Do you dread your workouts? Catch yourself counting down every minute you’re at the gym? Your mind plays a big role in each of your workouts, and if you find an activity you really enjoy–you’ll stick to it and have fun.

We get it — and it’s totally OK to skip a workout every once in awhile. But, sometimes, you need to sweat, whether that’s to actually get you to the gym, motivate you in the middle of a tough workout, or snap you out of a rut.

Let Divabetic help inspire you to take your workouts into the limelight in 2017.

Since color plays such a critical role in energy levels we chose a vibrant color to jump start your workout routine … Lime Green!

Did you know that color creates psychological and physiological responses in people and the color of your gym can affect your workout?

According to Old Earth website the color Lime Green brings Manifesting and Getting What You are Due. Lime Green brings you rewards for your labors and striving and an end to stress.

Instead of wearing black or gray baggy clothes to your next workout, add some will dazzle with lime green! The color green makes people think of nature, fresh starts, spring and youth(!) The Germanic roots of the word mean “to grow.”

Motivate yourself to workout with a little fitness fashion show. Playing dress-up helps many women (including personal trainers)  get motivated to move their bodies.

Or add some dazzle to your shoes! This Nike Women’s Air Max Thea Running Shoes will help you stand out among the crowd. Made of mesh and pylon materials, these shoes bring the durability and comfort whenever you wear. For the outsole, this visible air-sole was made of the premium rubber which support individuals in every movements.

If dressing in head-to-toe lime green scares you then why not make it an accent color? Like most colors, lime green looks good with a crisp white or black. Greens are almost universally positive.

Lime can be used as a substitute for lemon because these two types of fruit have sour taste and similar vitamin and mineral content including potassium. Potassium is important for maintaining nerve function and healthy blood pressure levels. The fruit is also linked to antioxidants and bioflavonoids that researchers believe could lower the likelihood of cancer.

Fun is another big motivational factor too. If you associate your workouts with excitement, exercise will become an enjoyable part of your everyday life. Here are three ideas that are sure to spice up your routine and make your workouts fun.

Just ‘sexy enough designs’ to choose from that you might want to ditch the heels and step out in sneakers on for Date Nite. Many running shoes use of high-end fabrics and come in fabulous color palettes making them perfectly acceptable across all facets of life, from Saturday brunch to the Wedding Day!  And with more design houses and celebrities jumping on the trend we will be seeing a lot more running shoes in late nightclubs.

Divabetic ‘Workout with A Wow’ Tip: Exercise, eat, and take your medicines at the same time each day to prevent low blood sugar, also called hypoglycemia.

A great way to kick start  your fitness routine is to crank up the tunes. A great playlist can motivate you to get moving and keep moving. Music can improve performance and even make you think the strenuous activity is easier than you otherwise might.

Variety is the key to enjoying your workout. Why not rotate power-walking, running, and lifting weights? Get inspired by the iconic 90’s NYC nightclub, ‘The Limelight’ to create different music playlists for each specific workout.

Right now, I’m listening to the ‘La La Land’ soundtrack including my absolute favorite song, ”Another Day of Sun,” I doubt anyone can sit still after hearing the first few notes of the exuberant song.

Why not grab Alicia Keys’ new album, “Here” on SONY Music? We will be featuring selected cuts from the album on January’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast scheduled for Tuesday, January 10, 2017, 6 PM, EST.

Trying to lose weight?  Why do it alone? Today  there are plenty of tech-y support to help motivate and encourage you to be your reach your ideal weight like mobile apps that do everything from decoding the back of a snack box to breaking down which produce is worth buying.

Lose It! is a mobile app that helps out with a range of wellness targets, like tracking food and exercise, hydration, and blood pressure. It works with your weight and fitness goals to help you stay on track and keep you accountable.

How does diabetes affect your workout?

The affect physical activity has on your blood glucose will vary depending on how long you are active and many other factors.  According to the American Diabetes Association physical activity can lower your blood glucose up to 24 hours or more after your work out by making your body more sensitive to insulin.

