LAUREN'S SEVEN TIPS FOR SUMMER BODY CONFIDENCE
I’ve been a fitness Professional and have worked PREDOMINANTLY WITH women for two decades. as winter turns to spring, women call on me when they want to feel their best wearing less.
As I learn about what they want to work on, I also help them do the mental work and identify what they love about themselves. More than the results they achieve through SLB, I love to help women build confidence and realize that their body is the most uniquely beautiful and the most amazing thing that they will ever own.
I’m a pro at making myself look larger and longer both on and off camera, but if you’ve met me in person, you know that I’m shockingly petite. Sure, I wouldn’t mind being at least 5’2”, but over the years I’ve learned to truly appreciate and love my height and curves. Here are my seven tips for summer body confidence:
IDENTIFY + OWN YOUR STRENGTHS
Instead of picking yourself apart or comparing yourself to someone else, focus on your what makes you uniquely beautiful. I promise that you can identify one thing you love about yourself and that will turn into ten.
DROP INTO THE PHYSICAL
I like to use movement to break negative patterns and shift my mindset. The quickest and easiest way to upgrade your mood is to move. You can literally move the negative out of your mind and body, because movement can chemically change how you feel. Emotion is enhanced by motion, and movement can make you feel good, sexy, strong, beautiful and empowered. I’m biased but there is nothing out there that will tone and shape your body as quickly as Studio LB. Combining cardio and resistance training is key and even if you’re just doing our Quick Burn workouts, you are guaranteed results in as little as eight workouts. It’s as instant gratification as it gets.
SELF-CARE
Take a bath, apply a mask or a spray tan, and just flirt with life a little bit more. Love and the libido is a vital sign in your well-being and your body’s eco-system. I’m not just talking about sex. Everything in life is connected to the heart, desire and feeling alive. I’ve learned that love really starts at home – within ourselves. Feeling sexy (for myself) allows me to tap into my creativity, confidence, all that is feminine and ultimately - loving my body.
WEAR WHAT FEELS GOOD
Forget about what’s trendy and stick to what you feel the most confident and comfortable in…and smile. Nobody will notice your insecurities if you feel good and look authentically happy.
EAT WITH LB
A few days before you’re planning on showing skin or wearing a bikini, drink plenty of water and decrease sodium and foods that cause bloating. It's not a case of healthy vs. unhealthy – choose still over sparkling water and stay away from raw veggies like cabbage or broccoli and beans which can cause bloating. I always choose anti-bloat options like sauteed greens and grilled chicken before I show major skin.
POSTURE PERFECT
Stand up straight with your shoulders pulled back and down and with as much confidence as you can gather. Lengthening your spine out through the crown of your head is literally the quickest and most effective change you can make.
HIGH PONY
Volume or “big hair” draws attention to the upper half of your body, balancing your silhouette and providing a distraction from any parts of yourself that you're not in love with at the current moment. A high pony adds two inches in height and can elongate the frame. A sun hat will even do the trick!
YOU'RE IN IT
You know when our hearts are in our throats and the work is hard AF and you hear me say “you’re in it?” It’s my way of reminding you that you’re present. You’re in it. You’re doing the work.
And you definitely know when you’re in it and when you’re not, right? Sometimes we take meaningful pauses and sometimes life totally gets in the way. There are times when we’re on top our practice and fully committed, and there are times when we just can’t get ourselves to open the app let alone do a Quick Burn. Whether you just joined SLB or you’ve been practicing for years, I want you to know that it’s totally normal. No matter what your reason is for falling off, it’s okay. Here’s what I recommend if you want to get back on track:
Instead of being avoidant, guilty or feeling into perfectionism, give yourself permission to pause/rest and be mindful about how you’re going to start again. Make a date with yourself in your calendar and start with a Quick Burn or anything that lights you up from your favorites. Don’t be afraid to check in with me for accountability (it’s my favorite part of what I do) and you’ll be in it again in no time.
