May 20, 2019
Get in shape for summer
Start now with your fitness goals and by summer you’ll be in great shape to hit the beach or wow at a special event.
There’s nothing quite as motivating as the prospect of the summer for getting in shape, seeing as it comes with swimwear and outfits that show a bit more flesh. This means that by spring, many of us are looking to tone up and perhaps lose a little of the weight that built up in the colder months.
As always, the best way to do this is through a combination of exercise and healthy eating. The exact approach will depend on the amount of time you have and whether there’s a specific event you want to be in shape for, like a holiday or wedding, or you’d just like to improve your fitness overall. Either way, there are plenty of things you can do.
Plan your workouts
If you don’t plan when you’re going to do your exercise sessions, you’ll find you simply won’t fit them into the day. Similarly, if you haven’t worked out what you’re going to do in each session, then you won’t achieve as much.
Try to workout at the same time each day, as your body will become accustomed to this routine and help you to perform at your best. Set goals and apply structure to your session so you can get the most out of it.
Mix things up
There are loads of reasons why you shouldn’t do the same exercise routine day-in day-out. The first is that you’ll quickly get bored, leading to one of two things – either you’ll give up completely or you’ll stop pushing yourself and find you’re just going through the paces.
Another consideration is that specific types of workout focus on different types of the body and you want to be exercising all your muscles at various times. That’s how you’ll end up looking good all over in that swimsuit come the summer.
So, if you usually run, then try lifting some weights, add in high intensity interval training (HIIT), yoga or swimming. Even gentler forms of exercise have their benefits and can complement the more gruelling elements of your fitness regime.
Workout wherever you are
One of the biggest obstacles that gets in the way of a new exercise routine is not having the time to get to the gym or leisure facility. If this sounds like you, then make do with what you’ve got and turn your home, office or hotel into your own fitness suit.
Climbing the stairs can help to raise your heart rate, you can do lunges in your living room and burpees in your lunch break. Chairs can double up as support structures and bottles of water will do as weights. Don’t use your circumstances as an excuse not to fit in small workout sessions, as these can add up to make a real difference.
Make your diet work for you
To ensure all of the hard work doing exercise doesn’t go to waste, make sure you’re fuelling up in the right way. Make small adjustments to your diet and build it up over time so you can stick to it.
As general rules, you should try to minimize the refined carbohydrates you eat, with things like white bread and pasta not helping to get you into shape. Excess sugar consumption is also a no-no, so start reading packets to find out where you can cut it out.
Instead, try to eat fresh, seasonal ingredients in as many different colors as possible. These will provide you with a variety of nutrients and help you to achieve your goals in time for the summer season.
