StyleSpy with Katrina Szish

I realized how serious this Red Carpet Workout was going to be when last night I was instructed to "get some real sneakers."

And to think that for years I believed my Nike Air Rifts were real sneakers.   

Meet Alex Reznik, the former Russian Army trainer turned holistic fitness guru, who has created The Red Carpet Workout just for Style Spy and InStyle.com.

In addition to learning about sneakers last night, I was weighed (I am demanding a re-weigh tomorrow when I have had adequate time to recover from falling off the food wagon during Thanksgiving) and measured -- both with a tape measure and a body fat calculator (I will not be sharing those numbers) -- and debriefed on what Alex's customized Red Carpet Workout entails.  Then I was led through a Pilates-focused cross-training workout by Alicia, the Complete Body fitness manager, whose soft spoken style belies her hardcore, meticulous workout ethic.  In other words, she kicked my butt.

Alex has assigned an entire team to monitor my every move.  I'm simultaneously terrified and thrilled.  I will be working out with a trainer three to four times per week (while Alex oversees), of which at least one session will focus on Pilates exercises for lengthening lines and strengthening my (wimpy) core.  I will be doing a minimum of 150 minutes of cardio per week, right here:

The weekly cardio requirement jumps to 200 minutes if I can only manage to meet with a trainer twice.  I despise cardio.

But here's where it gets interesting:  My weekly routine will also include meditation and relaxation exercises.  Logging time in the gym's steam room is actually a requirement, as is adequate sleep.  Alex's fitness philosophy is a comprehensive mind-body experience (hence the name Complete Body Development).  While working to strengthen and tone my body, we will be doing the same for my mind -- but not in a New Age-y or wavy gravy way (that would send me running for the hills).   

It turns out one of the key components of this process is stress reduction -- something from which all of us, no doubt, can benefit.  Did you know that stress makes you fat?  I didn't.  Apparently stress increases the release of cortisol (dubbed the "stress hormone") into the body, which -- according to Alicia, Alex and myriad medical researchers -- raises blood pressure and blood sugar levels, ultimately encouraging fat storage. 

So today I am trying not to stress about how bad it is to be stressed, especially because I am always stressed.  I am also enjoying the pain in my abs and thighs, because it means I am finally headed in the right direction. 

After work, it's off for 50 minutes of cardio, followed by a healthy dinner (more on the whole food concept tomorrow) and perhaps some downtime with Mr. Husband...if I can stay awake that long.

In years past, today would mark the beginning of my official Christmas countdown (29 days!).   And I would celebrate with a glass of champagne and some gingerbread cookies.

But this year, I'm launching a different countdown.

I call it THE RED CARPET COUNTDOWN.

47 days till The Golden Globes!
89 days till The Oscars!

Kevin Mazur/WireImage

For the next six-plus weeks, rather than munch on cookies and drink champagne, I will undergo a self-imposed fitness overhaul.  Let's face it: part of being a stylish woman is being a healthy woman.  There's nothing wrong with increased shopping stamina, plus spending less on cocktails leaves more to spend on shoes.

I'm tired of resolving to get in "the best shape of my life" year after year and never quite pulling it off.  It's time to just do it, already.  My fitness resolution starts now, and I intend for it to be the last one I ever make.  I'm going to wake up January 1st well on the way to being in "the best shape of my life."

And come the Globes (January 13th) and the Oscars (February 24th), I will not be gulping down lemon-pepper water in hopes of last minute Master Cleansing (been there, done that).  Instead, I will be ready -- both mentally and physically -- to do my job on the red carpet.  Brand new bod, brand new outlook, brand new me, for the 2008 red carpets and for all red carpets in years to come.

So...how is this relevant to you? 

All of us walk down "red carpets" in our lives, even if it's not en route to the Kodak Theater.  It could be your wedding day, a high school reunion, a major career event.  And, most of us are tired of "cramming" (figuratively, of course) to get in shape before a big event.  We want to get in shape and stay in shape.

The Red Carpet Countdown is not a "sit back and watch the blogger play guinea pig" occasion.  This is a "get up and join the blogger" occasion.  And, to get us in shape, I have enlisted the help of health guru, celeb trainer and creator of the Complete Body fitness philosophy, Alex Reznik (this man's bio is unreal...from Russian Army fitness instructor to Deepak Chopra's personal trainer.  Check out the whole story HERE). 

In fact, Alex has created a custom workout -- THE RED CARPET WORKOUT -- just for Style Spy, which means you will be privy to every detail of this specialized fitness and lifestyle plan.

I officially kick off The Red Carpet Workout tonight -- I'll be meeting with Alex after work to find out exactly what he has in store for me (and for you).  I fear that calipers, scales and tape measures will be involved...

Check back tomorrow for the gory details and for the first installment of Alex's Red Carpet Workout.

LET THE RED CARPET COUNTDOWN BEGIN!!!