The mercury is slowly rising and beach weather is just around the corner. Now is the time to shed those bulky sweaters, along with a few pounds, and spring into summer. Begin making changes to your fitness and diet routine today, and you can feel confident going into the swimsuit season. Here are 6 almost foolproof ways to spring into your summer body.
Commit to a Full-Body Strength-Training Workout
Rev up your metabolism and start developing those lean, tank-top-worthy muscles with a full-body, strength-training circuit. For a super-efficient workout, perform exercises that use more than one muscle group at a time — squats, pushups, and lunges, combined with a basic high-intensity weight-training program. One of the biggest mistakes beginning weight-trainers make is not using enough weight. Be safe, but remember, intensity is what gives you results. If you are new to strength-training, a personal trainer is well worth the investment. You will learn proper form and technique, plus maximize your workouts by efficiently targeting your weaknesses and building on your strengths. Commit to at least 3 days a week for optimal results. Workouts can be on your own or a preformatted class type like body pump class or P90X.
Boost Your Cardio to Melt Away those Winter Pounds
The cardio workouts that really make a difference, especially when you’re trying to reach a summer goal, are high-intensity interval workouts that really get your heart pumping. Be sure to warm up for 3-5 minutes, then alternate between low-intensity and high-intensity settings on your machine in 30-second intervals for roughly 8 minutes, followed by 3-5 minutes to cool down. You can use this technique on any machine, or during any cardio training, indoors or out. Yes, this works out to about 15 minutes of training, but remember it’s no cakewalk. This is a demanding routine, but also very rewarding. You’ll save a lot of time, and because the workout is so intense, you’ll be burning calories for hours after you leave the gym.
Eat Clean, Whole Foods to Maximize Your Nutrition
Yes, you’ve heard this before, but now is the time to flush out those toxins that have been hanging around all winter, and get back to the basics. Cut the junk out of your diet and invest in your nutritional goals. Ease up on dairy, sugar and processed carbs, and cut back on alcohol. Lean proteins, piles of green vegetables, and small quantities of whole grains and healthy fats will give you all the energy you need. Head into summer feeling lighter and looking your best!
Skip the Caffeine and Start Your Day with Lemon Water
Drinking warm lemon water in the morning will help flush your digestive system and rehydrate your body. Unlike caffeine, which gives you an artificial boost and then drops you like a rock, lemon water will naturally boost your energy for hours. As an added benefit, the Vitamin C in the lemon will help recharge your immune system.
Engage Your Core Muscles by Standing Tall
Proper posture will make you look younger and thinner even if you haven’t lost a pound. Stand tall, tighten up your stomach muscles, and hold your head high. Do this as much as you can throughout the day. If you tend to forget, set an alarm to go off on your phone every 15 minutes. This will effectively train your body to develop good posture. You don’t have to be standing to practice. Engage your core muscles when you’re sitting or laying down. Soon it will become second nature.
Get Enough Sleep
Did you know that sleeping less than seven hours each night can actually undo all the progress you’ve made toward your weight-loss goals? Your will power, which is controlled by the frontal lobe of your brain, just doesn’t function properly without enough sleep to promote good decision-making. That extra piece of cake doesn’t seem like a big deal when you’re too tired to think it through. You are also far more likely to forgo your usual workout when you haven’t had enough sleep. So set your alarm and get to bed on time.
Ready to achieve your fitness goals and spring into summer with your best body ever? Like the sun peeking out from behind a cloud, your summer body is just waiting to shed those layers of winter clothes and shine.