How many sighs have we let out when seeing the legs of stars like Carrie Underwood or Jennifer Nettles as they serenade fans onstage? It seems impossible to have that kind of physique no matter what the age (Underwood is 36, Nettles, 44). It is easy to just assume that they have access to all kinds of treatments, fixes and round-the-clock attention. We can tell ourselves that “regular” people just can’t look this good. But that’s not necessarily the truth. In fact, according to fitness guru, personal trainer and author Erin Oprea, it’s just an excuse.
To transform the bodies of all of us in addition to her celebrity clients, Erin Oprea is sharing her moves, practices, and programs with the masses from her website and social networking channels daily, as well as outlining the ultimate get-and-stay-fit practices in her book, The 4 x 4 Diet. After reading the book, watching and doing her Tabata workouts and spending some time with her one-on-one, I was convinced. This is easy! This is fun! I so need to do this!
Loving her attitude, easy eating solutions and big doses of encouragement instantly called for sharing with others, particularly our reader audience. One of the biggest “excuses” we all seem to give in addition to being too busy is that we can’t stick to a routine because of complications with travel. That’s one myth Oprea claims to be ridiculous, and she’s proving just how wrong it is. Whether you are in a hotel room, stuck driving all day in your car, or just unable to get to a gym or workout class while being away, Oprea is showing us that you can fit in an efficient routine to improve your health and sculpt your body.1.
The secret to her workout approach is quick bursts of 20-second rounds of targeted exercises for four-minute increments. It’s not about the space, equipment or even your level of fitness.
Oprea says, “you can do anything for 20 seconds” and then goes on to demonstrate some tough moves that can be done anywhere, anytime. In this case, it was in one of the airy suites at The Thompson Hotel, Nashville, which we highly recommend. But, the point she’s making and sharing is to encourage people to MOVE no matter what the location. In this series, Oprea is going to be sharing all of the secrets for the most impactful diet plan as well as her own recipes and shopping hacks. But in this first installment, she’s demonstrating how to get fit even if you’re always in a different location.
Erin’s Top Tips
1. JUST MOVE
Never sit still for long periods of time. If you are behind the computer all day, set an alert to remind you to get up and move around and stretch every 20 minutes.
2. WALK THIS WAY
Never. Stop. Walking.
Incorporate three 30-minute walks into your day. Focus on always getting a minimum of 10,000 steps and track it with a device or via a phone app. If you have to get there by walking in place at your desk or while you’re brushing your teeth, get them in. To make it fun, join Erin in the Step Bet Challenge (you can find out more on Oprea’s site), which sets you in competition with others with winners getting solid rewards.
3. BEET UP
Drink a combination of beet, lemon, and ginger juice every day for more energy and clarity. Follow her recipe of adding one part of each pure ginger and lemon juice to 3 parts beet with your own juicer. Or, simply pick up the now wildly-popular concoction at any Juice Bar location in and around the city.
4. FUELED FASHION
While Oprea basically only wears workout attire, she likes the idea of making dressing for activity fun for others who have more diverse wardrobe challenges. She has specific websites where she orders attire but also suggests checking out the selection at CRUE in the 12South neighborhood for fashionable attire that will make you feel even better than you look through your workouts.
5. STAY PREPARED
When on the go, make sure to stay fueled by packing your car or carry on with nutritious, satisfying snacks and meals that are easy to take anywhere. She gives a full list in her book along with simple ways to do an entire week’s prep in one afternoon.
