Stepping It Up.

I mentioned it earlier this week, but right now for me, events season has kicked in full swing. This past week, I had four dinners and parties all in a row. So much fun, but not exactly conducive to being healthy and staying in shape. I’ve talked about it before, but I’ve been working really hard to stay in shape. Since transitioning to a freelance schedule I’ve lost about eight pounds, and I don’t want a few holiday slip-ups to make me gain it back.

ONE // The first rule isn’t a real rule, but it’s important. Everything in moderation – including moderation… and don’t beat yourself up too badly. Life is too short to be so hard on yourself. I am a perfectionist and have always been pretty self-critical. I can be really really mean to myself at times. I’ve gotten better at this but it’s definitely been a process and something I have to work at. When you’re nicer to yourself, it’s easier… I don’t know why, but it is.

Outfit Details: Burberry Coat // MiH Top // J Brand Jeans // Saint Laurent Bag // Charlotte Olympia Flats // Minnie & Emma x The Stripe Phone Case // Vita Fede Bracelets // Lele Sadoughi Cuff // Jawbone Up Bracelet

TWO // Stay accountable! I always say that if you go to a party, or are trying to stay on track with your workouts, it helps to have a friend who is in the same boat. My girlfriends and I will keep each other on track at events (ordering water between cocktails; sticking to vodka sodas, and only having a bite or two of dessert) but what has really helped me to stay accountable is wearing my Jawbone UP2 bracelet. It tracks my sleep and my steps (both very important), but I also log my meals (and cocktails) into it. At the end of the day, you will only lose weight if you burn more calories than you consume. The bracelet tracks all that, and the numbers will do the talking.

THREE // Do something active, every single day. I mentioned my five favorite workouts in the city in an earlier post and I try to take a class 4-5x a week but I’ve also gotten really religious about getting my steps in. On days that I don’t take a class, I go for a walk.  Or if I’m traveling and can’t take a workout class, I’ll go for a run or a walk. It’s such a fun way to explore a new city. Or if I’m feeling a little groggy/hungover from the night before, a long walk helps to sweat out the booze.

After a fun night on Wednesday, yesterday morning I woke up and made myself walk over to the East River for an hour long walk along the river. It felt great and gave me my “introvert time,” too. By the end of my walk I felt so much better – my head was clear and my hangover was gone. Jawbone recommends getting 10,000 steps per day but this time of year my goal is 15,000 per day to counteract my evening schedule.

FOUR // Get enough sleep. I might look like I’m out painting the town red but in fact I always make sure to get enough sleep. If it’s a school night and I know that I’m not going to be able to sleep in, I’m home by midnight. On the weekends I’ll stay out a little later, but only if I know I am going to be able to get 7-8 hours of sleep. I really love that the Jawbone UP2 tracks my sleep. It’s helped me figure out patterns. For example, if I have more than two glasses of wine I typically will wake up in the middle of the night and have a hard time falling asleep. And if I stay up past 2am during the week (I’m a night owl and am often up writing late into the night) I’m less likely to get a good night’s sleep. For me, falling asleep around midnight/1am and getting up at 8am seems to be the sweet spot. The bracelet also tracks your three sleep stages (REM, light, and deep), which is kinda cool. I love looking at my “progress report,” as I call it, the next day.

The UP3 was actually just listed as one of Oprah’s Favorite Things (pretty cool as we all know Oprah knows her sh*t and her favorite things are the holy grail of gift guides!)

photography by Lydia Hudgens.

In partnership with Jawbone.