The Lazy Girl's Guide to Getting a Gorgeous Bod

Sorry for the delay, blogger wouldn't give me a break this weekend! I'll respond to any comments later tonight!

So you want to look and feel sexy without any work? No this is not an infomercial, and no results are not guaranteed, but if trying a few ideas doesn't make you feel more energized, radiant and healthy from the inside out (or outside in, depending on the particular case), I'd be quite surprised!


While these tips aren't going to change your jeans size overnight, they can help start healthy habits, kick addictions, invigorate your body and stimulate cell renewal (bye bye cellulite), and just generally make you feel more beautiful and happy. Nothing is sexier than your own personal glow!

My ideas for easy ways to cleanse your body and boost your energy are a bit off the beaten path. Mainly because I don't want to insult your well-read intelligence or waste your time writing something you have probably seen a million times from mainstream health sources. Hopefully some ideas will be new to you; however, nothing is way out there! Some things just require a bit of an open mind.


Step one: Infuse

Forget Gatorade, give up sugar free red bull---and take a break from boring plain water.

I love making water infusions because they taste amazing, make me drink more water, keep me away from the diet coke, and seem to stimulate detoxification. On weekends I try to make a big pitcher of one of the following elixirs, during the week I try to just throw some lemon slices in my water bottle when possible. Perhaps with some cayenne--no this is not the master cleanse I just love cayenne! But seriously starting your morning with lemon water (with your breakfast or on your way to work) really does help eliminate all the gunk from the day before!
These are recipes from Natalia Rose's Raw Food Life Force Energy. I highly recommend all her books.


Fresh mint elixir
64 ounces water
1/2 cucumber, sliced
mint
sliced carrot
sliced lemon



Orange Zest--Natalia recommends this as a substitute for soda and hydrating source of electrolytes.


64 ounces water
sliced lemon
sliced orange
mint
sliced lime
3 packets stevia/a drizzle agave


Step Two

Exfoliate

Getting rid of old dead cells is guaranteed to rejuvenate you and get your glow going. You can use a natural sponge loofah, or a gentle exfoliant of a dry brush. It also stimulate circulation which is important for all metabolic processes.


Step Three


Massage

Ahhhh. If you've never had a massage, you really don't know what your missing. I had my first full-length spa massage after my marathon, and the next day my body was like new. Literally, all soreness completely disappeared. You are supposed to get a massage within 48 hours of the event to get all the lactic acid out of your system. I waited an extra day, but it still worked like magic. Like exfoliating, massage helps circulation and rejuvenates the system. Because it goes so deep it also flushes toxins out of your body, and of course alleviates tension. Could their be an easier way to get on the road to gorgeous? haha. I know they are not exactly cheap, so definitely look for deals. There are many places that do great massages even if they don't offer all the pampering and delectables. Another way to get a massage on a budget is to check if your insurance covers medical massages. Most companies offer 1-3 free medical massages a year. Take advantage. Saunas and steam rooms also help move things out of the body.

Step Four

Power breathing


This is one of my all time favorites. So simple, but so overlooked. Breathing is essential for life and yet we often take tiny little breaths, barely filling our lungs. Powerfully breathing oxygenates the cells, stimulates the metabolism and makes you feel amazing. Breathing is so important in yoga and pilates, and it should be important to you all day long. A couple times a day try taking a really deep inhale, then inhale a little more, then hold it for a second. Release slowly, but powerfully until there is no more air in your system and repeat a few times. Now tell me you don't feel a nice, energized tingling sensation! I used this trick while I was running my marathon, and I felt like I had a special secret no one else knew. It kept me energized and focused. Being under oxygenated will kill your energy!


Step Five:

Fresh vegetable juice:


I say it over and over again, so I'll make this quick. It is like an iv of health directly into your body. I didn't believe it until I tried it. My favorite is beet, carrot, lots of cucumber and celery, a bit of spinach and ginger. It is sweet, delicious and so so detoxifying. This is great in the morning. I also love it if I am going out for a late dinner. I'll have it around 5 or 6 to keep my blood sugar stable and to keep my mind off food and to feel truly alive! There is nothing like it, so get yourself to a juice bar. Don't be worried about calories! This juice isn't pasteurized, so it does its job cleaning your cells, energizing your body and gets the heck out of town!

Step six:
Consider supplements/super foods:


I am not a huge superfood/supplement person, but some people swear they change their lives and their health. I am not talking about things like blueberries, I mean things like spirulina, e-3 live, hemp and chia seeds, maca, super green powders, bee pollen, goji berries, wheatgrass, and chlorella. Personally, I like e-3 live and that's about all I use, but I should try more things. I think Kris Carr of Crazy Sexy Cancer has a good article on getting started. Do some of your own research if you are interested!

*I will say that the benefits of these products are MAXIMIZED if you already have a fairly healthy diet. Like multivitamins, they are not an excuse to eat crap. In fact, it is a waste of money to take e-3 live (which is expensive) and then drink diet coke. You have just killed off the nice alkaline balance the body craves. So please experiment and let me know what you think or what you already use, but don't expect to get a 1/2 pound burrito and a shot of wheat grass and to feel like a rockstar. :)

A closing note on my philosophy behind why these things can actually improve your body even though they seem so simple. If you have impurities in your system from the environment, food, smoking, etc., your body is going to be spending a lot of time undoing the damage. If you help stimulate the removal of these undesirable elements, your body can spend its time improving what you have, your metabolism should be optimized, your mood improved and your mental clarity at its peak.

Natural beauty

A reader asked me what natural beauty products I used, and I have to say, I need to explore this area more. I really hate lotion and don't use hundreds of different products. But I do wear make-up and I should check out more natural sources. I do like Fresh brand and all Kiss My Face products.


This is a great article on natural beauty products from Raw Faith.


In my apartment we have made the switch to using all natural cleaning products. I love them, and I never feel lightheaded like I do when I use the scary toxic mainstream ones! We use Seventh Generation and Meyer's Clean Day (smells heavenly-and I hate most scents, bath and body makes me gag).