“ Ah summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it ”
--Russell Baker
FitQuip- Beach Body
Summer is here, and as we start shedding our outerwear, our inner thoughts naturally shift to getting our bodies in shape- ASAP!
The reality is that those with the perfect beach body work hard all year round to achieve it. Eating right, smart food choices, and regular workouts are the keys to the body almost everyone will envy. Having said that, it's never too late to improve your body and your look for your bathing suit, bikini or tankini.
Here is a 10-Step Plan and some last-minute tips to shed some pounds and tone up. Start your beach body boot camp today.
1. Write it down. Starting immediately, keep an accurate food (and beverage) diary. The feedback is terrific and creates almost instant behavior modification towards healthier eating. Your weak points (and areas for improvement) will stick out like a sore thumb. Learn to read labels and study every label before you make the purchase of anything that's going in your mouth.
2. Camel up. Drink 8-10 eight ounce glasses of water a day. It fills you up and helps metabolism. You'll need more if you are sweating a lot or doing strenuous workouts.
3. Sweat. Do a minimum of 30 minutes of aerobic exercise (brisk walk, jog, bike, swim etc.) 5 days a week. Mix it up to avoid overuse injuries and overtraining.
4. Pump iron. Lift weights 2-3 times per week. Building muscle not only tones your frame but is essential for fat loss. Muscle tissue acts like a furnace increasing your metabolism and allowing you to burn more calories even at rest.
5. Catch enough ZZZZ's. Recent scientific evidence suggests that too much or too little sleep encourages weight gain. Get your 8 hours to refresh and re-charge.
6. Eat breakfast. A good breakfast with complex carbs is the pace car for the day in terms of your body's fuel. Those who consistently eat breakfast control their weight more easily and "snack" less during the day. Try oatmeal with a banana.
7. Just say no to sugars and sweets. It takes discipline, but there's no way around this one. Forget all sodas, candies, cakes and other processed foods. If it has a "shelf life", leave it on the shelf. Snack on fresh fruits and vegetables instead. In a pinch, chew sugarless gum until you can find a healthier beach body choice. Check the sugar content of all beverages before guzzling (this is the downfall for many) and remember "water water everywhere".
8. Imbibe less. Avoid beer and other high caloric alcoholic beverages. Ask yourself, do you want "6-pack abs" or a pony-keg paunch? In fact, try to limit all alcohol intake. A glass of wine with dinner is fine.
9. Go digital. Take a picture of yourself now and each week to keep you motivated and on track. Also hang photos of those with bodies that you would like to achieve. Use visualization techniques in which you picture yourself as you wish to be. Do this daily and watch the power of your mind in finding paths to goals you might deem unreachable.
10. Enlist a friend. Speaking of summer, it's been said that "you never know how many friends you have until you rent a house on the beach". But for this task, a friend can help you reach your goal. Choose one who shares your enthusiasm and commitment to better health and a better look. This will especially help with daily exercise routines, food shopping, and healthy eating. Your friendship will grow as well.
I'm not saying that any of this is easy, but without a plan based on successful strategies, you won't succeed. You need to be patient since results won't come overnight. You must not give up if you fall off the wagon, or hit a temporary setback. And remember, it's not really about the beach, it's about your health and hopefully you'll develop lifetime habits that not only make you look good, but feel good as well. And next summer, you won't even need to read this- you already be there. Maybe just get out the photos to see how well you've done.
FitTip:
Follow these 10 Steps to quickly improve your body and your life- on the beach or anywhere.
For more information about Dr. DiNubile, please click here.
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