How to Get in Shape in Time for the Summer
Q. How much time is enough?
Let’s face it, how many people really spend time getting in shape in the winter for the summer? It’s the holiday season for god sake; you really bout to pass up holiday food that easily for bland tasteless meals you prepared? I didn’t think so. We all heard the saying that if you want a summer body you have to work for it in the winter, but even if you worked out in the winter that doesn’t guarantee that you’ll have a beach body in time, especially if you don’t know what you’re doing. With the right amount of time along with a few changes in your daily habits you’ll be summer ready in no time, so don’t feel bad because you enjoyed the holidays (that’s some good eating right there).
A. At least allow yourself 3 months even though it’s possible in 2, but that’s only if you’re experienced and you’re just starting out you’re going to make mistake in the first month and a half as far as consistency and relapsing on bad habits, so months is will do.
Workout plan
This is seen far too many times in the gym with new members in January; a new member will work on every machine in the gym with no idea what they’re doing only to be in the way of everyone else’s workout. Having a workout plan is critical as it keeps you from developing muscle imbalance (for those who skip leg day or those who work legs). It’s important to give every area of your body attention for that overall summer body. Also, knowing what your workout is going to be allows you mentally prepare yourself in the gym.
Sleep and Recovery
People always talk about how important diet and exercise is, but rarely talk about how important it is to get the proper amount of sleep. This means if you’re known for binge watching Netflix series or your favorite youtuber then you’re disrupting the sleep needed to recover as well as perform in the gym. Now for the recovery part; yes, summer is around the corner, but that don’t mean you should kill yourself for the summer. Your body is going to need a break to recover the muscle tissues that have broken down in order to create stronger muscle tissue. This is why in the beginning I said if you give yourself the right allotted time before the summer you’ll be fine.
Diet
Ahh yes, the dreaded diet, another attempt to eat bland foods along with those tasteless rice cakes that ironically comes in many flavors now. If the consistency in the gym won’t get you to quit this typically will. The problem people try to quit everything they enjoy hoping that it’s going to get them in shape faster. Yes, dieting is important, but like with most things in life like a hot bath, you have to ease your way into the diet. This is going to take some time (which once again brings me back to the point about having allotted time), but it’s once you’ve found a few healthy meals to get you started you’ll find the dieting part not the painful drag it use to be.
