I Can Make You Hot! (4 page)

Give HOT! your all!

What’s on your social calendar? Are you doing things you love? If not, you should be. If you do things that bore you, you won’t have any reason to be HOT, and then you’ll be boring to yourself and to others. If you think people aren’t attracted or drawn to you, it’s not because you aren’t skinny; it’s because you aren’t
fun
.

Once you have a social plan it’s time to make a clothing plan. What are you going to wear to each of the events you have coming up? Are the clothes clean, pressed, and in good repair? There’s no bigger bummer than pulling a smokin’ HOT outfit out of the closet and discovering there’s a big stain in the front, or the hem is down, or there’s a button missing. Sure, you could wear something else, but you probably won’t feel as hot, and if you don’t feel HOT you’re not going to look your hottest either.

Finally, what’s your hygiene and beauty plan? Do you need to schedule a haircut? Give yourself a manicure and pedicure? To feel good about yourself, you need to take care of yourself. That isn’t selfish; it’s what you deserve! Once you feel your hottest, you’ll be able to give your best to your family and friends.

I totally get what social networking is all about. I probably use it as much as anyone. But I don’t confuse social networking with actually making connections with real humans—live and in person—people I love and enjoy. If you don’t learn to manage your social networking online, or use it as a replacement for getting out in the world, it can ultimately take over (and even ruin) your life. The real world is a lot bigger, more exciting, and fun, so instead of getting lured into the virtual world, stay grounded in reality. We humans are naturally social animals; we enjoy being in a group dynamic. So turn off your hot new electronics and start to get HOT. Human contact is HOT; texting is not!

Tuesday: A Little
Ohm
and a Little Oh Yeah!–It’s All About Balance

Today we’re going to talk about exercise. I know, you hate that. But remember, you’re reading this book because you want to know how to get HOT. I’m not going to lie to you; the fact is, I’ve never met a smokin’ hot couch potato and I bet you haven’t either. But don’t worry; I’m not going to ask you to spend hours (or even one hour) in the gym every day for the rest of your life. For me, exercise is all about being energized, happy, and healthy; it isn’t about being skinny. But if you’re concerned about your weight, exercise will help you there, too. Exercise builds muscle, and muscle burns the calories that make up fat.

My own exercise routine (which I’ll be sharing with you later on) combines aerobics and yoga, because life is all about balance. You can’t be all movement without some stillness in your life, and you can’t be all spiritual without a bit of fun. I’m sure even Gandhi cracked a smile from time to time.

If you work yourself to exhaustion first thing in the morning, you’re defeating the purpose. I always say that your body is like a Ferrari, and exercising is like tuning up your engine so that it runs well for as long as you’re on the go. My days are long—as I’m sure yours are, too. Exercise is what allows me to enjoy everything else I do in my life, whether it’s writing, pursuing business opportunities, magazine editing, horseback riding, or raising my daughters. What do you love? Walking in the park? Sky-diving? Gallery hopping? Those are forms of exercise, too! Moving is exercise.

Don’t call it working out because exercise shouldn’t be work!

I’m not going to lie to you. I don’t have all the time in the world to exercise. Sometimes I can only do twenty minutes, sometimes twenty-five, and sometimes I can do thirty minutes. But if you want to be HOT, you have to exercise every day. I truly believe that if you exercise intensely for twenty to thirty minutes on a daily basis, your heart will be healthy and you will both look and feel fit. If I told you that you needed to go to the gym for an hour a day, you probably wouldn’t do it anyway, and truthfully, I probably wouldn’t either. I believe in keeping it real! I also believe in challenging myself and bumping it up a notch one day a week. My favorite way to do that is to take a spin class, which is not only fun but also a great cardio workout.

I’ve been working with various coaches and trainers since I was eleven years old, and I’ve picked up many great tips along the way. My first swim coach told me to “always finish strong,” and that’s been my mantra ever since. One hundred percent is never mediocre. My former husband, who was in many ways my life coach, told me to complete at least one exercise routine once a day, and that’s how I came up with my workout plans.

Unless you’re training like a professional athlete, you probably don’t need to eat very much, if at all, before you do your morning exercise. I do eat a couple of oranges in the morning and drink coffee. (I love coffee; I would probably marry coffee if it proposed.) Some studies have shown that caffeine helps to improve exercise performance and may also help you to burn more fat. On the other hand, it also restricts your blood vessels, which could be problematic. It’s also a mild diuretic, so if you do drink coffee, you also need to drink water to keep yourself hydrated. As with most things, there are two sides to the argument. You really need to pay attention to what your body is telling you it needs.

My suggestion is to get up, do your exercise, shower, have something to eat, and start your day. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site suggests that twenty minutes of moderate aerobic exercise each day can lower your risk for heart disease and stroke, two of the leading causes of death in the United States. If I can find twenty minutes in the morning to exercise, so can you!

Happy Twenty

I’m sure you’ve read that you need to exercise at least one hour a day, three times a week, but I’d rather keep my body moving for twenty minutes every day than stress it out on alternate days.

Go for an easy 18-minute run.

Pick up a dumbbell of whatever weight you can handle, hold it with both hands in front of you, and do 2 minutes of ballet squats, lowering your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor, then standing up straight and repeating the squat. (If you want to really feel hot, do your squats wearing high heels.)

Healthy Twenty-five

Go for an easy 18-minute run.

Jump rope for 2 minutes.

Lie on your stomach with your legs stretched behind you and your hands slightly in front of your shoulders. Tuck in your toes and lift your hips off the floor until your hands and legs are straight. Now stretch your body forward, bending your elbow until your body forms a straight line parallel to the floor. Return to your starting position and repeat. Do this for 2 minutes. In yoga this is called doing a Downward Dog to a Plank.

Now turn on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Keeping your shoulders flat on the floor, pressing down with your feet, raise your hips off the floor until you’re making a straight line from knees to shoulders. In yoga, this is called a Bridge or a Backbend or a Half Wheel. Do this five times.