How many of us would like to get fitter? Lose a few extra pounds? Feel better and have more energy? Tone up our belly muscles? Fit in our old clothes and hear our friends exclaim, “Wow! You look great!”?

You have probably guessed where I am heading with all these questions. And you are right! The answer to our dreams about living longer, having more energy, and becoming more attractive and self-confident lies in one rather plain word – “exercise”.

There is no way around it. If you want to have a toned, healthy and amazing-looking body, sitting in front of the computer all day and pressing buttons of your keyboard, will not get you there. Believe me, I tried. It does not work.

On the other hand, “getting in shape” does not have to be as difficult, sweaty and painful as many of us have come to remember.

It can actually be quite fun, given that you approach your fitness goals with the right attitude, necessary preparation and desire to make it this time.

Here are some of the Fitness principles worth checking out:

1. Start with an attitude.

Many people believe that achieving their fitness goals is about finding the right work-out program, following a special diet or even ordering a magic-pill advertised on TV. In my experience transforming your body is more about attitude than anything else. Because if you believe that you do not have time/will power/motivation to stick with your fitness goals you will be the one to sabotage your success. And no trainer or slimming pill will change that.

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Summer is the perfect season to get back into shape and burn those unneeded and unwanted pounds that we have put on during the cold winter season. And the best part is that you can do it without having to spend hours on a Stairmaster or exhausting yourself with crunches and push-ups.

Here are 25 fun and easy ways that will help you to lose weight, get fit and look gorgeous in your new swimming suit:

1. Drink plenty of water

The heat outside makes it easy to drink those 8 glasses of water a day that health professionals suggest we should drink. Our body naturally craves fluid to prevent dehydration and maintain the healthy operations of almost all our internal organs. In fact, it has been shown that most of our hunger pangs are caused by dehydration of the body, not by the desire to eat something. So next time, you feel hungry, drink a glass of water and see if your hunger goes away.

2. Avoid diuretics

Most high-calorie beverages like soda, juices, sugared iced tea, coffee or alcohol instead of hydrating us and quenching our thirst during hot summer days, work as diuretics (which means that they increase the excretion of water from the body), dehydrating us even more. No matter what TV ads tell you, there is nothing better than a glass of water with lemon to quench thirst and detoxify your body.

3. Start your day with a nutritiously-delicious breakfast

If you are one of those people, who regularly rush out of the house without eating breakfast, you might want to reconsider. In fact, there are some very compelling reasons to make breakfast the most important meal of the day.

Research has shown that in the morning our levels of blood sugar are seriously low and skipping breakfast can backfire on us later in the day with lack of energy, poor concentration, headaches and dizziness. However, starting your day with doughnuts, chocolate bars, pancakes, Sausage McMuffin (or almost any other dish from a fast food menu) is not particularly healthy either. While all these items may increase your blood sugar, they contain plenty of fat and very little nutrients, which lead to weight gain, decrease in energy and a foul mood. Therefore, to feel great, incorporate fresh fruits, berries, nuts, yogurt, oatmeal and natural juices into your breakfast menu.

4. Get more sun to get fit

There is some scientific evidence that says serotonin plays an important role in regulating appetite and mood. It means that boosting your levels of serotonin can leave you feeling happier and noticeably lower your appetite, especially by reducing cravings for foods that are high in carbohydrates. The production of serotonin, in turn, is closely linked with the amount of natural sun that we receive. This is one of the reasons why we eat more during the cold winter months and less in summer.

There are also a number of foods that help to increase the serotonin levels in our blood. Some of the most popular ones are bananas, wheat germ, cottage cheese, turkey, flaxseed oil, and dark chocolate! So in order to lose those extra pounds, grab a banana and hit the beach.

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I sit in my apartment in Milan, looking out of the window on a street, light with sunlight and cannot stop smiling! A long, cold winter is officially over! And everything looks and feels different. The air is fresher. The snow has melted  and beautiful greens of every hue begin to shine in the sun. People look happier.

Everywhere you look, you see a transformation: days are getting longer, flowers are blooming and trees are getting new tiny leaves.

No wonder spring is considered the season of growth, renewal and love!
Spring is also the perfect time of the year to revitalize your senses and refresh your mind.

Here are tips that will help you to do just that:

1. Get rid of clutter. During the winter our homes tend to become filled with lots of bulk and piles of different things. It is both physically and emotionally healthy to simplify and de-clutter your work and living space once in a while. Right now is the perfect time to do that! Organize your desk, sort out old photos, make room in your closets by throwing or giving away anything that is unwanted, outdated, unused for 2 years or no longer fits. Let the energy flow freely.

2. Captivate your senses with aromatherapy. For thousands of years essential oils have been used by different cultures because of their health-promoting benefits. Use chamomile, bergamot, cedarwood, lavender, rose, or sandalwood to calm down your mind, ease anxiety and stress and soothe tensed muscles. Or choose citrus, peppermint, rosemary and thyme scents to energize your body and uplift your mood.

3. Take a few moments to meditate. Meditation is a great way to calm your mind, increase concentration, release negative feelings and regain your emotional strength.

4. Do nothing for a half an hour. As it turns out there are many physical benefits of doing nothing and just being lazy. Research shows that people who would rather relax in a hammock and read a book instead of working on their laptop or doing their house chores have a better chance of living into old age. Give yourself some rest!

5. Take mini-vacations during the day. You do not have to wait for a two-week vacation to feel rejuvenated and energetic. Instead you can take 15-minute mini-vacations every hour or so to regain your strengths and put some space between you and your hectic work schedule.

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