Photo by Luisa Apanui
It’s that time of year again - summer is coming (at least for those in the Northern Hemisphere) and many of us feel that annual pressure to slim down and tone up for the season of bathing suits, shorts, and sundresses. While it’s lovely to dive into summer feeling strong, confident, and beautiful, sadly many of my clients feel they can only achieve that through rigorous workout classes and starvation diets. While excessive cardio and crash diets can yield fast, noticeable results, those results are too often fleeting. We gain the weight we lost right back because that kind of lifestyle just does not work long-term as our bodies can’t withstand intense deprivation for long.
So I am here to help change up your summer-prep regime: this year. Before you burn out your body with two hard-core cardio classes per day or adopt a month long juice cleanse, consider an approach that will not only feel SO much better, but will also keep you looking great and feeling confident beyond the summer. So, if you are looking to ditch your pre-summer beat down and adopt and exercise and nutrition lifestyle that feels so good that you WANT to maintain it, then keep reading!
Exercise is one of my favorite parts of my day. It’s my time to shake off any tension from the day, and truly treat myself and my body to self-care, because exercise IS a self-care treat, and it should feel like one. When it’s time to get my body moving, I like to practice a little routine called the R&R detoxifying and fat-flushing workout, which is gentle and restorative for my body, but also helps me tone up and let go of any excess weight. It’s a combo of my two favorite workout regimes -- foam rolling and rebounding. It’s fun, effective, and SO easy to maintain -- just devote 20-30 minutes to your roller and rebounder for a fat-flushing, toning workout that will help you look and feel slimmer and stronger. If you’ve been here a while, you know all about the magic of rolling and rebounding, but if you’re new here, keep scrolling for the 411 on my favorite fat-flushing tools.
The Foam Roller. I like to start my sweat sesh on the roller, so I can roll out stuck toxins or negative emotions, then hop on the rebounder and shake them right out of my body. You might think the roller is simply a tool to mend and massage muscles, but it is capable of so much more. I use my foam roller for a full-body, lengthening, toning workout, using moves that actually resemble moves more commonly done on a pilates reformer. A quick and easy, at-home pilates workout? Yes PLEASE! But the foam roller helps me glow from the inside out in more ways than one -- rolling out the body boosts circulation and smooths and lubricates the fascia, which is a thin layer of connective tissue that lies under the skin and wraps individual muscles and organs, and the entire body. Smoothing out the fascia and boosting circulation truly gives me that summer glow -- my skin feels toned, youthful, and supple.
If you want to add this at-home toning, detoxifying pilates session to your springtime workout routine, I recommend getting a medium density roller so you can boost your circulation and lubricate your fascia without any pain. I created The Lorox Aligned Roller, which is a medium density roller with raised bumps that help boost circulation and awaken the lymphatic system to really get your summer glow going. It’s the ultimate at-home wellness tool to help you feel long, lean and confident this bathing suit season.
The Rebounder. After I smooth out my fascia and do a toning session on the roller, it’s time to really get grooving. The rebounder, which is essentially a mini trampoline, is a highly effective cardio workout that is gentle on joints and muscles. I like to turn on my favorite music and get moving -- bouncing on the rebounder not only tones the core, boosts the metabolism, and keeps the booty perky, but it allows me to focus on my movement, get into my body, and shake away the stress of the day. A session on the rebounder is truly so meditative and a detox for the mind, body and soul. The rebounder is wonderful for the body in countless ways -- it strengthens the body, supports the pelvic floor, and even reduces stress, all from a quick bounce sesh. If you want to learn more about the amazing benefits of rebounding, check out my blog all about it!
Just like the foam roller, this detoxifying workout doesn’t require a commute to a studio, a gym membership, or a rigid class schedule. Nope, you can get your bounce on in your own backyard. I find it’s SO easy to stick to my foam rolling routine and my bounce sessions because it truly only takes 20 minutes to go outside, prioritize my body, then continue about my day.If you want to invest in your own rebounder and give bouncing a try, there’s a wide range of options that fit a lot of different budgets. My favorite, the Rolls Royce of rebounders, is my signature Bellicon rebounder because the bungees make the bounce smoother and gentler on the body, which helps you get the full benefits, plus the legs fold so I can store it anywhere - even under a bed. AND coming VERY soon is my new collaboration with Bellicon - watch this space!
So, are you ready to feel slimmer, stronger, and radiant for this summer? Let’s get moving! The R&R detoxifying and fat-flushing workout will boost your metabolism, strengthen your core, and perk up your tush just in time for you to throw on your bathing suit and jump in the water. This quick routine is all about quality movement -- you don’t need to spend hours in the gym, just take the 20-30 mindful minutes to tone and strengthen your body.
I swear by this routine because I truly love it -- just a few minutes on my roller and rebounder alleviates my stress, helps me let go of my tension, and leaves me feeling stronger and toned. I also love that I can hop on the foam roller or rebounder any time, so depending on my schedule I can do a sunrise or sunset session, without any additional stress.
It’s time to get rolling, start bouncing, and elevate your body and mental state for the sunshine season ahead of us. It’s been a tough year, so taking care of our minds, bodies and souls has never been more important. If you really want to see benefits from the R&R regime, make sure to nourish your body with healthy, clean, whole foods, and stay hydrated. Treat your body to rest and relaxation after your session, so your body can rest and work it’s detox magic. As always, listen to your amazing body when you are sweating it out, and adjust to help your body feel it’s best.
So, let’s get rolling and rebounding! If you need some inspiration for rolling and rebounding sequences, my Aligned Life Studio is packed with rolling and rebounding sessions of all kinds -- restorative, gentle sessions and sweaty, burn sessions. You can give the studio a try with a free 7-day trial. Or, check out my YouTube channel for shorter rolling and rebounding videos that you can combine for an amazing R&R workout -- you can repeat or mix and match sessions to your liking, so you can get your summer glow on with your favorite moves.
Let’s get rolling all together!
With love and gratitude - Lo xx