Summer season means hot temperatures, swim suits, shorts and tank tops. For those wanting to tone up their body before wearing skimpier clothes, upcoming beach season can mean trying to lose weight before change of wardrobe.
Getting your body “beach ready” can mean different things to everyone, but here are some tips to implement if you’re trying to get beach ready in a month.
Step 1: The “Beach” Diet
Almost always getting beach ready means weight loss to some extent. Whenever you want weight loss, food intake will need to be adjusted. If you’re trying to get beach ready in a month, clean up your diet by cutting out excess sugar, processed foods and fast food.
Cutting out extra calories from junk food is probably the most basic and helpful step to take to get your body into swimsuit shape.
To get beach ready, eat foods high in nutrients and low in calories like fresh fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains. See also: Best foods to eat this summer.
Healthy fats like avocados, coconut oil, grass fed animal products and nuts have many health benefits and can support weight loss as well.
Eating balanced meals with a fiber, protein and fat source can help keep blood sugar levels steady and increase satiety.
Avoid the urge to starve yourself or severely cut calories. This may work very temporarily for weight loss, but it can’t be sustained. Also, when you increase your calorie intake again you will likely put the weight right back on again.
Step 2: Hydrate
Start hydrating as soon as possible when getting beach ready. Drinking adequate fluids could help with hunger, as sometimes we feel hungry when we’re really just thirsty. Proper hydration can also promote skin health and fluid balance in the body.
Avoid beverages that are filled with sugar or artificial sweeteners. Drink primarily water, mineral water or unsweetened tea for best results. Adequate hydration can be obtained when urine color is consistently very pale yellow to clear throughout the day.
Step 3: Cardio
Doing cardio exercise when trying to get beach ready can increase calorie burn in general and specifically increase fat burn. Exercising while trying to lose weight will help keep your muscle mass and definition along with resistance training.
Cardio exercise can be a range of activities from running, cycling, swimming, roller blading, etc., and it includes any exercise that keeps your heart rate elevated. How much will you need to exercise per day?
That will depend on your goals and current health status. A general place to start would be exercising for 60 minutes per day and increasing if necessary. You may need to modify this time depending on your goals and previous medical conditions.
Vary your workout intensities between moderate and vigorous so you can get the metabolic benefits of both exercises. Moderate exercise is at a lower intensity, and you will be able to carry on a conversation when exercising. You can exercise longer at this duration. Vigorous intensity means you don’t want to talk during exercise because you are working harder.
Another popular exercise technique now is interval or high intensity interval training (HIIT). This can be a great compliment to your exercise routine because it is a high calorie burn exercise and it can rev up your metabolism hours after exercise.
Step 4: Work those Abs
While cardio exercise will help shed fat, strength training different muscle groups can help show muscle definition in swim attire. While getting beach ready, remember to incorporate ab strengthening exercises like crunches, sit ups, planks, etc. for increasing core strength.
See also: How to get six pack abs without equipment
Step 5: Do not forget the Arms
How can you get your arms beach ready in a month? Start doing push-ups. These can be done anywhere and you need no equipment. Even 10 push-ups a day can be a start, and you can do them with your toes on the ground or your knees.
Other exercises like shoulder raises, bicep curls or rows can help tone arm muscles.
Step 6: Legs
Squats, lunges, wall sits, calf raises and dead lifts are only a few examples of leg exercises you can do to tone your legs.
These can be done with just body weight or with added weight. If these exercises sound confusing or you don’t know where to start, talk to an exercise specialist or refer to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).
The ACSM recommends strength training 2-3 times per week, 2-4 sets of each exercise, 8-15 repetitions per set.
Conclusion
Getting beach ready in one month is going to entail cutting out junk foods and sweets from the diet, eating quality foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats. Hydrating will be important during the month with a focus on water.
Exercise should entail cardio exercise and resistance training that includes major muscle groups. Variety is key for toning the muscles, and don’t be afraid to vary intensity, time and what types of activities when getting beach ready.
References used in this article
