woman working out
get pumped up.

Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to exist solely for couples. That sounds crazy, right? It’s not though. If you have a significant other, then of course, spend that day with that person. But if you’re single, this is a prime opportunity for you to get with your best girls who may also be riding solo for February 14 this year. No time to feel sad about not having found “the one” — you girls need to dress to the nines and enjoy yourselves. That’s all well and good, but you may not be feeling ready to have the gams and biceps out for the holiday. Maybe you’re feeling a little sluggish? No problem. Here, Weekly Sauce presents a few ways for you and your girlfriends to get right within two weeks.

Diet

You’ve heard that saying that weight loss is more about what you’re eating than what you’re doing in the gym… It’s true! So try to switch things up a bit within these two weeks.

Go Vegan — For a Few Days At Least

This can be pretty rough, so start off by doing a couple of “meatless” days. Experiment with eggplant and mushrooms if you’re truly craving the texture of meat. Don’t forget your dark greens like kale and spinach on the side. Blending veggie/fruity smoothies is a great idea for breakfast, too: combine leafy greens like the ones aforementioned, ginger paste for a kick, frozen peaches, and strawberries and you have a drink full of antioxidants and nutrients that ought to hold you until lunchtime. Then when you feel ready, go vegan for a day or two — so, no eggs, dairy, or anything else that an animal produces. It’s hard, and you may very well slip up, but don’t beat yourself up too bad about it. Just hop back on the wagon when you realize your mistake and try to stick with it for the remaining time.

Write It Down

Every single thing that goes in your mouth should be in a temporary food diary. Consider it a self-induced guilt trip of sorts. You know you shouldn’t have that small box of fried chicken tenders, but you’re tempted to stop by on the way home because the smell wafts from a local fast food joint. Stop it. When you keep a journal, you’re forced to look at all the “bad” things you’ve been eating and the time of day that you’ve been craving it all. This could come in handy when you start getting that summer body ready in a couple of months! Check out LiveStrong’s My Fitness Pal app for a handy way to keep track of your foods.

What To Eat, And Avoid — For Sure

Fiber is super important here, so consume a lot of whole fruit: apples, pears, and the likes. (Although, don’t go overboard, since fruit contains tons of sugar!) Try not to eat too much sodium. Season with spices but avoid salt — it’ll make you retain water and bloat, and that’s the last thing we need when trying to lose weight, right? Speaking of bloating, in the last few days, avoid these veggies altogether: broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, legumes, cabbage, onions, and peppers. They’ll inflate your stomach. Drink plenty of water in order to flush your system out, but even beyond that, since a lot of times you may think you’re hungry, when in all actuality you haven’t had a thing to drink since that pot of coffee in the wee hours of the morning.

Fitness

You can’t get toned up without doing a little work, love. But here’s the best part: you can stick to a few reps of squats or pushups a day and start seeing some definition almost immediately. If you can’t do a full 30 minutes, then break your routine up in increments of 10 minutes. Here’s an example from Glamour:

Toning Move 1: Squat and Shoulder Press

Works butt, thighs, arms

Stand with feet hip-width apart holding five-pound weights in each hand, arms bent, palms facing in. Bend knees and squat, as shown; pause, then stand and press arms straight up over shoulders. Do 8 to 12 reps.

Check out the link for more tips like the one above.

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