SPRING FORWARD
Tomorrow is the first day of spring! The Spring Equinox marks the transition to a new season and the very welcoming equal balance of daylight and darkness. The seasonal shift invokes hope and a change in habits: fresh perspective, new rituals, a clean slate.
Speaking of new rituals, this week we’re incorporating outdoor walking into the weekly schedule. Walking (fast) in the fresh air is great for feeling strong, alive, connected, and forward-moving. I’ve forever been a walker but without a car has me on foot more than ever and it’s been a complete game changer in the way I feel, both mentally and physically.
Get inspired and make a playlist with your favorite music or use our new March playlist on Spotify and keep proper walking form in mind: Stand tall, eyes forward, strike with the heel, roll through the foot, push off the toes, and squeeze the glutes.
TRANSMUTING ENERGY
Harper’s Bazaar, February 1970
Transmuting energy is simply taking the energy that you have and changing it into something that can be useful. When unfavorable instances happen in our lives it’s so easy to dwell, ruminate, and talk to all your friends about it, right? The things that trigger our emotions the most can either become a weapon to defeat us or tools you can we use to learn and build ourselves.
Emotions are energy in motion. To emote means to express, if we don’t express, we tend to repress. Why waste that energy in repressing when we can emote and change it into something we want?
WATERING YOU
Just like our plants need to be watered and phones recharged, so do we.
Finding ways to recharge is such an essential part of self-care. It’s not just about getting enough sleep or movement, but finding a ways to recharge our body, mind, and spirit through a variety of health and wellness practices. I’ve made a short list of a few of my favorite ways that I water myself to help inspire you:
Slb/Stretch/Dance
Meditate
Create
Eat whole foods
Take a bath
Connection
Spend time with friends
Stay hydrated
Take mini walks throughout the day
Skincare
Get enough sleep
Hugs and love
Make time for art or learn something new
Ask for support
Organize and declutter your home/inbox
PUSHING YOUR LIMITS
Think you’ve hit your ceiling? You haven’t, I promise.
Same diet, same exact workout, same length of time on the mat, (with the same mods), and same comfort zone? Check out my six tips that will help you test your limits, become more connected to movement, push through the good pain, and your next SLB workout.
Go beyond aesthetics. Sure, having a killer bod is a side effect of SLB, but for a lot people, “wanting to look hot” isn’t something that they’re actually emotionally connected to. I’ve found that thinking about strength is more powerful when your trying to power through a plateau.
Break it up. Less can be more. Think about finishing in smaller increments or choose a Quick Burn and give it your all. Cutting the full length into two, 25-minute halves is a lot less daunting and you won’t have that pit of dread that usually starts brewing long before you press play.
Stop watching the numbers. Be present. Being fixated on reps, calorie burn, or how many minutes you have left will only make the time pass more slowly, and will keep you from ever getting fully mentally “in the zone” and in your body. If it’s a hard habit to break, put a piece of tape over the time counter on your screen or your HR monitor.
Know your WHY. I say it all the time, but it’s so important to know and connect to and with your true north.
Really feel it. Find something you enjoy about what you’re doing. I always like to feel like I’m punching above my weight. You’re doing SLB because on some sick level, you enjoy it, right? Remember that. Consider what you “like” about it so that you enjoy the sensation of building muscle rather than just thinking of it as just a painful experience.
Be grateful for the body and mind that allows you to move. When I teach and our hearts are in our throats, I like to remind people what a privilege it is that they can move. It’s easy to forget that being able to work out is a gift. You’re SO BEYOND lucky you get to do 100 squats and lunges.
