Now that summer is officially here, people’s thoughts return to the fitness resolutions they made 6 months ago on Jan. 1 and whether or not they stuck to their plan. Who doesn’t want to look their best during the season when they wear the least? Who doesn’t want to want to get in great shape at a dance fitness class? If you have fallen off the resolution wagon and want to get back on, or need to get past your plateau for better results, check this list to make sure these components are part of your plan.
TRAIN LIKE AN ATHLETE
I know it’s hard to push yourself at the gym when you aren’t training for a race or fitness event. We’ve all been guilty of mindless exercise: reading a magazine on a treadmill while walking at a snail’s pace. In order to see results from your workouts, you must be as focused as a competing athlete. Fortunately, there are many ways to accomplish this! Most importantly, plan your workouts and be consistent in going to the gym or your group fitness classes (put it in your schedule and stick to it). Something to keep in mind, if you are feeling unmotivated to hit the gym on your own, consider a fun, energetic, and motivational dance fitness classes to keep you going (it works!). In addition, focus on good technique when lifting weights, add interval training to your cardio sessions, eat and hydrate properly, and get 7+ hours of sleep each night. Your mind should be fully engaged in your workout, otherwise you aren’t challenging yourself. By training effectively and efficiently, you will increase lean muscle and decrease fat, thus improving the chances that you’ll love your body in a swimsuit this summer.
EAT WELL AND EAT OFTEN
Your metabolism will stay higher if you eat smaller meals more frequently than if you eat 3 large meals a day 6 hrs apart, even if total daily calories are the same. Try to eat 300-400 calories every 3 hrs totaling 5-6 mini-meals a day. For each mini-meal, focus on eating lean protein or dairy, fibrous veggies and fruit, whole grain products, and water or tea. Be sure to eat within 45 min after a workout in order to promote muscle recovery. Always eat breakfast – jumpstart your metabolism as soon as you wake up. Also, be sure you are properly hydrated (9-13 cups of water daily). Since your body is ~60% water and each cell requires water to function properly, even being mildly dehydrated will affect your body’s ability to function optimally (i.e. metabolism slows, energy wanes).
KEEP IT MOVING
Be active in and out of the gym. There’s more to health than just hitting the gym for 30-60 min a day. Going for a 6am jog or a one hour fitness class doesn’t mean you can sit on your butt at a desk for the next 10 hours (note: working out doesn’t mean you deserve a donut either). Your metabolism may start high, but then slows to a crawl for the remainder of the day. To keep your metabolism high, you must stay active throughout the day. Small changes add up (the same way the calories of all those little M&M’s add up): take the stairs, use the bathroom farther down the hall, take a 10 min stroll after lunch (you don’t need an entire hour for lunch), walk to your colleagues office for meetings (instead of a phone call), or park your car a bit farther from your destination. Your goal is to spend as much time on your feet as you do sitting down. Having a pedometer can help you track how many steps you take a day (at least 10,000 steps recommended). It all adds up!