Fitness

How to Get Your Body Summer Ready

Are you desperate to get the perfect summer body this year? Well, you have come to the right place. Whilst we can’t wait for summer, you’re not alone if the thought of wearing shorts, bikinis, and crop tops for the next few months leaves you feeling insecure and nervous. But fear not – there is still time to get beach body ready!

Wouldn’t it be amazing to be able to walk around in the hot weather feeling confident with your body? We have put together the following guide to help you get your body ready for the season. Luckily for you, we aren’t talking about following any extreme crash diets that will leave you feeling hungry, tired, and fed up. All we suggest is that you abide by these eight easy and safe lifestyle changes in the lead up to summer and give yourself the opportunity to look and feel your best this year.

  1. Eat Protein with Every Meal

It is widely known that protein is extremely important when it comes to building muscle, but what many of us don’t realise is that protein also plays a significant role in helping you lose weight too. There are several benefits of introducing more protein in your diet including a boosted metabolism, reduced appetite, and changes to weight related hormones. Try replacing the carbs and fat in your diet with protein rich foods like chicken, eggs, salmon, cheese, kidney beans, haddock, yoghurt, turkey, lentils, tuna, and nuts. This will lead to a considerable decrease in hunger and as a result, a reduction in calories.

  1. Cut Out Snacking

Often people don’t realise how much snacking can stall weight loss. Even though a few mouthfuls of some healthy food here and there may not appear to be much, these extra calories will start to add up and can result in overeating, often unknowingly. Instead, plan to have three balanced meals each day as this will leave you feeling fuller for longer and you can monitor your calorie intake far easier.

  1. Limit Alcohol Intake

With each sip of alcohol, whether that’s wine, beer, cocktails, or a couple of Jager bombs, comes unwanted, additional calories. Not only is alcohol high in calories itself, but it often lowers our inhibitions which can lead us to make bad decisions and stray from our diets. When we consume alcohol, our body uses this as a source for fuel before burning anything else, so this also inhibits fat loss. Therefore, we would recommend drinking alcohol only in strict moderation when following a summer body diet.

  1. Sleep 7 to 9 Hours Each Night

Getting a good night’s sleep is crucial during the process of gaining your summer body for a number of reasons. Firstly, sleep deprivation can cause high amounts of hunger hormones to be released into the stomach, resulting in a spike in appetite and cravings. As well as this, being tired can cause you to skip workouts and have more cheat meals due to a lack of motivation. Sleep also benefits the body by allowing it to recover from exercise and muscle growth so it is absolutely vital that you make the effort to get to bed earlier and get those all-important hours of rest.

  1. Avoid Bloat Foods

Particularly important in the week leading up to your holiday, it is best to avoid foods that can leave your tummy looking bloated, puffy, and swollen. Typically, pre-packaged foods are high in sodium which can lead to water retention and cause you to bloat. It is also a good idea to steer clear of broccoli, kale, apples, beans, and peas; all of which are clean foods but may leave you bloated. Try eating asparagus and cucumber to reduce bloat as well as bananas, kiwis, and avocados which help prevent water retention.

  1. HIIT Training

High-intensity interval training or HIIT training is an extremely effective type of workout for burning fat quickly. It consists of alternating short bursts of intense exercise and short spells of recovery. This method of exercising can burn more calories in far less time than constant sessions of moderate exercise. As well as this, HIIT training has been found to boost your metabolism for hours following your workout, allowing you to burn even more fat.

  1. Move More Outside the Gym

If you make the effort to actively seek ways to squeeze in a little extra exercise here and there, you can burn hundreds more calories each day without even realising. Little changes like choosing to take the stairs over getting in the lift or walking to the nearest shop instead of driving can positively impact your overall fitness. Make sure you wear comfortable footwear during the day when you’re on the go and you’ll be burning fat in no time!

  1. Stay Hydrated

Keeping hydrated is essential to staying healthy, especially when taking part in a fitness regime. Drinking water before each meal is a great way to help you consume less calories and feel fuller. You should aim to drink at least 2 litres of water every day as this will help to maximise your fat burning capacity. If you struggle to drink high volumes of water on its own, try using an infuser bottle to give your water a more appealing flavour.

Consider Surgery

While the eight tips outlined above will be effective for the majority of people looking to get in shape before summer starts, some of us may require further assistance to get the summer body of our dreams. Liposuction is a type of cosmetic treatment designed to remove stubborn fatty deposits which are difficult to lose through dieting and exercising alone. Many people believe that liposuction is simply an easy way to lose weight, however this is not the case. This type of treatment is ineffective when used on its own and the best way to achieve long lasting results is to use liposuction in conjunction with a strict diet and exercise plan.

If you’re looking to get in shape before your summer holiday this year, follow our beach body guide for healthy lifestyle tips. Get started now and the beach body you have always dreamed of will be yours before you know it!

Author Bio: Thomasin loves all things beauty and enjoys learning from skin and body care experts. She is enthusiastic about passing on any knowledge she gains through blog writing and personal conversations.

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