Have you been working frantically over the past few months to make sure your summer body stays in peak condition? What happens now that winter is around the corner? The temptation to give up and go back to that old unhealthy lifestyle can be strong, but there are lots of benefits to working to keep that sexy body looking great all year round.
Of course, nobody wants to stay on a strict diet all year round, but the good news is that you don’t have to restrict yourself to stay in shape through the colder months of the year. Just think – next summer, you won’t have to frantically head to the gym as spring comes to an end so you can shed the excess pounds in time to wear a bikini!
Here are our 6 expert tips to point you in the right direction.
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Balance Your Training
When summer is approaching, it’s very tempting to up your level of cardio workouts or exercise more frequently to make sure you fit into that swimsuit. However, this just isn’t a sustainable approach in the long term and it puts excess stress on the mind and body. Rather than pushing your body through the pain of a two-hour daily cardio session, try doing 30 to 60 minutes of exercises around 3 to 6 times weekly regularly through the year. It’ll eliminate the rush and panic, and you won’t end up obsessing over workouts to produce your desired result.
Don’t Stop Indulging Yourself
As summer comes around, we end up cutting all of our favorite foods out of our diet in an attempt to stay slim, but that just makes you crave treats more. It’s better to allow yourself to indulge in all the things you love throughout the year, but in moderation. Of course, that doesn’t mean that you should sit and eat a whole tub of ice cream every day, but it does mean you can have a couple of squares of chocolate once or twice a week.
Focus On Strength Rather Than Size
If you place your focus on becoming stronger and trying to push your limits, this is a healthier and safer approach than obsessing about your size or your weight. It’s more important to work out and eat in a healthy way so you can stay fit for longer rather than striving to become ripped or as skinny as possible. Becoming stronger also helps you to stay healthy into old age, so it will benefit you for years, not just the summer!
Make Health And Fitness Related Goals A Part Of Your Everyday Life
One key change to make is making health and fitness goals a regular part of your daily life. It’s important to not only think about these things when summer is approaching. Keep your overall fitness in mind all year round and this will see you focusing on small things that all add up to one larger fitness achievement.
Find Supportive People
It’s always easier to work out and eat healthily when you have people around you who can support you in your goals. Join a slimming club if you have a lot of weight to lose, or try to get the whole family involved with weekly exercise. Join a fitness class or club with other likeminded people who can be there to help you in the tough times and share your successes when you do well.
Celebrate Your Achievements
Rewarding yourself can give you the motivation to continue with your exercise and diet regime. Of course, those rewards probably shouldn’t be food based! But if you buy yourself a small treat such as a new t shirt or a pair of earrings every time you hit a fitness goal, you’re more likely to stay on course through the year so that you won’t be scrambling to the gym next summer! If you can make your rewards related to health and fitness, so much the better. For example, rewarding yourself for losing ten pounds by buying a pair of sneakers that provides comfort to your feet during your next workout will actually reinforce your goals. Click here now to find some of the best ideas for workout clothing treats that will help you to stay on track for next bikini season!
