If only we could all wake up in the morning and magically have our personal body goals. Maybe you'd kill to have abs like Teyana Taylor or the knee balance of Megan Thee Stallion. It's time to make some health adjustments mentally and physically in order to get the body shapes we desire. This can take a lot of hard work and dedication but it'll be worth it.
As the saying goes, summer bodies are indeed made in the winter. So, in order to get those waist goals you've been hoping for, here are a few tricks to commit to ASAP. Let's get into it!
Keep a Food Diary
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A food diary can be very beneficial when it comes to tracking your eating habits. You can log the foods you eat daily in your planner, the note section of your phone, or even an app like Lifesum. The beauty of the food diary is it forces you to reflect on your food choices, whether right or wrong. The more you track your diet, the more inspired you'll be to eat healthily. Feel free to get creative with your food diary by including healthy recipes, body goal pics, and progress. Make sure that you are being completely honest with yourself. If you eat something that you feel like you shouldn't have eaten, don't beat yourself up about it. Improve and make yourself proud with your next meal.
Here is a snippet of my food diary:
Healthy Recipes to Try:
- Zucchini, hazelnuts and ricotta
- Shrimp, Mexican corn, peppers
- Cucumber, onion, pepper salad, avocado dressing
- Pita chips, tzatziki sauce, chickpeas, garlic and corn
- Cabbage, sweet mayo dressing, and carrots
- Squash, red onion, and feta cheese
- Grilled carrots, avocado, and green beans
Date: 12/2
Breakfast: Peppermint tea, Oatmeal and bananas
Lunch: Spicy steak sandwich w/ plain chips
Dinner: Shrimp, spinach and peppers
Date: 12/3
Breakfast: Banana and peppermint tea (sinus infection and no appetite)
Lunch: Shrimp/veggies/pesto pasta
Dinner: Chicken and dumplings
Date: 12/4
Breakfast: 2 bananas, carrot cake, white cheddar cheese crackers, and peppermint tea
Lunch: Seafood salad
Dinner: Shrimp w/ spinach and chickpeas
Invest in an Ab Exercise App
Establishing the proper diet is more than half the battle. In order to see drastic results to your stomach area, try to incorporate some ab work. There are a wide variety of free ab workout apps that you can download to your phone. The ab workout apps are cool because they are only 7-10 minutes long, so you can pretty much do them anywhere.
Set yourself a daily schedule or an alarm on your phone to commit 7-10 minutes of your time to ab work. It can be strenuous and annoying in the beginning, but once you start seeing results of your commitment to ab workouts, you'll make yourself proud. You never know, you might even start to push yourself to go harder. So, stop scrolling on Instagram and get to those abs, sis!
Apple Cider Vinegar
GiphyDrinking apple cider vinegar reduces belly fat, boosts weight loss, and suppresses your appetite. "Before drinking the apple cider vinegar, dilute it in 1 c (240 ml) of water. Do not drink the apple cider vinegar by itself. Apple cider vinegar is extremely acidic and could harm your teeth and throat if taken alone."
Due to its acidic nature, it is advised to dilute apple cider vinegar with 100 ml of water per 15 ml of apple cider vinegar. This is important because drinking ACV straight can cause eventual harm to your throat or teeth. Trust and believe, you don't want the thing you're doing to improve your health to unintentionally become a detriment. You can drink the apple cider vinegar before you have your meals. Try to incorporate apple cider vinegar into your diet. It may taste bitter but implementing it into your daily regimen pays off.
Running and Cycling
A good run or cycling session is a great way to start your day. Running and cycling benefits include weight loss, burning calories, and building stamina. As you continue through your stomach snatched journey, it is essential to focus not only on weight loss but also muscle toning. When it comes to running and cycling, one exercise option is not necessarily ranked higher than the other. Choose the workout option that best suits your lifestyle.
30-Day Diet
Fasting and diets can assist you with acquiring self-discipline, commitment and breaking old eating habits. Once I tried a 30-day diet that included eliminating bread, pasta, rice and sugar. Also, I only ate meat once a day and natural fruits. I drank tea every morning and stayed hydrated throughout the day. In the beginning, my body went through a slight shock and I could not stay out of the bathroom due to all of the vegetables I was eating. However, not only did my stomach get snatched but I also started to feel better internally.
