Article Summary:
Four proven ways to shape your body up before you hit the beach this summer.
With summer just around the corner you have probably started to think about baring it all in your bathing suit! If this thought has you petrified, don't worry! You are not destined to spend another summer hiding behind your towel at the beach. Read on for 4 proven ways to shape your body up before you hit the beach!
#1 Drink Plenty of H20
Water is definitely your friend when it comes to weight loss. Your body uses water in almost every bodily function, including fat burn. Instead of getting a large Coke at lunch, try sticking with a large glass of water. Not only will you be taking in less sugar calories, you will also be assisting your body on its fat burn mission! Make it point to always carry a water bottle with you so you can sip on it all day long.
#2 Eat Small Meals Frequently
By now you have probably heard that eating small meals every few hours throughout the day, rather than eating one or two large meals, increases your metabolism. While this is now a well-known fact, it is one of the most underutilized fat loss tips available! The science behind it is simple. When your body is given a large amount of food at one time it is unable to use it all immediately, so it is forced to store the leftovers as fat. Furthermore when there is a large period of time between meals your body's metabolism slows, since it is not actively digesting anything. On the other hand, when you eat small meals every few hours you are forcing your body to constantly digest small amounts of food that are utilized immediately, resulting in little to no fat storage. Train yourself to eat small meals throughout the day, and you will be beach ready in no time!
#3 Stick With Fresh Foods
There is nothing better for your body than fresh grown foods. This is in stark contrast to the oodles of readily available fast, processed and fried foods that we are surrounded with today. Remind yourself, as you continue your quest for a bathing suit ready body, that 90% of what you look like is a direct result of what you eat. If you are eating fresh, healthy vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats it will show. It will also show if you are eating hamburgers, tacos and pizza!
#4 Crank Up Your Cardio
If you still have some fat to shed before you are beach ready, lose it with good, old fashion cardio. Crank up your cardiovascular workout schedule to burn more calories per workout resulting in fat loss. If you are currently doing 30 minutes of cardio with each workout session then crank it up to 45 or 60 minutes. If you are a runner, go on a few longer runs each week. If you are not currently participating in a cardiovascular workout, start by simply going on walks around your neighborhood. The key here is to simply burn more calories in order to achieve your desired fat loss.
Follow the above four pointers for a few weeks, and you are guaranteed to see your body shape up for summer! Good luck, and enjoy the beach!
Diana Keuilian, Certified Personal Trainer, and author of "Avoid The Freshman Fifteen", has a proven method for avoiding college weight gain. Visit AvoidTheFreshman15.com to learn more. She is also the head Fitness Trainer for the nation's leading online fitness site HitechPersonalFitness.com and board member of www.HitechTrainer.com.
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