7 Ways to Spring into Fitness

By Martina Navratilova

Did someone say “bathing suit season?” Your first thought might be to duck for cover – a cover-up, that is. But wait: it’s not too late to get fit for spring and summer. You can be ready this season – really ready. I’ve got some get-in-shape tips I’ve used for years to prepare for tournaments held in spring and summer. These are strategies that worked for me, and can do the same for you.

1. Start your day with a spring smoothie. A fruit-blended smoothie is a great low-cal warm-weather breakfast, and it’s quick to fix. What I do is whir one or two of my favorite fruits in a blender with fresh juice and a little crushed ice. For an even creamier smoothie, use nut milk or soy milk instead of juice. Low-fat milk works just as well. I like milk, but it doesn’t like me, so that’s why I opt for nut milk or soy milk. If fruit smoothies appeal to you, try this recipe: 1 cup soy milk, 1 cup fresh or frozen organic berries, and 1 teaspoon honey. Just blend everything together until smooth. You’ll get lots of nutrition in a single glass: vitamins, fiber, protein, and calcium for around 200 calories. Smoothies are so yummy that every time I drink one, I feel like I’m cheating.

2. Colorize your plate. Now that spring has sprung, you’ll find more fruit and veggie choices in the produce aisle or at a farmer’s market. Your best bet for health and fitness is to choose an assortment of colorful fruits and vegetables (think reds, yellows, purples, oranges). Colorful veggies are proven fighters of aging, cancer, and heart disease because they contain a boatload of nutrients, including antioxidants. Try to include several servings of colorful vegetables every day. They’re probably the best fuel you can put in your body.

3. Salad-size your meal. Speaking of veggies, I think it is smart eating to enjoy one mixed salad a day. I love greens and eat a lot of them. A few years back, I ordered a salad that supposedly contained 14 different types of greens. Curiosity got the best of me, so I counted the leaves in the salad. I think I found 12 kinds. You certainly don’t have to make salads with that much variety, but do try to include mixture of greens like Romaine lettuce, spinach, and maybe some red leaf lettuce. Make a meal out of by topping the greens off with garbanzo beans, low-fat cheese, tuna, or grilled chicken. 4. Enjoy some mono fats. If your waistline grew over the winter, I’ve got a diet secret for you: new research is showing that monounsaturated fats help keep your tummy trim. Monounsaturated fats are found in olive oil, olives, canola oil, peanut oil, flaxseed oil, and most nuts (including almonds, cashews, pecans, pistachios, and peanuts), peanut butter, and avocados. These fats work by positively influencing hormones so that fat doesn’t accumulate around your middle. When including monounsaturated oils or nut butters in your diet, use no more than one or two tablespoons a day, because they are high in calories and you don’t want to get too much of a good thing.

5. Stop dieting! As for weight-loss diets, I don’t go on them. I’m against anything that’s too restrictive. That includes diets that tell you what to eat and what not to eat, so I don’t count calories, carbs, or fat. I mainly eat natural, high-quality food, and try to avoid a lot of fat and sugar. Now I’ve learned that “yo-yo” dieting (going on and off restrictive diets) is not that great for your shape. In fact, it can make your waistline look like the equator. The proof is in some interesting research conducted at Yale University several years ago. Researchers there studied women who had gone up and down in weight many times during their lives — a result of repeated efforts at dieting. What they found was intriguing: Those women with a history of on-again, off-again dieting and fluctuations in weight tended to gain fat mostly in the abdominal region. In other words: When fat returns after you go off a diet, it returns to your waistline. It’s best to find a healthy way of eating you can do for a lifetime, rather than go on and off diets.

6. Spring into walking. I don’t really like to walk or jog when I’m all bundled up in a coat, so come spring, I get excited about taking runs or walks in a the warm, fresh air. If you’re an exercise beginner, walking may be the best method of getting in shape. It’s easy to do, convenient, and inexpensive. What’s more, walking just one mile burns approximately 100 calories. If you’re just starting a walking program, begin the first week by walking 20 minutes three times a week. For the next few weeks, increase your time to 30 minutes. As you feel more energetic and fit, add an extra session or two to your weekly walking program. Try to work up to five sessions a week, for 30 to 45 minutes each time, especially if you’re trying to pare off fat pounds.

7. Pour on the water. It’s getting warmer out, which means you may sweat more – so don’t let yourself get dehydrated. Millions of us don’t feel as good as we should because we don’t drink the eight or more glasses of water we need daily. Water is an often overlooked nutrient, one that’s involved in practically every bodily process.
I know that if I’m dehydrated, I get feel really tired. But when I drink water regularly, I have more energy. That’s because water assists with so many bodily processes. Keeping your body well hydrated is important for preventing dizziness, cramps, and exhaustion during exercise, too. It’s generally a good idea to drink one to two cups of water two hours before you exercise. Drink water during exercise, too. When I work out, I drink a few ounces of water for every ten minutes that I exercise. If you can make the commitment to start drinking more water, you’ll definitely notice a change in the way you feel, in the energy you have, and even the mental kick that sufficient water gives.

Follow my seasonal, easy to follow, tips and advice for maintaining a healthy lifestyle throuhgout the year. click an icon below to read other seasonal tips