As time progressed, I started to feel more energized and less tired throughout the day. My spirits were high and my body looked right. Whenever people ask how did I do it, I shared this 30-day diet. It's easy to remember and it works. You have to stay dedicated, be willing to change, and get creative with your diet.
Overall, the key to making it all work is dedication and commitment to better eating habits and finding the exercise that best suits your personality. Let's get that stomach snatched, sis!
Want more stories like this? Sign up for our newsletter here and check out the related reads below:
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Kayla Nicole says she wore a dress that was once worn by Braxton herself for the Halloween costume. “It’s not a secret Toni is more on the petite side. I’m obsessed with all 5’2” of her,” she tells xoNecole via email. “But I’m 5’10'' and not missing any meals, honey, so to my surprise, when I got the dress and it actually fit, I knew it was destiny.”
The episode was the perfect way for the multihyphenate to take control of her own narrative. By addressing the viral moment on her own platform, she was able to stir the conversation and keep the focus on her adoration for Braxton, an artist she says she grew up listening to and who still makes her most-played playlist every year. Elsewhere, she likely would’ve received questions about whether or not the costume was a subliminal aimed at her ex-boyfriend and his pop star fiancée. “I think that people will try to project their own narratives, right?” she said, hinting at this in the episode. “But, for me personally – I think it’s very important to say this in this moment – I’m not in the business of tearing other women down. I’m in the business of celebrating them.”
Kayla Nicole is among xoNecole’s It Girl 100 Class of 2025, powered by SheaMoisture, recognized in the Viral Voices category for her work in media and the trends she sets on our timelines, all while prioritizing her own mental and physical health. As she puts it: “Yes, I’m curating conversations on my podcast The Pre-Game, and cultivating community with my wellness brand Tribe Therepē.”
Despite being the frequent topic of conversation online, Kayla Nicole says she’s learning to take advantage of her growing social media platform without becoming consumed by it. “I refuse to let the internet consume me. It’s supposed to be a resource and tool for connection, so if it becomes anything beyond that I will log out,” she says.
On The Pre-Game, which launched earlier this year, she has positioned herself as listeners “homegirl.” “There’s definitely a delicate dance between being genuine and oversharing, and I’ve had to learn that the hard way. Now I share from a place of reflection, not reaction,” she says. “If it can help someone feel seen or less alone, I’ll talk about it within reason. But I’ve certainly learned to protect parts of my life that I cherish most. I share what serves connection but doesn’t cost me peace.
"I refuse to let the internet consume me. It’s supposed to be a resource and tool for connection, so if it becomes anything beyond that I will log out."
Credit: Malcolm Roberson
Throughout each episode, she sips a cocktail and addresses trending topics (even when they involve herself). It’s a platform the Pepperdine University alumnus has been preparing to have since she graduated with a degree in broadcast journalism, with a concentration in political science.
“I just knew I was going to end up on a local news network at the head anchor table, breaking high speed chases, and tossing it to the weather girl,” she says. Instead, she ended up working as an assistant at TMZ before covering sports as a freelance reporter. (She’s said she didn’t work for ESPN, despite previous reports saying otherwise.) The Pre-Game combines her love for pop culture and sports in a way that once felt inaccessible to her in traditional media.
She’s not just a podcaster, though. When she’s not behind the mic, taking acting classes or making her New York Fashion Week debut, Kayla Nicole is also busy elevating her wellness brand Tribe Therepē, where she shares her workouts and the workout equipment that helps her look chic while staying fit. She says the brand will add apparel to its line up in early 2026.
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Tap into the full It Girl 100 Class of 2025 and meet all the women changing game this year and beyond. See the full list here.
Featured image by Malcolm Roberson
Meanwhile, frankincense and myrrh originate from the Middle East and Africa (you know, like the Bible does — some folks need to be reminded of that—eh hem — Trumpers) and ginger? It too helps with indigestion (which can definitely creep up at Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner tables); plus, it’s a key ingredient for ginger snaps and gingerbread houses. So, as you can see, holiday-themed scents have a rhyme and reason to them.
Tying this all in together — several years ago, I penned an article for the platform entitled, “Are You Ready To Have Some Very Merry ‘Christmas Sex’?” Well, in the spirit of revisiting some of that content, with a bit of a twist, I decided to broach some traditional holiday scents from the perspective of which ones will do your libido a ton of good from now through New Year’s Eve (check out “Make This Your Best NYE. For Sex. EVER.”).
