jackie warner

Jackie Warner knows a thing or two about staying in shape; the highly sought-after trainer has been in the fitness game for over 20 years. And because Jackie makes a point to help everyday people overcome challenges associated with weight and diet, we knew she was the woman to turn to for a healthy — and realistic — holiday survival guide. Check out what the OpenSky Insider says are key tricks for staying healthy during the holidays.

Enjoy yourself: It's important to not feel deprived during the holidays; plan accordingly and allow yourself two cheat meals each week, said Jackie. But the rest of the week, stick to clean and healthy eats. For Jackie that means four proteins, three veggies, two grains, two fruits, and one fat a day.  

Stay hydrated: Jackie recommends drinking three liters of water a day, preferably with lemon juice. Doing so helps speed up metabolism and keep energy levels at a high — perfect for getting through all those holiday parties with pep to spare for a workout. But it's more than that, said Jackie. "It prevents cravings, so you are less inclined to snack on bad-for-you foods. And helps cleanse the liver and kidney." This holiday season, make it a habit to bring a water bottle wherever you go.

Choose this, not that: When deciding on what to indulge on this season, Jackie recommended keeping refined carbs and sugars to a minimum. Hold yourself accountable by keeping a food journal and writing down what you eat during the week. Not only will a food journal help you keep track of your carb intake, but it also keeps you accountable and encourages you to eat healthier. And since sticking to a healthy diet isn't easy, acknowledge your efforts, even if you only "put a smiley face next to each day of clean eating," Jackie said.

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If you're looking to stay in shape during bikini season, check out four moves that trainer Jackie Warner swears by. During the "hardcore" routine, Jackie told us it may feel like you can't lift yourself up again, but that's the perfect time to kick in the extra motivation.

Dumbbell Squats
Two sets of 15 reps with 15-pound dumbbells

1. Stand with your feet hip distance apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Slowly bend your knees as if you were going to sit in a chair, keeping all the weight in your heels. Don't let your knees move beyond your toes, and don't let the knees roll out or in. The knee should track toward your second toe. Squat down as low as you can, keeping your head and chest lifted, your spine long, and your shoulders relaxed.
3. Press through your heels and slowly straighten your legs to stand up.
4. Make sure to keep your spine neutral. Do not round your back.

Jump Squats
10 reps

1. Stand with feet shoulder width apart, arms at sides.
2. Start by doing a regular squat but jump as explosively as you can when you rise up, reaching for the ceiling.
3. When you land, lower your body back into the squat position to complete one rep.

See the rest of Jackie's workout after the break!

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Fitness Magazine here on FitSugar!

When celebrity trainer Jackie Warner recently dropped by the FITNESS offices — she’d dashed in between doing a TV segment and hitting some other morning meetings — she was fresh off the success of her latest book, 10 Pounds in 10 Days, and already on to the next big project. Fans who watched her Bravo TV reality series Thintervention With Jackie Warner will recall scenes where the fitness pro showed up in contestants’ kitchens and taught them to whip up healthy, don’t-blow-your-diet shakes. Turns out, Warner sensed a secret ingredient was missing. “I’d read a lot about protein powders and consumed them myself but I couldn't find anything with all the all-natural, organic components I thought they needed,” she says. “I wanted whey protein powder with more than protein isolate. So I spent two years developing some myself.”

The resulting product can be found in her just-launched Wellness Collection, which also includes a multivitamin, a combo Omega-3,-6 and –9 supplement, flavored H20 boosters and 150-calorie snack bars. “Plus it tastes great,” adds Warner.

Before her morning workouts, Warner whips up a healthy shake (click on the link below for the recipe) with the vanilla bean protein powder. “It has the perfect combination of carbohydrates, fat and protein to fuel your workout,” she says.

Read on to get the recipe to Warner's shake.

More from FITNESS Magazine:

Are Weight-Loss Reality TV Shows Really Effective?

8 Healthy and Refreshing Smoothie Recipes

10 Diet Tips from Olympic Nutritionists

Source: Flickr User ginnerobot

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Self here on FitSugar!

Are you tired of jumping through hoops to keep your sweat sessions interesting? Instead of doing the same humdrum routine week after week, why not get a jump start on your next workout by jumping rope? Self reported in March that it's the #1 way to melt fat!

"Jumping rope using my cardioacceleration technique will get you maximum muscle toning with the maximum amount of fat-burning possible," says celebrity trainer Jackie Warner. "Cardioacceleration is doing quick, intense bursts of exercise in between your resistance training sets."

Pro athletes use this innovative technique worldwide but you don't need to be the next big name in sports to reap big rewards from the fat-torching program. "You go from anaerobic to aerobic throughout your workout, which raises your heart rate 60 percent higher," says the Bravo TV star.

To burn major calories at home, grab a jump rope and follow this five-move routine to get your heart racing while sculpting long, lean legs. "It's a 10-minute workout, but I always say it's not how long, it's how strong!" says Warner.

Read on to get the workout.

For me, 2011 is the year I get my abs back into wicked shape. In my battle of the flab, the DVD Crunch-Free Xtreme Abs ($12) with Jackie Warner is on the frontline, along with copious amounts of cardio and healthy eating. This all-abs workout is fast-paced strength training targeting the midsection, but I certainly felt my legs and arms working, too — holding five-pound dumbbells for the majority of the DVD helps make this a whole-body workout. The DVD is divided into two 15-minute sections: standing and floor work. You can do one or both.

After warming up for a little over five minutes, with boxing moves and marching, Jackie dives straight for your abs. She adds crunch-like moves to high-knee marches and static lunges with a weight to your chest for a healthy challenge. These moves are followed by side bends combined with an overhead press and twisting exercises that resemble wood choppers. There are eight moves in all, which you perform for about a minute each. The workout is short and moves at a quick pace — no room for boredom here — and felt challenging.

But I was ready for more, so I went straight into the floor workout, which I was surprised to find was even harder. Jackie throws everyone's favorite move to hate, the squat thrust (aka the burpee), into the mix, along with planks with leg lifts and jumping jacks (killer). I appreciated that the workout included the superman and bridges, since these moves also work the back, helping to keep a balanced core. The cool down for each workout is brief; I found myself wanting to stretch more.

This is a great DVD for a morning workout. Being a little over 30 minutes it's easy to fit in before work, and it's more energizing than a cup of joe. I will definitely use three-pound dumbbells next time, instead of fivers. My shoulder joints felt a little tweaked post-workout. Have you tried this DVD? What did you think?

On last night's Thintervention finale the contestants met back up with trainer Jackie Warner for the final moment of truth. Each member got dolled up and invited friends and family to participate in a reveal, look back at their success, and take part in a closing weigh in. Though most of the crew played the dramatic and stubborn shtick all season, the changes in all the contestants were phenomenal. The thintervention worked! At its best, the show taught us all that notable weight loss success can be achieved by making changes to increase exercise and reduce unhealthy habits.

We all know how hard it is to keep motivation up once you've reached a fitness goal, and like the rest of us, the contestants will have to fight temptation to maintain their new bodies and health efforts. Jackie shared some basic tips for staying on track on her blog.