How to get a Thin Waist but Keep Your Curves

Marianna Riccio practices the Yoga Tree Pose

Marianna Riccio at a pool party in Las Vegas

Marianna Riccio brings into her life balance by practicing Yoga Savasana which is purposeful thoughts, “I am strength. I am length. I am grace. I am faith.” Also a good outlet for her is doing many different forms of exercise, being creative, which she does through her song writing and performing, as well as socializing with her friends.

One of Marianna’s fans, a young woman asked me (Marianna’s mom) to share her health and fitness regiment. She admired Marianna’s curves and tiny waistline; she wanted to know what to do to get the same shape. Knowing that Marianna is following a healthy lifestyle fills me with gratitude; that makes this mom happy!

Here’s how Marianna gets her healthy bikini body:

Start with the Power of the Cleanse

Marianna: “First thing in the morning, I usually swish oil in my mouth using a tablespoon of coconut oil for about 20 minutes. This is called Oil Pulling which purifies the bacteria in the mouth etc. It really helps get rid of that dry mouth feeling and freshens the breath.

Then, I drink a cup of warm water with some fresh squeezed lemon in it, which makes the body more alkaline (Lemon Recipes). Also part of my cleansing ritual is drinking a tablespoon of Aloe Vera Juice (inner fillet) in a glass of  water (love it in coconut water) or fresh juice. I do this in the evening or in the morning. Sometimes, I skip the above and have some naturally flavored green tea or a detox tea with stevia and unsweetened almond/coconut milk. I do whatever time permits.”

Energizing Pre-Workout Power Smoothie

Energizing Pre-Workout Power Smoothie

“After cleansing internally, I energize and get my smoothie ingredients together. I use one to two scoops of a vegan protein/vitamin/mineral powder consisting of nutrients like Spirulina and probiotics. I also use a teaspoon of maca powder, a tablespoon of chia seeds (grounded preferred) and a tablespoon of raw cacao powder. Add to the mix a tablespoon of goji berries and a teaspoon of acai powder and a frozen banana. I sometimes add a tbsp. of almond butter for a creamy smoothie. As my base, I like to use unsweetened coconut or almond milk, as well as young Coconut Water. Use as much liquid as you like for your desired consistency. If I don’t have some of the ingredients, I use what I have on hand.

I like to put raw almonds and walnuts on top of my smoothie so I can eat it with a spoon instead of drinking it. This adds more protein and the chewing helps to activate the digestion. Of course, you can create your own energy boost smoothie with your favorite fruit juice. These are just suggestions so experiment!”

Powerful Exercise Endorphins Make Me Happy!

“Having a dancer’s background, I can’t just go on the treadmill or elliptical machine and do some squats and sit-ups. Boring! In order to truly lose weight, losing body fat and gaining muscle mass, you must have the proper balance of cardio and weight training. The intensity level for losing weight is when you get a feeling a breathlessness, even if it’s for 25 seconds. I experience this in my favorite forms of cardio: Spinning (cycling) and a Cardio-Barre class. Remember: losing weight is all about calorie intake vs. outtake. What you put in must be exercised out. A pound of fat is equivalent to 3500 calories. Cycling,  jogging, power walking, swimming etc. are all aerobic activities. However, a Barre class, Yoga or weight training is anaerobic, which I love, because your body’s metabolism is gradually being raised, and you are burning calories throughout that day! Wow!. This is why sometimes you won’t feel “the burn” until the next morning when you’re like ‘Woah!… My quads, my shoulders, and my glutes… Oh my!’ I love this feeling of sensing my muscles develop and get stronger because I know my body fat is decreasing. Got to love that! This is why I recommend EVERYONE to get a body fat scale. I have one that shows my muscle mass, body water, bone density and body fat. The reason I recommend this is because judging your “pounds” can be vague, meaning that I could weigh the same as another woman but have way less fat and more muscle mass than her. The truth is that as your muscles develop, you will lose body fat and therefore, lose weight!  Also, weigh yourself in the morning. What I weigh at 8:pm and 8:am can be a 5 pound difference sometimes.

Remember: Be patient with your body and don’t judge yourself.  I have screws and plates in my ankle because of a past accident and some days I may be more sore and less energized. Listen to your body. Healthy rest and drinking water is just as important as a healthy diet and working out. All you can do is try, and remember that exercise endorphins truly make you happy! Don’t just work your butt off! Work your butt high! That comes by doing  a combination of aerobics and muscle conditioning exercises. Don’t forget to stretch to keep your muscles lean, prevent injuries and keep your heart and body open.”

Marianna Riccio stays grounded in a busy world

“In conclusion, I can not express enough how much I love yoga! I love a nice heated vinyasa flow class. Not only do I feel it detoxifying my body and my muscles getting stronger, but it makes my spirit and my mind stronger as well. I always look forward to the closing 10 minutes of Savasana where I can clear my mind and just breathe.

Exercise keeps me grounded and helps my mind be more intuitively creative in a busy world.” – Marianna Riccio

~~~

Thank you Marianna for sharing these fitness goodies that contributes to your powerful life and to the lives closest to you.

The Yoga greeting, “Nameste” means that the goodness in me salutes the goodness in you. For reaching a meditative state of peace and goodness, a helpful resource is listening to the positive visualizations of Relax-n-Renew.

Nameste,

Maria Lauren (aka) Maria Elena Alberici – Riccio

Your Powerful LIFE blog

My Website

Marianna’s Website

Maria and Marianna demonstrate exercises: You Got The Power – Fitness

This is a blog about LIFE: Living, Inspiration, Fitness, Entertainment. It is produced in my own time and does not represent the views or policies of my employer, past or present, or any other organization with which I may be affiliated. This information is not meant to take the place of a physician. All content is copyrighted.