Are you ready to check some of them out, so that, whether it’s via a candle, a diffuser, some essential oil, or some DIY body cream (check out “How To Incorporate All Five Senses To Have The Best Sex Ever”), you can bring some extra festive ambiance into your own boudoir? Excellent.
1. Vanilla
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When it comes to holiday desserts, you’re going to be hard-pressed to find recipes that don’t include vanilla — and that alone explains why it is considered to be a traditional holiday scent. As far as your libido goes, vanilla is absolutely considered to be an aphrodisiac — partly because its sweet scent is considered to be very sensual. Some studies even reveal that vanillin (the active ingredient in vanilla) is able to increase sexual arousal and improve erectile dysfunction in men. So, if you adore the smell, here is more incentive to use it.
2. Frankincense
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Although, typically, when people think about frankincense (and myrrh), it’s in the context of the gifts that the wise men brought Christ after he was born; it’s a part of the biblical Christmas story. However, frankincense goes much deeper than that. Sexually, since it has an earthy and spicy scent, some people like to use it to meditate (check out “What Exactly Is 'Orgasmic Meditation'?”). Also, since it has the ability to put you in a better mood, soothe and soften your skin and maintain your oral health — with the help of frankincense, every touch and kiss can be that much…sexier.
3. Cinnamon
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I already gave cinnamon a shout-out in the intro. Personally, I’ve been a fan of it, in the sex department, for a long time now (check out “12 ‘Sex Condiments’ That Can Make Coitus Even More...Delicious”). When it’s in oil form, it can be very sweet to the taste while sending a warm sensation throughout the body — which is why the giver and receiver of oral sex can benefit from its usage. Beyond that, cinnamon helps to increase blood flow to your genital region, elevate sexual desire and, some studies say that it can even help improve fertility. Beautiful.
4. Peppermint
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If there’s a signature candy for the holiday season, it’s probably a candy cane — which automatically puts peppermint in the running for being an official holiday scent. Pretty much, in any form, it’s got your sex life’s back because it’s hailed as being a sexual stimulant; in part, because its smell is so invigorating. Plus, it helps to (eh hem) ease headaches, it gives you more energy and it can definitely help to freshen your breath. Also, that minty sensation? The same thing that I said about cinnamon can apply to peppermint too (if you catch my drift).
5. Ginger
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Whether it’s in a meal or in your bedroom, ginger is going to produce results that are hella spicy. On the sex tip, science has praised ginger for being able to increase sexual arousal, improve blood circulation (which intensifies orgasms) and strengthen fertility for many years. Scent-wise, I find it to be one that both men and women enjoy because it is both woodsy and sweet. So, if you’ve got some massage oil in mind, adding some ginger is a way to please you both.
6. Pomegranate
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September through December is the time of year when pomegranates are considered to be in season. And, as someone who is a Rosh Hashanah observer, I have a personal adoration for them because I am aware of the various things that they symbolize in Hebrew culture including the fact that they are a fruit that represents love and fertility. So yeah, they would absolutely be an aphrodisiac — one that is perfect for this time of the year. While consuming it helps to boost testosterone levels in both men and women, the floral bittersweet smell that it produces can help to reduce stress while promoting relaxation (like most floral scents do) — and the more relaxed you are, the easier it is to climax.
7. Nutmeg
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Another signature seasoning during the holiday season is nutmeg. It’s perfect in Thanksgiving sweet potato (or pumpkin) pie and Christmas morning French toast. And yes, it can also make your sex life better. If you consume it, it can intensify your libido and, overall, its warm-meets-spicy-meets-sweet smell is so inviting that it is considered to be a pretty seductive scent.
8. Cloves
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I ain’t got not one lie to tell you — if you’ve got a toothache, put some clove oil on that bad boy and send me a Christmas present for putting you on game. Aside from that, as I round all of this out, cloves are another holiday scent that can do wonders for your sex life. For men, it has the ability to significantly increase sexual arousal and improve stamina and endurance. For men and women alike, it also has a reputation for strengthening sexual desire. And for women solely? Well, if you want an all-natural way to increase natural lubrication down below — the scent and and feel (in DILUTED oil form) can make that happen. It can make the holidays especially special…if you know what I mean.
Ah yes — the atmosphere of the holidays and what it can do.
Take it all in! Scent ‘n whatever stimulating that comes with it! #wink
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