Getting that Summer Beach Body and When to Slow Down Your Regime

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Ashanti Johnson, personal trainer and owner of 360 Mind Body and Soul (Photo by Marselle Washington)

As the warmer months start to approach, many women tend to hit the gym a little more than usual, in hopes of shedding the pounds by summer. Personal trainer and owner of 360 Mind Body and Soul, Ashanti Johnson, works out of a studio, 2310 E. 75th St. in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago. She has two main tips for women trying to lose weight. Listen to your body and be consistent.
“Eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full,” she said. “You have to make the commitment; 99.9 percent of the time when I hear somebody say they don’t see results, it’s because they’re not consistent with what they’re doing,” Johnson said.
She left her corporate job when she discovered her passion for helping people get fit. Her studio offers more than 30 classes that include beach boot camp during the warmer months, kickboxing and more. Johnson said she loves teaching group classes because she sees the transformation people make when they have someone else to relate or connect to.
When it comes to getting slimmer, she suggest people replace 60-70 percent of their diet with fruits and vegetables. Working out at least an hour a day, three to four times a week is ideal.
“If you’re trying to lose [the weight] you have to get real with yourself, you have to make that commitment,” Johnson said.
She said that the first 10 people to reach out to her on either Instagram (@360MBS) or Facebook (360.Mind.Body.Soul) and say they read the article will receive one free week of classes.

When Not to Workout

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Holistic nutritionist Coach P of Herbalosophy101, a nutrition coaching company that focuses on body healing through fitness, naturopathy and faith, said there’s nothing wrong with trying to get the ‘perfect’ bikini body, but there are times when one shouldn’t hit the gym or pop in their fitness DVDs. The New Jersey native shared her top five:
 1—“Don’t Sweat it Out”
It’s a myth that working out when sick helps rid the body of the virus, Coach P said. “When the immune system is battling an infection, it doesn’t need to deal with stress from exercise,” she said. Also those battling with sever allergies should stay away from an intense workout and just keep it “moderate.”
2—“Let Your Muscles Rest”
Feeling the burn can be a good indicator that one is working hard, but it’s crucial that those muscles get a break. “We’ll go back the next day because we’re so motivated even with the pain and want to go in even harder; that’s not wise,” Coach P said. “I always tell people, you need a rest day in between intense workouts.” Putting too much focus on the muscles can actually cause them to lose strength, she said.
3—Mommies To-Be, Slow Down
Working out while pregnant is fine, but going crazy with the regime is harmful for the baby, Coach P said. “If you’re pregnant, the most exercise you should do is maybe a light prenatal yoga or walk around the trail. That’s about it for the most part. You shouldn’t be getting Zumba on or any other crazy exercises,” she said. It is important to keep the blood flowing during a pregnancy so some form of activity is recommended, just no cross-fit training.
4—That ‘Special’ Time of the Month
For women who suffer from fibroids or polycystic ovaries, intense workouts are forbidden, Coach P said. “You should not put that much stress on your uterus and ovaries.” She recommends certain yoga moves instead.
5—Head Pains, Got Tylenol?
Anyone who has had a concussion or has chronic migraines should not workout without permission from a doctor, she said. “Working out doesn’t just affect us outwardly, it also affects us inwardly.”
Coach P can be reached through her website.

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