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We’re smack dab in the middle of summer which means good food, strong drinks and lots of time with friends. If you’re feeling a bit sluggish from indulging a bit too much, Tone It Up‘s Karena Dawn and Katrina Scott exclusively dished their best fitness tips to Life & Style during POPSUGAR Play/Ground in New York City on June 22. The gorgeous ladies are all about achievable goals, keeping a balanced life and holding themselves accountable. Keep scrolling to see five key pieces of advice for staying healthy and fit!
While a teeny waist and perky backside are great motivators, get your workouts in because it’s simply good for you. “This is the time for women to respect our bodies and respect ourselves. Self-care, exercise and mental health are all a form of self-respect,” Katrina explained.
“We deserve it. We’ve earned it. Now is our time.” Karena added, “This is the most important time for women right now to step up and take care of themselves and be a voice.”
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Monica Schipper / Getty Images
2. Find a Community
Even fitness pros feel unmotivated sometimes. Luckily, the ladies have about 1.4 million followers to help them out of a funk. “Seeing all of the Tone It Up community working out [and] inspiring each other. Going under the hashtag #TIUTeam and seeing all of these women coming together and supporting one another and lifting each other up — that’s motivation right there,” Karena gushed about how she stays motivated. She added, “If everyone else is doing it, I’m doing it, too!” Karena and Katrina recently expanded their community with their Tone It Up app, which helps people achieve their goals through live classes and customized plans.
“It’s really easy when you’re first starting out to get discouraged or … to kind of feel alone in it,” Katrina explained about why they launched their app. “We wanted to make sure the Tone It Up app was a place where you felt community and support and accountability … There’s something about doing something in real time with other women that motivates you.”
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Monica Schipper / Getty Images
3. Start Slow
Take it one step at a time and you’re bound to find success. “Try to simplify it,” Karena advised for people just starting out. “If you haven’t done it before and you get too overwhelmed, tell yourself, ‘I’m going to go walk for 10 minutes.’ … It’s only 10 minutes and, most likely, after that 10 minutes, you’re going to get to 20 and then it just grows.”
Katrina noted, “Fitness shouldn’t be intimidating or scary, it should be fun!”
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Lars Niki / Getty Images
4. Do Something Fun to Change It Up
The BFFs are huge fans of “slogging” (a.k.a. slow jogging) and love doing exercises that make their bodies feel good. “We all have our ups and our downs but to stay motivated it’s like, ‘OK, what makes me happy?’ Don’t stop doing the things that do motivate you,” Karena said. Whether that’s biking, hiking or yoga — keep doing what you love.
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Cindy Ord / Getty Images
5. Set Yourself Up for Success
Yes, you will want to indulge at times. While Kat admitted that she has a sweet tooth, Karena said she loves salty snacks. They fuel themselves and curb their cravings with protein-packed smoothies and plant-based protein bars. No surprise, the ladies dished that they adore the birthday cake flavor of their Tone It Up bars.
