Glam Slam: Survive The Summer Party Season

We’re still in April, but already my weekends are filling up past Memorial Day. I wish I could say it was for something glamorous, but mostly it’s an endless schedule of kids’ birthday parties, which are proving to be quite good at wreaking havoc on any healthy habits I may have.

Whether it’s summer barbeques, pool parties or hitting a rooftop bar, we all let loose a little more when it gets warmer, but it’s about finding a balance according to celebrity Pilates trainer and lifestyle expert Kit Rich, who has worked with Sting and Trudie and Ke$ha. Kit’s motto is–“You can’t plan life, but you can be healthy while living it!” Here she has put together a series of tips to help people party with a healthy state of mind.

To avoid overeating at a party:

a) Carry a small clutch so that you always have one hand full. Don’t tuck it under your arm! Keep holding onto it. One hand holds the drink and the other, the clutch. Sorry, no room for mini pizzas.

b) Pop a mint in your mouth right before you approach the appetizer table. The taste of artificial mint tends to dull the desire for cheese and French dip.

c) Wear a form-fitting outfit or jeans. Typically, women will wear loose-fitting clothes to hide “problem” areas. The only problem is it gives them the leeway to overindulge. But keeping the clothes tight sends the physical reminder to stop! Especially if that button is about to pop.

d) Chew your food slowly. Take your time! Try chewing up to 30 times before you swallow. You can count while you are pretending to be interested in what your colleague is ranting on and on about. The bite of food should literally be mush before you swallow. It will slow you down, make you fuller faster and is better for digestion. Remember, it takes the brain roughly 15 minutes to understand whether or not the stomach is full. So don’t eat so much before you get the chance to receive the signal.

e) Little Black Dress Tool: This is a tool I use for myself every day. Before I reach for an appetizer, I try to take a breath and imagine myself in my dream outfit—this little black Chanel dress—which I can’t actually afford and don’t have yet. Regardless, it is this vision of myself—beautiful, confident and radiant—that keeps my portions in control when I actually begin to eat. I always want to feel the way I envision myself in that dress.

How to drink responsibly when it comes to your health:

a) Always have a glass of water (without ice) before you have your drink, and in between drinks, if you have the urge to have another one. Most people are dehydrated before they even start drinking, which can become an even greater problem once they start drinking. Remember, for every 30ml of alcohol you consume, your body loses 200ml of water. So drink tons of water, especially before you go to bed at the end of the night!

b) Make sure you don’t drink on an empty stomach. If you do, you will get tipsy faster and you will eat more than you were originally intending.

c) Never order another drink when you haven’t finished your first one. Wait 15-20 minutes after you’ve finished your first one before, or if, you decide to order another.

d) Whatever you are drinking, sip slowly! Approach this drink as though it is the Last Supper and you want to savor every sip and slurp.

e) Want the least amount of calories? Choose 5 ounces of red or white wine. 5 ounces of wine is roughly 100 calories.

f) Prefer hard liquor? Both vodka and tequila have the same amount of calories (104) per shot (1.5 ounces). Always have it on the rocks and limit your drink of choice to only 3 ingredients. My favorites are soda water, diet tonic, and only a splash of grapefruit or cranberry juice. Load up on limes and lemons.

How to reveal your best self at the party:

a) Before you go the party, try doing 3-5 minutes of any fitness routine at home that feels like a challenge without breaking a sweat. It will help release anxiety and stress.
For example: Jump rope for 2 minutes, then perform push-ups for one minute, plank for 1 minute and bicycle crunches for the remaining minute. You will be ready to go and much calmer than you were before!

b) If you’re already at the party and feel a bit nervous or anxious…go into the bathroom or bathroom stall at the restaurant or club and, behind closed doors, clench your fists together. Close your eyes. Take a big inhale and then hold your breath as you squeeze your hands together really tight. Clench your whole body, your face….everything. Hold your breath. Keep squeezing until you start to shake a little bit. When you can’t hold it anymore, exhale and release. Notice the sensation in your body. Then close your eyes, focus on the point between your eyebrows and begin inhaling for a count of three. Hold your breath for a count of three and then exhale through your nose for a count of five. As you are doing that, take your second finger and press on top of your thumbnail. Put as much pressure as you can without inducing pain. Do this breathing pattern 10 times and you will be ready to take over the room.

–Ryan Patterson

Copyright © 2024 by NBC Universal, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

This material may not be republished, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Read More

Dua Lipa Shows Off Hilarious Moment She Struggled To Sit In Her Dress At The 2024 Golden Globes