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GROUNDING TECHNIQUES
As I look ahead to the shift into Fall (and back to school), I almost immediately feel anxiety. As women, we often find ourselves juggling multiple responsibilities—family, work, school, relationships, and more. It can be completely overwhelming, and when life gets too stressful, it can lead to anxiety, worry, and even panic. You know when you spend the day feeling flighty, disconnected, and just going through the motions? There are ways to find balance and bring yourself back to calm and centered, and one of the most effective methods that I’ve relied on for most of my life is grounding. In fact, you’ll often find me literally sitting on the floor. One of the reasons Activation feels so good is because we really ground down over the course of a few days.
Grounding basically means to bring your focus to what is happening to you physically, either in your body or in your surroundings, instead of being trapped by the thoughts in your mind that are causing you to feel anxious. It helps you stay in the present moment instead of worrying about things that may happen in the future or events that have already happened but you still find yourself going over and over them in your head. Here are five grounding techniques that can help you reduce stress and anxiety:
Movement
Beyond slb, I regularly dance and spend time on my foam roller to release emotoin. Movement helps release stress, gets blood flowing, and calms the mind. As you move, focus on your body and how it feels. Pay attention to your breath and how your muscles feel.
Deep Breathing
Deep breathing is one of the most effective grounding techniques for stress and anxiety. Regulating your breathing helps you regulate your emotions. Find a quiet place where you can sit comfortably, close your eyes, and take a few deep breaths. Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose, filling the lungs completely, then exhale slowly and fully through your mouth. Repeat this exercise for a few minutes, paying attention to your breath as you inhale and exhale.
EFT Tapping
You’ll see me tapping often. Similar to acupuncture, EFT focuses on the meridian points — or energy hot spots — to restore balance to your body’s energy. It’s believed that restoring this energy balance can relieve symptoms a negative experience or emotion may have caused.
Based on Chinese medicine, meridian points are thought of as areas of the body energy flows through. These pathways help balance energy flow to maintain your health. Any imbalance can influence disease or sickness. Acupuncture uses needles to apply pressure to these energy points. EFT uses fingertip tapping to apply pressure.
Sensory Awareness
Grounding through sensory awareness is another effective technique. It involves focusing on your senses to help bring you back to the present moment. Start by sitting or standing with your feet firmly on the ground. Take a deep breath and then focus on your senses. What do you see? What do you hear? What do you feel? Pay attention to each sense and try to describe it in detail in your mind. Sucking on a piece of sour candy or walking outside on the grass barefoot also really helps.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the practice of being present in the moment, without judgment. It involves paying attention to your thoughts, feelings, and sensations without reacting to them. Find a quiet place where you can sit comfortably, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing. As thoughts come into your mind, acknowledge them, but don't dwell on them. Instead, let them go and return your focus to your breath.
THE IMPORTANCE OF MYOFASCIAL RELEASE
Recovery is an important part of any training program. My very favorite way to recover is myofascial release via foam rolling.
Myofascial release is so undervalued, and if you commit to a regular foam rolling habit the results are incredible. I fully believe that it helps prevent injury. If you want to roll in the AM, I recommend rolling vigorously to stimulate blood flow and wake your limbs up. Nighttime rolling should be gentler, slower and over time it starts to feel relaxing. Personally I find it most beneficial to hit my hamstrings and back before heading to sleep. I’ll admit there’s a pretty high barrier to entry, since the first few times rolling can feel very uncomfortable. I like to find the points of tension as I roll, and pause on them breathing into that spot. Breaking up the fascia feels so good and therapeutic to me before bed.
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LB'S FAVORITE REBOUNDERS FOR YOUR BUDGET
Rebounding is super fun and provides major health benefits from boosting balance, digestion, lymphatic drainage and immune function. Rebounding is also more than twice as effective as running without extra stress on the ankles and knees.
Rebounding is unique since it uses the forces of acceleration and deceleration and can work on every cell in the body. When you bounce, acceleration occurs as you bounce up, then a split-second weightless pause at the peak, a deceleration at an increased G-force on the way down, then impact to the rebounder, and you repeat.
