1. Drink water: Flush out fat, toxins, rev up your energy and digestion and make your skin glow. Recommended amount: at least the amount equivalent to half your body weight in ounces.

2. Load up on greens: Raw, steamed, sautéed, chopped, shredded...no matter which way you eat them, they will help make your skin glow, rid your body of toxins, and rev up your immune system. Loaded with fiber, phytonutrients to help your organs work and high in oxygen, my favorites include: frozen spinach blended in a smoothie for breakfast, hummus and veggies wrapped in a collard green for lunch and kale sautéed with coconut oil and sea salt as a side dish for dinner.

3. Read ingredients! Just because something is fat free or low calorie, doesn't necessarily mean it makes you lose weight. And just because a food contains fat, doesn't necessarily mean it’s going to make you fat. My rule of thumb: if you can't pronounce an ingredient, your body most likely won't be able to digest it, so focus on ingredients instead of nutrition facts and you're body will love you.

4. Meditate: When I sit upright, hands on my lap facing upwards, for at least 1 minute and take at least 3 really deep breathes, I automatically get a dose of positivity, a wave of calmness and a jolt of motivation. Play a pretty song with positive lyrics or sit in silence and just listen and breathe. Your to-do list will seem way less overwhelming afterwards. I promise.

5. Sweat: In order to have glowing skin, a rocking body and a healthy heart, you must sweat at least once a day. Choose an exercise that you love to do or even take a sweaty hot bath. If you don’t love the sweaty activities you do, find one that you enjoy. Dance, stretch class, biking, swimming - do it just for 20-30 min per day. I recommend group classes and signing up before for the week so you don’t have an excuse not to go. Pack your workout clothes with you when you go to work, or better yet, wear your workout tank under a cute blazer and you'll be half ready to hit the gym later on!

6. Rest: Getting quality zzz is the key to a happy life, a body that works and success at work. Your digestive system needs a time to reboot and your cells need time to regenerate. You only get one body in life, so you are as important as those late night e-mails. Give YOU the attention you deserve.

7. Cleanse: No, I’m not talking a juice cleanse. I’m talking cleansing where you sleep (your bedroom), where yo

u work (your office), where you bathe (your bathroom) and where you eat (your kitchen). A clean home, a gorgeous desk and a kitchen stocked with good-for-you foods will dramatically

help you feel and look fab. Make your bedside stand Pinterest worthy (add a bud vase and place a fresh stem with a flower, keep it tidy). I bet your dreams will be more lucid and you may even get more restful, uncluttered sleep!

8. Feel your goal: Want skinny arms so you can feel fabulous walking down the aisle at your best friend's w

edding? Focus on the feeling of feeling fabulous, rather than those skinny arms. When you focus on how you want to feel, rather than the goal itself, it takes the pressure off and the goal so much more attainable. Write down three feelings and post it up in a place that you can see to hold you accountable.

Arielle Fierman, is a board certified health coach and motivational speaker on a mission to help women everywhere look and feel their absolute best. Her unique approach to health has been featured on national outlets including The Dr. Oz Show and Today. www.bewellwitharielle.com

 

Posted on WholeFoods Magazine, March 20, 2014