Summer Bodies Are Made In Winter

Ally Feiam 7/08/2017

Written for https://www.mydeal.com.au/blog/post/get-summer-body-ready

It’s an old saying, but it has a lot of truth to it; summer bodies are made in winter. Winter is a lovely season to get all snuggly, turn up the heater and order takeout food with Netflix on, but as fun as that sounds, you may end up regretting all of that when summer rolls around. Don’t get me wrong, working out isn’t the most exciting or fun experience, but it’s a great way to get yourself warm when the weather is nearly glacial outside. Here are some ways you can inspire yourself to get your body back into shape in preparation for summer, or just improve your overall fitness.

Find A Goal Outfit
You know that outfit that you’ve kept at the back of your wardrobe forever, promising yourself you’d be able to wear it out again? Yeah, go grab it. This can be your goal outfit. You shouldn’t start something without a goal in mind, and a physical goal that’s tactile, such as an outfit, is the perfect way to start your fitness journey. You can set mini goals too, as it makes the final goal much more attainable, rather than a pipe dream.

Strip the Fridge
Take a look inside your fridge. Do you see anything that makes you feel guilty, just by looking at it? Yeah, throw that out. Keeping your fridge full of colour, with lots of fruits and veggies packed in. Depending on your diet, you can also keep some protein in there with red meats, eggs and dairy. Avoid overly processed foods like cured meats, chocolate and ice cream. You don’t have to swear yourself off these foods forever because that’s just unrealistic. You can, instead, keep these foods for a special occasion.

Grab A Partner
If you’re like me, you hate going to the gym alone. Taking a buddy with you is a great option for many reasons. You can motivate each other to work better, push each other to work that extra bit harder, and even have someone to spot you when you’re lifting weights. Catherine Basu, the owner of Fit Armadillo offers her advice. “Instead of spending extra money on a gym membership, check out Fit Armadillo. This fitness company lets you work with a personal fitness trainer via 2-way video chat. Learn how to use the equipment you have so you can get your summer body on the sly, from the comfort of your home.” Find out more about the Fit Armadillo by following them on Facebook and Instagram. It doesn’t even have to be the gym; you can work out together by just going for walks around the track, taking a yoga class together or even working up a sweat with some retail therapy. Shopping counts as cardio, right?

Do A Workout At Home
If you don’t want to pay for a gym membership, or you just can’t be bothered heading to the gym, it doesn’t mean you can’t get a solid body workout. If you’re drowning in tasks, preventing you from getting to the gym, you can always do tricep dips on your furniture whilst you’re cooking dinner, or do squats whilst you’re brushing your teeth. Personal trainer and body love coach, Bec Heelan offers her best workout tip. “Burpees – Love them or hate them, they’re one of the most efficient fat burning bodyweight exercises you can do. Jump up, squat down, put your hands down flat on the ground, step the feet back so you are in a high plank position and then brace the abs in tightly and either step or jump forward.” Find out more about Bec Heelan by following her on Facebook and Instagram.

Yoga
Definitely not a workout for the faint of heart, yoga combines strength building, low-impact aerobic exercise and can improve your flexibility. What’s great about yoga is you can do in your living room, ideal for any skill set and it doesn’t put any impact on your joints, so it’s ideal for any age too! All you need for yoga is a mat, but if you don’t have one, your rug will work just fine. Just make sure you’re not completing yoga on a hard floor, as it will play havoc on your joints that way. You can work up a real sweat with yoga, and if you want to really get sweaty, why not check out Bikram yoga? That’s where you complete 26 poses in a room with a high temperature. It will get your blood pumping, relax your mind and strengthen your body. What’s not to love?

Take Things Slow
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is a summer body. Brandon Hasic from Body by Brando offers his advice. “My ultimate best tip is to train weights slowly and allow the muscles to have “time under tension”. Slow weight training is the ultimate way to make sure your body undergoes a stimulus and metabolizes due to having to repair all the hard work you’ve done.” Find out more about Body by Brando by following them on Facebook and Instagram.

Getting your summer body doesn’t mean you have to become Elle McPherson or Gigi Hadid. Staying fit and healthy from winter to summer can be tough, but if you get yourself into a routine and you focus on your health, you’ll be summer ready in no time!