Getting in Shape for Summer

If you’re looking for way to get lean and toned for the summer right now, it probably means you haven’t done anything up until this point. Now you’re going to go run on a treadmill until you puke, do a juice cleanse until you have no insides, and you’ll be set for the your beach weekend, right? Nopers.

 

Here’s the most important thing to remember: getting in shape takes time. I know that’s antithetical to every fad diet and workout article that promises “toned sculpted and sexy arms 10 days”. Getting a strong, healthy, good looking body requires dedication and changes in lifestyle to reach your goals and stay there. Sure you could eat lettuce wraps filled with nothing for a few weeks, lose a few pounds, feel awful and be a pile of loose skin- if that’s your goal. But after that you’ll be right back to where you were and probably actually fain some weight.

 

Getting in shape for summer is the same as getting in shape any other time of year- a solid diet and workout plan. It’s not like summer is a surprise. It comes at the same time every year.

 

Diet- as they say, “you can’t out exercise a bad diet”. This is true.  The foundation of your summer six pack needs to be a solid, consistent diet. Eat for your body type and needs. That means depending on your goals, weight, activity level, and needs, your diet will be specific to you. Focus on eating lean meats, vegetables, and good fats. Stay away from processed, refined foods filled with sugary carbs and empty calories. Pretty easy, right? If you stick to a good diet, you will feel and look great- permanently.

 

You also need a good program built around weighlifting and short, high intensity conditioning. No one ever went astray with some squats, deadlifts, and pressing as the base of a training regimen. You will build muscle that will lead to a hot, toned body and will actually burn fat all day long.

The key here is building good muscle and losing excess body fat. No one has ever complimented someone’s bikini body by saying “man, that loose skin and flat butt look really good on you”. Getting a summer body isn’t about a fad diet and running until you puke. It’s about eating well and sticking to a good training program. You’ll find that sticking to a solid, simple diet and training program is actually easier (and much more worth it) than going on a juice cleanse and running 10 miles a day. Unless you’re a masochist.

 

-Coach Lily