In general, the more springs a rebounder has, the better it tends to be. However, the better a rebounder is, the more you’ll pay. Regardless of your budget, I don’t believe that you need to spend more than $250 on an at-home rebounder. And you don’t need a bungee rebounder…don’t believe the hype. Springs work just fine. Over the last ten years I’ve used many brands and can recommend a great one for almost every budget.
Here’s what to look for:
Comfort: Like a car, all rebounders have a different feel. Some will feel great jumping barefoot, and with some you’ll want to save your soles and wear shoes. If you prefer jumping with sneakers, you’ll be able to spend less. But, if you’re planning on jumping 15 minutes daily, a couple times a week, or a few times a month and you prefer working barefoot, you might want to spring for a comfier one.
Bounce: You’ll sink into some rebounders and they’ll give you a lot more bounce, while others will be firm and give you barely any bounce at all. Bounce has nothing to do with quality, it really all depends on the type of workout you want. If it’s for cardio (LB rebounder workouts for sure!) then choose a bouncier one; if it’s mainly for lymphatic drainage, get a tighter one and stay low. Low bouncing is easier and you won’t get as tired.
Frame Quality: If you get a rebounder with a lousy frame, it will wear over a short period of time. If you’re going to be using it heavily, get one that can withstand some bouncing. Some rebounders fold up for easy storage, so if you’re tight on space, keep that in mind. Personally I’m not a fan of the foldable ones. Some take two people to fold and lock into place, and god forbid your finger gets caught in there. They sorta scare me, but I’m also scared of bees so…
Here are my top four rebounder picks in three price ranges. Honestly, I don't love any rebounder in the $100-$150 range, most have straight legs so they walk away from you as you jump and most tend to be pretty noisy.
1. Jumpsport Model 250 ($249). I have this one at home and it's top of the line. I love it b/c the frame is sturdy and slightly smaller, it's super lightweight, and the arched legs keep it still on the ground during the highest of jumps. You can also adjust the firmness and tension which is awesome. The 250 gives you freedom of movement because you can jump on those padded petals, so there's a lot more surface area. This one will last you for life - even with heavy usage.
2. Jumpsport Model 220 ($229) Just like the model 250, but the 220 gives you less jumping area without the petals but still provides a LOT of bounce and all the bells and whistles.
3. Ancheer Rebounder ($62-$78) These models are sturdy and one folds up twice, but all are firm with a low bounce. If you prefer staying low or are tall and have low ceilings these are a great option.
4. Stamina Folding Rebounder ($31.89) This quiet little rebounder comes in chic colors and folds up if you're looking to save space. It's very reasonably priced but is a starter model so I'm guessing this will last you six months to one year if you're planning on jumping one hour daily/5x a week. This one is a great option if you're looking to jump in and then upgrade in time.
GAME DAY SPREAD
We are so excited! Go Birds! I’ll be at Joy’s on Sunday and I’m sharing my go-to sides, minus my main which is always my homemade meatballs. I’ll be real- Bob’s cooking (he should have been a chef) and we’ll probably order Boos Philly cheesesteaks, too.
I’m in love with a spicy, chunky guacamole and have been known to get after some wings too... but game day eats are always best in moderation. I dabble but I don’t indulge too much and I always keep my side dishes healthy.
The Super Bowl will on air for almost 4 hours Sunday, so here’s a few options I’m making for some crunch, some umami, and some sweetness that will leave not leave you bloated on Monday.
VEGGIE SPRING ROLLS
Image via Getty Images
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups julienned veggies (I like cucumber, zucchini, carrots, and bell pepper)
1 bunch fresh cilantro
1 bunch fresh mint
1/2 cup vermicelli noodles
8-10 whole spring roll rice papers
These are great just as veggie, but adding cooked shrimp, cooked ground chicken, or spiced cooked tofu are all good options to bulk them up.
