary pre-made mix or tons of fruit juices. Liquid calories add up fast, so pay attention.

Parties: The most important rule for parties is to not go to them hungry. Don’t make the mistake of saving up your calories for the end of the day when you head to a party. It isn’t a smart strategy because when you are hungry your resolve for portion control goes out the window. Plus, you are setting yourself up to eat more than you should if you go to a party thinking you sacrificed all day so you can really indulge. I always make sure to eat normally the day of a party, and then my trick for parties is to only fill my plate up once with my favorite appetizers and then I stop eating.

Water: I love my LifeFactory water bottle to drink water throughout the day. It’s easy and convenient and cuts back on all the plastic going to landfills. Glass is also the perfect container for adding fresh sliced fruit to your water also.

Attitude: I am a big believer in having a positive attitude and positive thoughts. Your thoughts determine how you feel and often determine what you can accomplish. As Napoleon Hill once said, “What your mind can conceive and believe, you can achieve.” Believe in yourself and your ability to accomplish your goals.

Be prepared: It’s always good to keep healthy snacks on you — especially if your schedule is crazy. I make apple cinnamon energy bars and freeze them so they are easy to grab on the go.

Adapt some of these healthy habits in your routine, and you will reap the rewards.