You should become familiar with how your blood glucose responds to exercise. Checking your blood glucose level frequently before and after exercise can help you see the benefits of activity. You also can use the results of your blood glucose checks to see how your body to reacts to different activities. Understanding these patterns can help you prevent your blood glucose from going too high or too low.

Use the ‘Rule of 15’ when you are working out:

If you experience hypoglycemia during or after exercise, treat it immediately. Use the same process as you would any other time of the day:

Have at least 15-20 grams of fast-acting carbohydrate (sports drinks, regular soda, or glucose tabs are all good ideas).

Wait 15-20 minutes and check your blood glucose again.

If it is still low and your symptoms of hypoglycemia don’t go away, repeat the treatment.

After you feel better, be sure to eat regular meals and snacks as planned to keep your blood glucose level up.

If you want to continue your workout, you will usually need to take a break to treat your low blood glucose, depending on what activity you are doing and how much insulin you have circulating in your bloodstream. If you do stop exercising, check to make sure your blood glucose has come back up above 100 mg/dl before starting to exercise again.

The OneTouch UltraMini Blood Glucose Meter has all the features you need to test your blood sugar plus it’s small enough to fit into a clutch. A simple testing process provides accurate results in just five seconds.

Divabetic  ‘Workout with A Wow’ Tip: Go public. Tell your personal trainer, workout buddie(s) that you are living with diabetes and educate them about how they can help you if you are experiencing a low blood sugar.

Exercise beginners are often terrified of boot-camp style workouts, and experienced gym-goers sometimes write off bodyweight training as not challenging enough. Fortunately there are so many options and variations that you can make them as easy or as difficult as you need right in your home without changing your clothes. There’s a reason they call it housework! 

Did you know the average 125 pound person will burn 128 calories per hour while ironing? 128 calories per hour while washing dishes? 150 calories per hour while cooking? 150 calories per hour putting away groceries? 165 calories per hour doing general housework?

Of course, just because you mopped the floors today doesn’t mean you can skip your workout.

One of our favorite cleaners is LIME-A-WAY® Toilet Bowl Cleaner. It removes all soap scum and buildup on the glass shower doors. Works like a charm every time. The ingredients found in LIME-A-WAY® aid in the dissolving of limescale and calcium deposits and hard water mineral build-ups.

Divabetic ‘Workout with A Wow’ Tip: Work out with someone who knows you have diabetes and knows what to do if your blood sugar gets too low.

One way we keep ourselves in the zone is by setting up healthy rewards to celebrate hitting specific fitness goals or milestones.

Many women believe that the only way to lose weight is to do cardiovascular (aerobic exercise). So they jog or take aerobics classes five times a week. Eventually, though, they notice that while their bodies are a little smaller, there are still a lot of flabby and jiggly bits. Sound familiar? Aerobic exercise is important for good health, but for a lean body, weight training is essential. If you avoid pumping iron because you’re afraid of getting “bulky,” then you’re missing out on one of the best fat-burning methods around.

How much does your purse weigh? Chances are you’re lugging around an extra 10 to 15 pounds of weight everyday!  Why not add some weight training to your fitness routine and grab a pair of lime green dumbbells?

Weight training can slim you down, create new curves, and help avoid the “middle-age spread.” Dropping only 3 percent of your body fat could translate into a total loss of 3 inches off your hips and thighs. And no, you won’t bulk up—women don’t have enough muscle-building hormones to gain a lot of mass like men do.

Researchers at Tufts University found that when overweight women lifted heavy weights twice a week, they lost an average of 14.6 pounds of fat and gained 1.4 pounds of muscle. The control group, women who dieted but didn’t lift weights, lost only 9.2 pounds of fat and gained no muscle. When you do an intense weight-training program, your metabolism stays elevated and you continue to burn fat for several hours afterward. During regular cardio exercise, you stop burning fat shortly after the workout.

Why not indulge yourself with a safe manicure or pedicure? If you have diabetes, you’ll have more peace of mind if you take precautions to avoid nicks or cuts on your skin at the spa or salon. You’ll also lower your odds of getting an infection.

