We’ve all heard the phrase ‘summer bodies are made in the winter,’ but exactly when do you need to start?
If you’ve gained some weight during the year, the key question is: when should you start working towards a summer body?
It all depends on how big your goals are, but in fifteen days you may be able to make some good progress. That being said, the idea is being able to maintain any changes you make. Generally, diets or weight loss methods are not sustainable. Let’s call it a “band-aid” on bad habits.
Try, instead, taking a more gradual approach over six to twelve weeks, making minor changes as you go. Cognitively, it will be much easier on your brain, and in the end, you’ll see the physical changes you want to as well.
Achieving a summer body can take at least a month, if not a little longer. If you give yourself a month, you can comfortably make progress without being too extreme as you push for your desired results.
What to Eat
Nutrition is a big part of any health journey, and those looking to lose weight for the summer should start by re-evaluating what goes into their bodies. It’s impossible to get a summer body when consuming processed food. Try to include more vegetables, lean meats, and nuts.
Many people try to restrict their food intake, by giving up things like dairy or carbohydrates. However, this isn’t often necessary. You can get great results by eating fruit, carbohydrates, and dairy. The key is to eat whole, unprocessed foods. Manufactured foods slow down the digestive processes in our bodies, and that is how we get fat.
Be good to your body, and give your taste buds six to eight weeks to change. This is the period of time it takes to implement new eating habits and let your body acclimate. Super important: drink plenty of water and reduce (and, if you can, entirely stop) your alcohol consumption.
How to Train
Everyone, regardless of gender or age, should do exercise and movement. Humans are not sedentary by nature. Exercising is obviously going to increase your metabolism and help you burn more calories 24 hours a day.
Sometimes, on their path to a summer body, people try doing crazy amounts of cardio. Sure, high-intensity training is important, but too much can lead to exhaustion and make you throw in the towel too soon.
Combining cardio sessions with resistance and weight training is the best way to get toned as well as burn fat. The key is being consistent and understanding that you won’t be able to do your optimal workout every day. The idea is to get moving, even if it is just walking more.
How Much Rest Do You Need?
Sleep is very important; it is when our results happen in our bodies. Many people don’t know this, but your muscles don’t grow during training; they grow during recovery.
Nowadays, our obsessive use of technology has led to poor sleeping habits. We must remove our cell phones, and any other screens, from our bedrooms, so that we can focus on getting better, longer sleep.
Conclusion: Slow and Steady Wins The Race
While rapid weight loss is achievable, it’s not sustainable. It can even have negative effects on our bodies. Losing weight suddenly and in an extreme way is very unhealthy for the cardiovascular system. With any sudden weight gain or loss, our organs, hormones, and brains have to adapt. Making drastic modifications harms our body and forces it to adjust in record time. It’s much better to try to lose weight carefully, and if possible, under the supervision of specialists.
XO
Sira