It’s that time of year when no one is thinking about getting ready for the beach but really should be. Sure you could wait until the end of June and give yourself a few miserable weeks of eating rice cakes and getting up at 5.30am to fit in extra boot camp sessions but why make it harder than it needs to be? I’m not saying that it is easy but it doesn’t have to be horrendous. The fix is simple, start now. In May.
By starting early you save yourself a lot of pain and set yourself up for long term success, not just a month or two of looking great and then putting it back on. 8 weeks of consistency is the key.
- Increase your NEAT every day. Basically this means walk. A lot. Park further away, walk at lunch, take the stairs etc.
- Lift weights 2-4 times a week. Compound lifts, heavy weights. Think squats, deadlifts, presses, chin ups.
- And sprint, in some form or another 2 times a week. This can be on a rower, bike, with battling ropes, outside, anything that is fast and gets you out of breath.
- Track your food. Use myfitnesspal or a pen and paper but record everything you eat and drink.
- Try food planning for the week ahead. List the days and the meal times you usually eat and then plan what you will eat. See if it matches your food diary.
It’s not easy but it is simple. The more time you spread your plan other the more gentle the modifications need to be. Want to get ripped in 2 weeks? Prepare for a hellish 2 weeks and to then put it all back on after. Want to tone up in 3 months? Then you have enough time to make subtle changes that will lead to long lasting health benefits.
If you need advice on how to start then don’t hesitate to get in touch.