I’m a huge fan of Kristen Bell. Mainly, because she is a vegetarian!
She is on the cover of Self February and here is a snippet of her interview…
On her favorite exercise move:
“Here’s the one that packs the most punch. I call it The Bowler: Stand with your feet hip-width apart, and bend slightly at the waist, holding a 5-pound weight in your right hand. Squat, then swing your right hand up and left, across your body, and sweep your right foot to the left behind you, as if you’re bowling. Do about eight on each side. It’s amazing for the butt cheeks!”
On how she splurges:
“Salted chocolate drives me wild. I’m not a big spender, but I do like buying kitchen tools. I’ve ordered all the ways you can cut a strawberry and that ring to cook an egg in a heart shape.”
On her favorite way to relax:
“I love to cook. I have a tiny Italian grandmother inside me. If someone walks in, I’m like, “Let me make you a sandwich!” We all have a giving-love language and a receiving-love language. I show love by cooking. When people have patience with me, I feel so loved. Dax is extremely patient with me.”
On what she eats, seeing that she’s a vegetarian:
“I’ve been a vegetarian since I was 11, because I couldn’t understand why if we didn’t eat the dog I should eat a burger. I love animals, and I stand by my values. So in the morning, I have an apple and, if we have leftover pizza, I scrape the toppings into egg whites. Pizza eggs are better than you can imagine! For lunch, I’ll have a big salad and a veggie burger. I’m a fan of multicourse dinners. Last night, I made brussels sprouts baked with balsamic vinegar, grapes and walnuts; butternut squash ravioli; and a “garbage disposal” salad, which is everything in the veggie and fruit drawers: lentils, spinach, romaine, blueberries, cucumbers, raspberries, almonds, carrots and avocado. Literally anything. You don’t even need a dressing because there are so many tastes.”
On whether she or Dax is the better biker:
“There’s no comparison! I can barely walk in a straight line, let alone move in one when I’m on a vehicle that has wheels. Dax grew up as a dirt biker. He’s always doing tricks that terrify me. Even so, we ride to brunch or dinner or ice cream all the time.”
I was at the gym this morning and thinking back to when I first started trying to lose weight. I did EVERYTHING wrong.
I would eat a ridiculously low amount of calories per day and exercise way too much. Of course, I lost weight. But the side effects of my dangerous diet made it not worth it. And the worst part is, I didn’t even realise I was thin. I just wanted to lose more and more. Does this sound familiar?
I would sometimes have to curl up in a ball on the couch because of the pains in my stomach. I didn’t want to eat out at restaurants. I was constantly in a bad mood and always lethargic.
One of the worst things about starving yourself is becoming “Skinny Fat”. Sure, you’ll look good in clothes. But once you need to get into a bikini, it is obvious that you aren’t respecting your body.
Do YOU suffer from “Skinny Fat Syndrome”?
Skinny fat is a self induced syndrome where an individual is fairly close to their healthy weight, or even at their healthy weight, but they have little if any muscle definition. The sufferer generally doesn’t exercise regularly or is a habitual on and off again exerciser. The sufferer also generally doesn’t follow any type of healthy nutrition plan, rather they eat anything and everything they want. The skinny fat syndrome can and does lead to the sufferer becoming overweight and even obese if the condition is not dealt with. Also, even if the skinny fat sufferer never becomes overweight or obese they ARE at a high risk for obesity related diseases and illnesses.
How did I stop starving myself and start respecting my body?
By reading fitness magazines and seeing how the fitness models look WHILE having five – six small meals a day. It is possible to eat AND lose weight. I know it seems a little crazy. But if you eat the right things then you can do it!
OMG Melissa, I think I am skinny fat. What can I eat to lose weight and be HEALTHY?
Meal 1 (7 AM)
1/2 cup of dry oats mixed with water
1/2 cup of egg beaters
Meal 2 (9 AM)
Meal replacement or protein powder (around 20 grams of protein) mixed with water
1/2 Tablespoon of Flaxseed Oil
Meal 3 (12 Noon)
1/2 cup of brown rice, or medium sized baked potato, or 1 cup of oatmeal
2 cups of green beans, broccoli or any other desired vegetable
6 ounces of chicken, turkey, or lean fish
Meal 4 (3 PM)
Meal replacement or protein powder (around 20 grams of protein) mixed with water
Meal 5 (6 PM)
1/2 cup of brown rice, or medium sized baked potato, or 1 cup of oatmeal
2 cups of green beans, broccoli or any other desired vegetable
6 ounces of chicken, turkey, or lean fish
This diet will work. Or you can follow the Bikini Model Program (as I have done)
What does Skinny Fat Look like?
It isn’t pretty. I bet that in real life I would see this girl in a pair of tiny skinny jeans and be very envious. But on the beach, not so much.
What does Skinny FIT Look Like?
Here are some examples of skinny fit. Which would you prefer? I know what I’d pick!
What Exercises Can I do?
This is a BEGINNER workout program. A great place to start 
Monday (chest and bis)
Chest
Dumbbell Bench Press 3×8-12
Incline Dumbbell Bench 3×8-12
Dumbbell Flyes 3×8-12
Biceps
Incline Curls 2×10-15
Alternating Dumbbell Curls 2×10-15
Barbell Curls 2×10-15
Abs
Crunches 3 sets of max reps
NB: Don’t add any side Ab exercises in if you are aiming for an hourglass figure
Wednesday (legs and delts)
Quads
Squats 3×12-15
Leg Press 2×10-15
Leg Extension 2×8-12
Hamstrings
Leg Curls 2×10-12
Calves
Standing Calf Raises 3×12-15
Delts
Dumbbell Press 3×8-12
Friday (back and tris)
Back
Lat Pulldowns 3×8-10
T Bar Row 3×8-12
Bent Over One Arm Dumbbell Row 3×10-12
Triceps
Pushdowns 2×8-12
Close Grip Bench Press 2×8-10
Lying Tricep Extensions 2×12-15
Abs
Leg raises 3x max reps
Are you serious? That is BEGINNERS? It sounds really hard!
It isn’t hard! I know all the different names are confusing. I suggest you look up the exercises on youtube before doing them. If not, you could ask somebody at the gym to help you (one of the personal trainers perhaps).
How Can I Get Motivated?
Start by looking at photos of bodies you admire. You could print them out and put them somewhere that you will see every day.
Motivational quotes can be very inspiring!
My personal favourite…”Be the best Melissa you can be!”. You’d obviously insert your own name where ‘Melissa’ is.
When should I start?
Right now! Stop being a “my diet starts tomorrow” person. Tomorrow never comes does it?
You need to lose weight for the right reasons. Do it for yourself! If you’re doing it to impress others or for your boyfriend, it isn’t going to work. If you decide to do it because you want to feel confident, pretty, strong and healthy. Then you are going to succeed!
NO MORE EXCUSES!
Excuses are the nails used to build a house of failure.
~Don Wilder and Bill Rechin
Want some more motivation? Watch this video!
