For many people, New year is when reality kicks in and they realise that their fitness aims have been buried at the bottom of their forgotten gym bags and their fitness levels are running on empty. I’ve worked with hundreds, of people in my career as a personal trainer and with probably every fitness goal you can imagine, but one that crops up year after year is to be ‘summer ready’. To look good on the beach, and feel confident and healthy. Thankfully, there’s is still plenty of time to feel brilliant and get ready for summer 2019- here are my top tips.
Shatter those myths
Gyms are just for posers, weights are just for bodybuilders…like any other industry, the health and fitness market has a lot of myths to contend with but when you start to buy into these myths you are putting barriers in the way of being active. So, I’m going to have to break it to you that actually, gyms are for everyone that wants to improve their health and fitness, and if you encounter someone who looks great, well that’s because they’ve put the effort in and good for them. That’ll soon be you! And sorry to dispel yet another myth but a few dumbbell curls aren’t going to turn you into a contender for Ms. or Mr. Universe- that’d take some serious work- but what they will do is help you put on lean muscle mass and tone you up and help you to burn fat faster.
Work out your goals
Often, we think about exercise as just being a way of losing weight but there can be huge benefits to your overall wellbeing like feeling less stressed, more energetic and invigorated, as well as improved sleep and concentration. Think about your goal, be that to come back from you summer holiday with snaps to be proud of, or to be able to chase after the kids…and catch them! Being summer ready is whatever you want it to be.
Get outdoors
With research now pointing to the fact that being inactive is even more harmful than being obese, it’s more important than ever to be active and just small steps can make a huge difference to your overall health and fitness. Of course, gyms aren’t for everyone, and as the sun (hopefully) stays firmly in the Great British sky, make the most of the mild weather and get outdoors. Whether it’s a walk or run around a local park in your lunch break, or a game of tennis down at the outdoor courts, you’ll be getting ready for summer whilst soaking up some vitamin D, and will no doubt feel hugely better for it.
Try something different
The important thing is to not let exercise become a chore. When you start a new fitness plan with a goal like being summer ready you can easily get into a rut where you end up doing the same thing week in and week out. Your body is pretty clever and will soon adapt to the exercise you’re feeding it with, and like eating the same meal every day not only will it become boring but you’ll be missing out on other, different nutrients. So mix it up, there are so many different, exciting ways to exercise now especially in the summer! From Ibiza fitness sessions in local parks complete with tunes and healthy cocktails to Aqua Zumba and pretty much anything else you could think of!
Get personal
Whilst you can get amazing results on your own if you’re committed, a personal trainer can push you to where you want to go that little bit faster and more effectively. They’re professionals who know how to get results and will devise a personal programme that is all about achieving your aims. Imagine that moment in a spinning class where you slack off just a bit, or the run where you put in about 50% effort, with a personal trainer right beside you encouraging you all the way, you maximise every moment that you dedicate to your fitness. Finding the right personal trainer can be a bit like finding the right car, you’ve got to find one that suits your lifestyle, is reliable and can get you effectively from a (where you are now) to b (your summer self).