Maria Menounos Celebrates Chiseled Abs in Zebra String Bikini 

Maria Menounos is heading into the new month with wild bikini style. The 43-year-old welcomed the first of the month by showing off her fabulous figure -- and ridiculously chiseled abs -- in a zebra print bikini Monce Swim bikini from Free People. “Don’t September me,” she joked in the pic. How does the talk show host and author keep herself so fit? Read on for 5 tidbits of wisdom Maria Menounos has shared for staying in shape and the photos that prove they work—and to get beach-ready yourself, don't miss these essential 30 Best-Ever Celebrity Bikini Photos!

1. Drink Hot Water

“Drink hot water throughout the day,” she suggested to Too Fab. “Sounds simple but it works. Sometimes when you think you are hungry, you're really dehydrated. Besides having a calming effect, drinking the hot water can help suppress your appetite. Plus, drinking hot water after eating helps digestion. Think of it as melting the food in your stomach. You can add lemon, as some experts believe that can help burn calories, too.”

2. Stay Active All Day Long

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Maria maintains that staying active is the secret to her fit figure. “I don't have an official routine. Though I wish I did, I don't go to the gym often. Generally speaking, I find creative ways to squeeze in exercises during my daily living routine and I stay as active as I possibly can. I walk instead of drive. I opt for stairs instead of escalators. I also have an inexpensive pedometer that measures my daily steps. I strive to do 10,000 a day and whether I accomplish that or not, it's a reminder to try,” she told Too Fab.

3. Don’t Force Yourself to Eat Stuff You Don’t Like

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Maria told Health that enjoying what you eat is important. “Make sure you’re doing what you love in the fitness and eating right. Don’t force yourself to eat eggs every morning if you hate them. Don’t force yourself to go to the gym if you hate it. You won’t stick with it. Find something you love. For breakfast, I’m not an egg-white person, I hate egg whites. So I have smoothies,” she said. “Find those things that you love and stick to them, that’s what’s going to work.”

4. Cheat On Occasion

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Maria endorses an occasional cheat meal. “I have so many. Potato skins, pizza, ice cream and beer,” when asked about her go-tos. “I just do my best to moderate my intake and balance my portions. Sometimes I do better than others. When I overindulge I just clean my diet up the next few days to balance it off.”

5. Eat Clean Most of the Time

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“I really do try to aim for a 75-25 rule for eating (but for me it’s really 80% clean),” she admitted to Health. “If I ate clean all day and I’m watching a movie later that night, I’ll have a few Kit Kat Bites or some popcorn, and I’m not going to feel bad about it. I can play a little bit.”