Make your body summer proof

It’s time to start thinking about your summer body!

Summer will is just around the corner, and its time to shed those cosy winter clothes that hide a multitude of sins. Most people love the summer – it’s a time to enjoy the sun and have fun at the beach. Still, it’s also a time when many people feel anxious and insecure about their bodies, which are more noticeable in light summer clothing.

We often talk about the need to get your body ‘beach ready’, but it’s much more sensible and achievable to lead a healthy and active lifestyle throughout the year rather than going on a crash diet and gym regime from May onwards.

However, if you do want to lose a few pounds and tone up those wobbly thighs before your holiday in July or August then you have come to the right place.

Follow our tips to get in shape this summer:

First of all, set realistic goals!

It’s just not possible to go from being several stones overweight to having the body of a supermodel or a top bodybuilder in two months. However, toning up specific problem areas and comfortably losing about a stone is very doable and you’ll look much better in that sleeveless top and feel more confident.

1. Get organised

How important is it to you to have a beach body? Are you willing to put in the time and energy to make the necessary lifestyle changes? Get organised, plan your training times and commit to your project – you could call it ‘Summer 2018’.

What is your goal: to shed the pounds or to tone up?

Achieving training goals in a short period of time is a tricky business because you can easily become demotivated by scales that show a gain of half a kilo because of water retention. My advice: make sure you have a piece of clothing ready to give you a more realistic indication of your body changes. Grab those jeans that are just a bit too tight or that shirt whose buttons are a bit too hard to close. A good tip is to weigh yourself at the same time of day whilst wearing the same clothes. We will focus on millimetre and centimetre work, which effectively tones and reduces your body.

2. Enlist the help of a training mate or personal trainer

Motivation keeps you going, so find a way of sticking to the project that works for you. Maybe you have a friend you like to compete with? Harness that competitive energy and train together; you’ll be more likely to complete an extra set of reps if your mate does too. Personal trainers are paid to motivate and inspire you. You don’t want to let the personal trainer down and once you’ve got started on your training programme, they will ensure that you finish the course. The cost is also an incentive – you don’t want to waste your money and not get as much as you can out of the personal trainer!

3. Variety is the spice of life

Alternate your exercises, do them in a different order or alternate the gym with a sport such as swimming, cycling, tennis or running. This is the best way of staying motivated and on task. The same applies to your diet; eat a wide variety of foods and get healthy snacks at home or make them yourself. Try and eat foods that are all the colours of the rainbow to maximise your nutrients.

In the UK, there are numerous group activities for all ages and abilities. Park Run is really popular and there are free events across the UK this summer. Try HIIT (high-intensity interval) training for an intensive workout. You can do this at home or in a class in a gym. Spinning is another activity that is great for burning calories and for mixing up workouts to avoid becoming bored.

When it comes to exercise, there are two things to remember – first, find something that is enjoyable and makes you sweat, and second, exercise doesn’t mean you can eat as many biscuits and cakes as you like. Work out, eat a reasonable amount of calories and you’ll soon notice an improvement in time for summer!

Sources: Men’s health, NHS