With summer here, I'm sure most of you have fallen prey to the summer fitness neglect program, come on, you know it's true, you've decided to slow down or stop your fitness routine because it's finally here! The nice weather, the back yard BBQ's, the pool parties, landscaping, washing the car, the beach, social gatherings or whatever else you want to call it. I hear it all the time, "I'm not motivated in the summer time" "I'm going to do my walking outside" or "it's summer, I'll do my fitness routine later" "I'm too busy" Sound familiar? Then I hear it in September "Well, now it's time to get back at it" or "I never should have stopped, now i have to lose 10 pounds from the summer" "Help me!"
Why not make this summer different? Why not choose to continue to keep it up this time? Why come back and have to start all over again when you don't have to? Well, here are some tips to help you if you so choose:
Set a Goal: I know you've heard it many times before and you know what, experts tell you to set goals because they work, period! Set some realistic and measurable goals this summer...maybe only a slice of pecan pie instead of the whole pie, maybe add some chicken breasts to the BBQ or add that fruit and veggie tray with light dip instead of the usual snack tray. Instead of not going to the gym, set a goal to make it 2-3 times a week. Setting goals keeps you focused and really puts in front of you what's most important...your health.
Motivation : Saying you're going to get in sick shape this summer and actually doing it are two different things. In most cases, the biggest problem is motivation. At the end of the day, only you can decide if you're going to put down that cookie or go the extra 10 minutes on the Treadmill. The fix...try a workout partner Your partner can be your sibling, boyfriend or best friend, as long as they make the same commitment to summer fitness that you're making. Find a partner, and you've got yourself a fitness challenge! or hire a trainer for the summer and guarantee that you'll be in your best shape for the beach and to help keep you motivated and on track!
Know your numbers: Have a qualified fitness professional do your weight and body fat to know where you are, then followup every 2 to 3 weeks to ensure you stay on track, this really helps to stay accountable to yourself, there's nothing like getting your fat pinched every couple weeks to keep you honest and on track.
Have a calorie budget: Know what you're putting in your body, and how much of it you actually need. The best way to keep track of what you're eating - and how much of it - is by keeping a food journal. It forces you to realize everything that you're eating, and being brutally honest with yourself makes you want to eat healthy, there are many great, free resource to help with this.
Tell Someone: Sounds strange doesn't it? Tell someone what? Well, what i mean is to tell someone or everyone that you plan on losing weight (or staying in shape, whatever your goal is) this is called positive pressure, so when you tell people, every time you see them they will ask your how your goal or program is coming along and the last thing you want to do is to tell them you couldn't stick to it, right? It's a great little technique that works, so try it.
Strength Train: I frequently hear how people do things outside, they bike, jog, walk, run, stretch etc...but they always neglect strength training, I rarely see anyone doing tricep dips on a bench, or walking lunges, or even a simple push up. Unless you're strength training, you lose seven pounds of muscle every decade of life. Less muscle means a slower metabolism, the primary cause of fat gain. Adding muscle helps you lose fat and keep it off because muscle affects your metabolism, making it faster, which increases the rate of fat burn. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that you strength train at least two days a week, performing eight to 12 repetitions of eight to 10 strength exercises, and Dr. Wayne Wescott's research reveals three, 30-minute weekly strength sessions can increase your resting metabolism rate by 7 percent and daily energy requirements by 15 percent in just weeks. Sounds good to me.
Well there you have it, some tips to help you stay fit through the remainder of the summer, question is, what are you going to do about it? Will you be where you were after last summer or the summer before that? Dreading to lose the new pounds you gained or is this time going to be different?
Why not make this summer different? Why not choose to continue to keep it up this time? Why come back and have to start all over again when you don't have to? Well, here are some tips to help you if you so choose:
Set a Goal: I know you've heard it many times before and you know what, experts tell you to set goals because they work, period! Set some realistic and measurable goals this summer...maybe only a slice of pecan pie instead of the whole pie, maybe add some chicken breasts to the BBQ or add that fruit and veggie tray with light dip instead of the usual snack tray. Instead of not going to the gym, set a goal to make it 2-3 times a week. Setting goals keeps you focused and really puts in front of you what's most important...your health.
Motivation : Saying you're going to get in sick shape this summer and actually doing it are two different things. In most cases, the biggest problem is motivation. At the end of the day, only you can decide if you're going to put down that cookie or go the extra 10 minutes on the Treadmill. The fix...try a workout partner Your partner can be your sibling, boyfriend or best friend, as long as they make the same commitment to summer fitness that you're making. Find a partner, and you've got yourself a fitness challenge! or hire a trainer for the summer and guarantee that you'll be in your best shape for the beach and to help keep you motivated and on track!
Know your numbers: Have a qualified fitness professional do your weight and body fat to know where you are, then followup every 2 to 3 weeks to ensure you stay on track, this really helps to stay accountable to yourself, there's nothing like getting your fat pinched every couple weeks to keep you honest and on track.
Have a calorie budget: Know what you're putting in your body, and how much of it you actually need. The best way to keep track of what you're eating - and how much of it - is by keeping a food journal. It forces you to realize everything that you're eating, and being brutally honest with yourself makes you want to eat healthy, there are many great, free resource to help with this.
Tell Someone: Sounds strange doesn't it? Tell someone what? Well, what i mean is to tell someone or everyone that you plan on losing weight (or staying in shape, whatever your goal is) this is called positive pressure, so when you tell people, every time you see them they will ask your how your goal or program is coming along and the last thing you want to do is to tell them you couldn't stick to it, right? It's a great little technique that works, so try it.
Strength Train: I frequently hear how people do things outside, they bike, jog, walk, run, stretch etc...but they always neglect strength training, I rarely see anyone doing tricep dips on a bench, or walking lunges, or even a simple push up. Unless you're strength training, you lose seven pounds of muscle every decade of life. Less muscle means a slower metabolism, the primary cause of fat gain. Adding muscle helps you lose fat and keep it off because muscle affects your metabolism, making it faster, which increases the rate of fat burn. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that you strength train at least two days a week, performing eight to 12 repetitions of eight to 10 strength exercises, and Dr. Wayne Wescott's research reveals three, 30-minute weekly strength sessions can increase your resting metabolism rate by 7 percent and daily energy requirements by 15 percent in just weeks. Sounds good to me.
Well there you have it, some tips to help you stay fit through the remainder of the summer, question is, what are you going to do about it? Will you be where you were after last summer or the summer before that? Dreading to lose the new pounds you gained or is this time going to be different?
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