Shape It Up! Diet & Exercise Plan For A Summer Beach Body
Summer is right around the corner and that usually means showing more skin, trading in your long sleeves and jeans for shorts and swimsuits and heading to the beach. If you’re not feeling super confident or simply want a tune-up, here’s the ultimate summer weight loss and workout plan.
A major factor is getting your head in the game and being confident that you can achieve the results that you want. If you do the work, the results will follow and having the right attitude will make the journey much more enjoyable. So set your sights on that summer body and let’s get moving.
The right combination of strength training and cardio is key. The following workouts focus on several muscle groups and most include working the big calorie burners, your legs.
30 Minute Summer Leg Toning Workout: 3 times/week – Every other day
This leg toning workout is designed for the treadmill, but if you don’t have one you can get creative. Search for a nice, steep hill in your area, turn on some tunes and start walking. When you are heading back downhill sit back into your hips and heels to avoid injuring your knees.
Fat-Burning Beach Body Workout: 3 times/week – Every other day
This routine doesn’t require any equipment and you can do it anywhere.
Get your body warmed up with 5 to 8 minutes of brisk walking, jogging in place, jumping jacks or the like. Set your timer for 60 seconds per exercise and get ready. My motto: a little burn is good, a lot of burn is better. Try to get through all three groups with minimal rest. You want your heart rate to stay up so you burn lots of calories and get the most out of your workout.
Complete three rounds and follow with 10 to 12 minutes of stretching. Of course, form first always and take water breaks as needed.
Eat Wise For Weight Loss
Make sure all of your hard work can be seen by eating the proper foods for shedding excess pounds. You can work your muscles like crazy, but if you’re eating the wrong foods you won’t be able to see the toned muscles you’ve worked so hard for.
Cut out simple sugars such as bread, pasta, potatoes and rice. These foods can be calorie dense and also have a high glycemic index meaning they convert to sugar quickly in your body. Say no to creamy sauces, fried foods and sugary soft drinks. You may experience a shift in hunger with your new exercise regimen so load up on healthy green veggies which are low in calories and packed with lots of nutrients. You also want to replenish your muscles with lean sources of protein like fish, chicken, turkey and eggs. Check out these recipes that pack lots of flavor without a lot of calories.
Sweet Summer Salad
Toss it all together in a bowl and enjoy. 350 calories.
Tropical protein smoothie
Blend 8 ounces unsweetened Coconut Water, 1 scoop of Vanilla Protein Powder (I prefer a vegan blend), 1/4 Banana and a dash of Cinnamon. 150 calories
Detox and Refresh Cooler
Place 2 cups of water, 1 small piece of raw turmeric, 1 small piece of raw ginger and a tablespoon of honey in a saucepan.
Simmer over low to medium heat for 15 minutes. Strain liquid into a large mug and add ice. When completely cooled down add 8 ounces of coconut water, juice of one lemon, a dash of cayenne pepper and a couple of mint leaves. Stir and enjoy.
Summer Workout Tips For Your Health
Workout in the morning hours before the summer sun gets too hot or in the evening when it cools down. Don’t allow yourself to get dehydrated. Drink plenty of water and wear light, loose fitting clothing. Protect your skin when exercising outdoors. There are lots of great workout clothes with SPF built into the material. Also wear a heart rate monitor to keep tabs on that very important number. Save the intervals for inside. High intensity and heat do not go hand in hand.
Hydration tip: fill up a 24oz bottle with water and two or three frozen strawberries. When you finish your workout you should have consumed all of the water and you have nice sweet treat at the end.
Exercise, eat right, enjoy life and go rock that summer body.
