Maria Menounos' Secrets to the Perfect Beach Body for the 'Everygirl'

June 6, 2014— -- TV personality Maria Menounos was once a size 14, tipping the scales at 160, until she completely revamped her approach to nutrition and exercise and dropped 40 pounds. Now she’s sharing her secrets in a new book, “The Everygirl’s Guide to Diet and Fitness,” which includes tips and recipes for an easy transition into summer.

Maria’s motto is being healthy, not skinny, and she achieves that in 11 key ways:

2. Make social hour your workout hour. Some of the best conversations/brainstorms happen while walking and talking.
3. Drink hot water. Keep an electric kettle in your kitchen or office. It aids with digestion. Think of it as melting food in your stomach. It’s warm and comforting like coffee, but cleaner. You can squeeze fresh lemon in for flavor.
4. Always be moving. If you think exercise only comes from a trainer or gym membership, you’re wrong. Incorporate small, cumulative activity throughout the day. When going to the grocery store, park as far away from the entrance as possible. Don’t force yourself to do something you don’t love. If you hate the gym, figure out another way to keep fit and get your steps in. Get an electronic wristband to count your steps.
5. 75/25 plan: Aim to eat real or whole foods like fresh fruit, veggies, chicken, legumes, nuts and veggies 75% of the time. The other 25% you’ve got room to play. Maria still loves nachos and beer.
6. Don’t attempt a 180. Rather than making enormous, drastic changes, Maria’s strategy is to ease out of old habits and into new ones slowly and realistically for maximum staying power.
7. Plan ahead. Take pictures on your phone of the exercises you like so you don’t have to lug a book around.
8. Set reminders. Keep workout clothes and a bag in your car and by your bed. If you see them, it reminds you to do it. No one ever regrets working out and says, “I wish I hadn’t done that run/workout/hike/swim.”
9. Sunday is “Prep Day.” Make meals for the week on Sunday that you can keep at work. Always keep almonds, apples, or bananas with you, in your purse or car.
10. Keep a food journal.
11. Ban dieting. Don’t “diet” and don’t use the word “diet.”
12. Set a curfew. Don’t eat after 7 p.m. –- put a note on the fridge!

Menounos also cooks clean, providing healthy recipes in her book. Try two of them below.

“Everygirl Nachos”: Click here for the recipe.

Fluffy Greek Zucchini Patties: Click here for the recipe.