In general, it’s safe to get manicures or pedicures at a spa or nail salon if you have diabetes that’s well-controlled, says Fred Williams, MD. He’s a clinical endocrinologist in Louisville, KY. But choose carefully before you get services somewhere.

“The general rule of thumb is that there are really good places to get a pedicure and there are bad places,” Williams says. “Talk to someone you know who has been to that particular spa. Make sure they practice good hygiene, that their soaking solutions are changed frequently, and their instruments sterilized before each use. If the salon doesn’t seem quite right or doesn’t look clean, don’t go back.”

Always tell your nail technician that you have diabetes. This lets them know to use extra care while pampering you, even if you don’t feel anything is wrong, says Brent Bauer, MD. He is the medical director of the International Spa Association.

Unfortunately not all nail polishes are designed with environmentally friendly formulas. Make sure your manicure is free of harmful chemicals with polish brands that pride themselves on providing nontoxic tips.

We love fresh-squeezed lime taste so much that we wanted to enjoy it wherever we go so we made True Lime^®.

Hydrating before, during and after your workout is very important. Need some motivation to stay hydrated?  There’s now a free Dally Water app on i-Tunes to help you set personalized objectives and stick to them by keeping track of each glass of water chugged per day (the recommended eight glasses of water a day).

One online review of the Daily Water app said, “I’ve tired all the drink water reminder apps out there, and this by far is THE one to install; simple, precise, and keeps me on track to staying hydrated.”

To help you determine the amount of fluid you lose during exercise, you can weigh yourself before and after exercise. For each pound lost during activity, drink 24 oz. of fluid. If your body weight increased, you have overhydrated and you should drink less fluid in future exercise sessions.

After a practice or competition, drink to quench your thirst and then drink some more. Because the thirst mechanism is an inaccurate indicator of dehydration, you’ll have to monitor your urine to determine whether or not you’ve had enough.

Sometimes  you want to quench your thirst something with a little more ‘zing’ than  water.   Our Winter ‘Workout with A Wow’ beverage of choice is True Lime. True Lime is a low calorie (0 -10 calories) way to add fresh-squeezed lime taste to your water, tea or recipes. Each packet equals the taste of 1 lime wedge and is made with only 3 ingredients and contains no artificial flavors, no preservatives and is gluten free. It’s also great for seasoning and recipes that call for lime juice.

Indulge in a healthy snack. Key Lime Low-Fat Yogurt with Graham Crackers and White Chocolate.  Made with only natural, non-GMO ingredients.This means that ingredients like sugar are sourced from sugar cane, and not beets, which are genetically modified.  The concept behind Chobani Flip isn’t new: sell a yogurt product with two compartments. The first is for “wet” ingredients, and the second is for the dry ones.  So is this a healthy snack? According to the Fooducate website it’s certainly healthier than a candy bar, especially due to the healthy probiotics (live and active cultures). However, a better choice would be plain yogurt to which you can add fruit, nuts, and a much less sweet.

Now with 20 varieties of Chobani “Flip”™, one container has 200 calories and 25 grams of carbohydrates. Ingredients: Lowfat Yogurt (Cultured Pasteurized Nonfat Milk, Cream), Evaporated Cane Sugar, Water, Wheat Flour, Brown Sugar, Sugar, Soybean Oil, Key Lime Puree, Cocoa Butter, Key Lime Juice Concentrate, Milk, Key Lime Peel, Skim Milk, Fruit Pectin, Locust Bean Gum, Guar Gum, Natural Flavors, Salt, Honey, Baking Soda, Cinnamon, White Vinegar, Organic Soy Lecithin, Fruit Juice Concentrate And Turmeric (For Color), Lemon Juice Concentrate. Contains Milk, Wheat And Soy. Manufactured On A Line That Also Handles Tree Nuts And Peanuts. Contains Live And Active Cultures: S. Thermophilus, L. Bulgaricus, L. Acidophilus, Bifidus And L. Casei.

Everyone who exercises knows how great it feels post-workout–that natural high you feel when you’ve gone for a satisfying swim or finished up your training run. Did you know this feeling is actually scientific–exercise releases endorphins which produce a natural high. That feeling is what gets a lot of people off the couch and into the gym, pool or court.