Peanut Sauce
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1 Tbsp soy sauce (tamari if gluten-free)
1-2 Tbsp agave or honey (depending on preferred sweetness)
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp Sriracha
Directions
Start by preparing vermicelli noodles per the package, drain and set aside.
Whisk all peanut sauce ingredients. Add hot water to thin if necessary
Immerse rice paper in a skillet of hot water to soften for about 10-15 seconds.
Transfer rice paper to a damp cutting board or damp towel and gently spread out edges into a circle.
Place a small handful of vermicelli noodles and layer carrots, bell peppers, cucumber, fresh herbs on the bottom third of the rice paper. Gently fold over once, tuck in edges, and continue rolling until seam is sealed.
Place seam-side down on a serving platter and cover with damp warm towel to keep fresh. Repeat until all fillings are used up – about 8-10 spring rolls total.
Serve with peanut sauce and sriracha or hot sauce of choice.
BELL PEPPER "NACHOS"
Image via FoodGawker
Ingredients
4 bell peppers, cut into small wedges
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 c. shredded cheese (Monterey Jack,
cheddar, or any vegan option will work)
1/2 avocado, sliced
1 c. salsa (I like pico de gallo)
1/2 c. pickled jalapeño slices
Lime wedges, for serving
Directions
Preheat oven to 425° and line two small baking sheets with foil.
Divide bell peppers between baking sheets. Toss with olive oil, cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder. Season generously with salt and pepper. Lay the wedges on the baking sheets in a single layer, cut side up. Bake until peppers are crisp-tender, about 10 minutes.
Top bell peppers with both Monterey Jack and cheddar. Bake until cheese is bubbly, about 10 minutes.
Top with avocado slices, salsa, and pickled jalapeños. Squeeze a lime wedge on top and serve with more lime wedges.
DRUNKEN STRAWBERRIES
Ingredients
2 pounds strawberries
1 tablespoon agave
1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup tequila
1 lime , juiced and zested
Directions
Trim strawberries and cut them in half.
In a large bowl add the strawberries, agave, salt, tequila, lime juice and zest together.
Let sit for 20 minutes before serving. These are great as a garnish for a cocktail, or on their own. Make sure you have a DD!
SLB GREEN HUMMUS
Originally posted Feb 2021. This week I’m sharing my green hummus recipe that I’ve been holding because it’s perfect for watching the Super Bowl. I’ve been making regularly since the lockdown began and I love having this on hand - Mars loves it (and it’s not pizza or pasta!) and I eat it with crudités as a snack. Any olive oil will do but I’ve been using Wonder Valley Olive Oil and I love it. It’s buttery, fresh and herbaceous - it really tastes alive. The olives are hand-picked young, yielding a greener oil full of polyphenols—a powerful antioxidant.
Ingredients
juice of 1 large lemon
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup olive oil (I love Wonder Valley)
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup frozen baby sweet peas, thawed
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (plus more to taste)
1-2 garlic cloves
salt to taste
3 tablespoons water
Directions
Put everything except the water into a food processor or high speed blender for approx 1 min. then add water while blending until desired creaminess is reached.
* Tip: Mince or chop the garlic, then let it rest for ten or fifteen minutes. This will allow for the production of allicin, a phytochemical responsible for garlic’s anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and immune-boosting properties.
Turning Thoughts Into Things
I believe we can facilitate change in our own lives; to live the life we want as the person we really want to be. You can turn goals into reality by setting intentions for the week or month ahead by writing them down on craft paper or reciting them aloud by candlelight.
Get crafty - buy colored pens, stickers, craft paper, and manifestation candles and set up at tour kitchen table, office or craft table. Creating this monthly or weekly ritual will help you vibrate at your highest energy, and enable you to manifest your deepest desires into your life—and prepare to soar. I swear by this. I light my candles daily and write out my monthly goals at the beginning of each month.
When you’re manifesting, each time you light a candle, call in the energies needed to turn your thoughts into things or maybe even think about getting that thing that’s keeping you from doing the thing.