1. What is your work out regimen?
I’ve found that the best results have come from making my workouts as varied as possible so that my body doesn’t get used to doing the same movements. I make it a priority to get physical activity each day and I’ve found that the variety in my workouts has helped me from getting bored and has enabled me to sustain an active lifestyle. My regular exercise consists of alternating between: dance classes, Zumba classes, running, spin classes, pilates, weight training, and hiking. That being said, I am always up for a challenge and enjoy trying new workouts on a regular basis.
I start my day off with a cup of coffee with almond milk and for breakfast I usually have oatmeal with cinnamon and chia seeds or I’ll have a protein shake using Vega (which is my favorite). For lunch, I usually have some sort of salad with protein. My “go to” favorite spot is La Scala for their chopped turkey salad. For dinner, I usually have chicken and veggies such as brussels sprouts and butternut squash. For snacks, I love Fuji apples and typically have one every day. I’ll also have some trail mix or peanut butter, and I love making homemade kale chips with a little olive oil and salt. It makes a delicious and filling snack with almost no calories. I also recently purchased a dehydrator so I’m excited to start trying to dehydrate my own fruits and vegetables. Sometimes if I’m feeling in need of a little picker upper in the afternoon, I drink EBOOST in water. It seems to do the trick! If that doesn’t help, then a good old coco-roon definitely always does! Check out what a coco- roon is!
3. What inspires you to stay healthy and fit?The way I feel from eating healthy and exercising is my biggest motivator. I find that I have more energy, my attention is better, I’m more productive with work, and I’m actually much happier overall. In addition, the hour in the morning I set aside for my workouts has kind of become my own form of meditation in a way because it’s an hour I have all to myself, no cell phone, no computers, etc. This time allows me to get ready for what the day might bring!
The biggest mistake people make is that they typically lack patience. They go on crash diets because they want to see fast results. Even if they do see results quickly, it usually isn’t sustainable. Not to mention, it’s probably not that healthy. Slow and steady wins the race. In addition, I think people feel that diets need to be extreme. They tell themselves, “I can never touch chocolate and I can’t have carbs.” That’s not true and it will just make you want it more. The secret seems to be in the practice of moderation. It’s okay to indulge a little from time to time. The way I look at eating is that in the same way that sometimes we have to modify physical exercises, there’s always a modification for your sweet tooth or whatever your yummy indulgence might be. For example, if you’re craving ice cream, try putting some greek frozen yogurt in the freezer. Or, if you’re craving potato chips, try making kale chips or grabbing a container of dried seaweed.
I truly believe pilates has been the most beneficial in shaping and toning my body. It literally transformed me and I’ve watched it do the same for others. The machines allow you to get at muscle groups which are typically hard to work. Moreover, I love the diversity of the workout and the variety of results. For example, if you’re a guy and want to bulk up, if you do the same exercises really quickly, you will create a bulkier look. Conversely, by doing the same exercises slowly, you can achieve that ballerina look of long and lean muscles. This is a workout that can benefit everyone no matter what the goal is. It has also been really helpful for people recovering from injuries and those wanting to have better overall flexibility.
6. What is your guilty pleasure?
COOKIES! I LOVE COOKIES! My nickname as a kid was cookie monster.
7. What is something that you want to try but haven't yet?
I think next on the list might be scuba diving.My mom, Kris Rymer, is chock full of great advice! She has a little fan club of my friends as we always say, "What would Kris do? Let's call Kris for advice!" It seems like I'm getting advice on something each day from my mom so it's hard to narrow it down to one good pearl of wisdom. I guess if I had to come up with something it's "Be true to yourself, and no matter how hard it gets, never give up".
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