Just because summer is over doesn’t mean you should slack off on your workout routine & luckily, trainer to the stars, Kira Stokes, shared her fitness tips to get you in the best shape of your life.
With the seasons changing from summer to fall, it can sometimes feel like a chore to get up and go workout, especially since bikini season is over. However, you don’t need to be in a swimsuit to workout and feel good about yourself, and celebrity trainer, Kira Stokes, shared exactly how you can get in tip-top shape. Kira, whose celebrity clients include Jenny McCarthy and Shay Mitchell, just to name a few, spoke to HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY about a secret trick she insists everyone should try when working out – shocking your body. The idea behind “shocking your body” is basically that since our bodies are always changing, our workouts should too. Going to the gym and doing the same workout every time, is not going to be as effective as going to the gym and trying a different routine each time. Kira started her own training technique, The Stoked Method, which she explains is, “a science-backed, form-focused, functional flow of movement formula. Every circuit of activity is designed to meticulously advance from one muscle group to the next to build strength, tone, and endurance without adding unnecessary strain to the body. This also allows athletes to concentrate on the form no matter the length of the workout, or whether they are fine-tuning targeted muscle groups or going full-blast with equally challenging high-intensity movement. Mobility and recovery are part of every circuit to prevent injury and keep progress from crashing and burning. You want to have a successful workout plan. Form is at the root of it. Each component of the workout has to make sense with each progressive move to protect the body and protect your goals.” Her method is available for everyone to try at the Kira Stokes Fit App and On Demand.
If you’ve fallen off the exercise wagon now that the summer is over, Kira shared two ways to get back in the habit. “Be Grateful. I always begin workouts with a simple reminder. You need to be thankful for your ability to move. This is a game-changing thought for those who are just getting started or trying to psych themselves back into a routine. We all need this reminder. Movement is a gift and to be frank, there are those who don’t have this gift or no longer have it. There are also those who still move despite life-altering injury or insurmountable odds. Get inspired by that and start moving your body.” As for the second, “Set realistic goals. Schedule specific checkpoints (dates on the calendar where you try on a goal outfit, or want to hit being able to run that 8, 9, or 10-minute mile to gauge progress). Remember that small goals lead to big results. It all stacks up, but think about keeping things realistic by taking one step and hitting one small improvement, adjustment, or small victory at a time. If you set expectations too high that can lead to frustration and giving up prematurely,” Kira admitted.
Other ways to get you motivated to go to the gym, Kira reveals, are finding some friends and “sweat swaggy.” “Find some sweaty friends! Think of your friends as an analog version of your Apple Watch, Garmin, FitBit, or built-in health tracker on your phone (checking those stats on technology can also be a big help too of course!). Tech is brilliant. But before we all became so synced with going digital, it was always other humans helping to hold us accountable and nothing can beat that. Having someone or a group of people to show up and sweat with you and help measure goals is a proven way to increase accountability. It’s something I refer to as ‘sweat unity.’ Make a pact or commitment with a friend, family member, partner, or a group of friends to try one new class or fitness modality a week or every other week. Or make a plan to commit to a specific training program to support one another and help track goals together.”
As for “sweat swaggy,” Kira explained, “If you can think of dressing for the job you want, you should also think about dressing for the workout you want. Investing in workout gear that makes you feel good about yourself and even helps to support movement (or leave it less encumbered), can definitely motivate you to keep moving. This is a real psychological factor when it comes to exercise and other accomplishments if you like what you see and how you feel when you look in the mirror, the odds of pushing yourself a bit harder increase. Feeling good is also a MAJOR confidence upgrade. I always like to emphasize, functional, fashionable fitness apparel can be an immediate mood, and therefore workout booster.”