CheekyChicago

Your tickets are booked and you are counting down the days until your escape from the grey doldrums of end-of-winter Chicago. The good news? You are traveling to warmer climates with picturesque seascapes. The bad news? Your thighs haven’t seen the light of day since August and you are still working off that holiday splurge…or was it the Superbowl splurge…or the Awards Season splurge? In any case, now is the time to buckle down and prepare yourself to enjoy your vacation, guilt-free (or at least with a little less guilt!).

Getting Started:

If you want to drop a few inches before you dash away to a much-needed respite, it’s as simple as 1, 2, 3!

1. Eat Less Than You Burn.

2. Burn More Than You Eat.

3. Combine 1 and 2 for Maximum Results!

Seems simple, right? The formula is simple; however, even the Cheekiest need a little support. Here are my favorite insider’s tips that will help you slim down before you skip town!

Plan Ahead!

One word, three syllables: TUPPERWARE! Get some. Then plan your away-from-home-meals for the week in a way that’s calorie-appropriate for your goals. Sunday afternoon is a great day for planning and cooking your meals and snacks for each day of the week. With advance planning, you can be sure to stay on track with your food choices and bikini goals.  My personal cheat-proof strategy for meals is to use healthy, lo-cal recipes that taste good, like Spaghetti Squash with Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil. I also make sure that my snack options are lo-cal and include both sweet and savory options  For more yummy recipes that will help you with the spring-break-slimdown, check out fitness-pro Jacquelyn Brennan’s blog,  “Fit Souffle!”

Track Your Activity

Another great tool to gauge your daily activity level is the Fitbit Zip. This pedometer not only counts your daily steps, it also smiles at you, letting you know you did a good job. Ahh…the power of positive reinforcement. After wearing this little friend for a week, you may be surprised to see that you are not achieving your 10,000 steps per day. If this is the case, you have the power to track your activity and make other choices to walk a different route to work, take the stairs,  get up from your desk to move about and “Get thy Cheeky-self to the gym!”  In addition, there is also an online database that links up to your Fitbit allowing you to log all of the Tupperware treats you’ve eaten that day as well.

Drink (Water) Like A Fish!

Good hydration habits can be the determining factor in a successful workout and slim down program.  Hydration can help alleviate inflammation in the body, helping your joints recover from all of the extra stepping you have added into your day. More importantly, drinking one to two glasses of water before a meal can help you feel more full faster and keep you from over-indulging. Lastly, drinking plenty of H2O is the key to a mobile digestive system, allowing your body to flush out what it doesn’t need.  The daily intake rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces of water per day. Ex: if you weigh 100 pounds, be sure to take in at least 50 ounces of H2O and more if you have added a workout in that day.

Dress For Success!

The key to feeling great about your body on vacation is a good swimsuit. Athleta‘s spring line just launched with a multi-faceted, multi-flattering selection of suits for every Cheeky chick! Whether you like patterns or solids, barely-there bikinis, full coverage or something in-between, Athleta has got it. Visit the Chicago store on Southport Ave. to see the latest styles!

Alright everyone, you’ve got some planning, stepping, drinking and shopping to do before you embark on your break from the cold. There’s just one more thing: can I come with you???!!!