Celebrity Trainer Jim Karas shares work-out tips for spring

Celebrity personal trainer Jim Karas stopped by WCL to talk about spring fitness tips.

Summer is just around the corner. Only 54 days until its Memorial Day! Now is the time to get serious about getting bathing-suit ready even after a winter that included more "Ben & Jerry" ice cream than you'd like to admit.

Karas said that a successful weight-loss plan need accountability.

How do you start? Here are a few tips:

1. Get a buddy. Losing weight with a buddy increases success. If you don't have a buddy, search Weight Loss Buddy online and you will see a number of websites that can assist.

2. Get an app. If you want to take it to the next level, try Karasmatic FLOW, which stands for Fitness, Lifestyle, Online and Weight Loss.

For a small monthly fee, clients will follow a custom-designed fitness and nutrition program and, most importantly, gain unlimited access to coaches via the app to ensure goals are met. The program discourages snacking and encourages exercise.

To get the app, visit JimKaras.com and click on Services and the first option is the Karasmatic FLOW. Cost is $49 a month.

3. Sleep. Critical to your success as you have to create a balanced hormonal environment to all the weight and more specifically, the fat loss to occur. Ditto stress reduction.

3. If you want to take it to even the next higher level, get some detailed blood work, or accessory services at the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at Northwestern Medicine.

Blood work gives information about:

A.) Hormonal imbalances. If you are off, you may be preventing a smart weight loss program from actually working. Thyroid function is a big issue for many women as there are three times it can be influenced, puberty, pregnancy and menopause. Cortisol is another hormone frequently tested as it's an indication of excessive stress.

B.) Inflammation. This is the gateway to many diseases, including diabetes, cancer, heart disease and stroke. By testing your C-Reactive protein levels, you can see if you are inflamed and then do something about it. Any type of tea is amazing for reducing inflammation. The big no-no's are animal protein, alcohol, all refined carbs and sugar, to name a few.

C.) Food allergies.

D.) Vitamin deficiencies

Jim is also the co-chair of the 2018 Northwestern Medicine Osher Center Integrative Medicine Benefit, which will be held April 18 at The Four Seasons.

For more information about the benefit, visit Northwestern Medicine: http://ocim.nm.org/

For more on Jim Karas, visit his website: http://www.jimkaras.com/