Equinox Offers Fit Tips From Master Instructor, Brandon Kolar

Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.

How many cookies, spiked eggnogs, bacon-wrapped scallops, [insert party eats here] did you take in this weekend? Let your tastebuds have their way when you follow these fit tips from Tier 4 personal trainer and master instructor Brandon Kolar at Equinox in the Back Bay. You know it's not possible to wear stretchy pants to every event, so here is your gameplan for beating the bulge before it sticks.

Don't slack just because your social calendar is filling up. Maintain a consistent workout routine, and if monetary loss is a motivator, Kolar recommends hiring a trainer for the month. "Schedule an appointment so the only option is to attend, especially if payment is expected whether or not anyone shows up," says Kolar.

Everything is more fun with a friend in tow, so recruit a pal to join you in workouts. "Make sure it's someone that's hard to let down," suggests the trainer, knowing all too well how strong our guilt muscles can work.

Switch up your workouts with an up-tempo style. These workouts, such as circuits and anaerobic cardio machine bursts, keep heart rates high and therefore, burn more calories than your average workout.

In the same vein as adopting up-tempo workouts, take a class. Bonus points for being social, and props if you try something wacky like Hip Hop yoga.

Never attend a party hungry. Seems counterintuitive when the snacks at a fiesta totally trump that grilled chicken breast, but as Kolar recommends, "arrive at a party satiated and be less likely to snack on calorific options and guzzle more than a few drinks." Best trays to indulge in? Veggie platters, chicken satay, and fruit bowls.

Ok, fine. Yes, you'll find us inhaling pizza at 2am. But maybe if we followed the advice to set a curfew, we could have at least ended the evening making slightly healthier English muffin pizzas in the toaster oven.

Most importantly, Kolar reminds us, "Don't be thrown off by one splurge." Noted!
· Equinox [Official Site]