To get beach body ready, you'll need to follow four simple steps:
Step 1) Perform compound exercises (using several muscle groups)
Step 2) Increase cardio
Step 3) Eat a healthy, balanced diet
Step 4) Most importantly, work hard!
Building muscle is half the battle. This will help to increase your metabolic rate and melt away the unwanted pounds. Squats, lunges, bent over rows, deadlifts, clean and jerks, and bench presses are all excellent exercises for shedding fat and increasing muscle tone. Aim to be working out three to four times per week, performing three sets of 12-15 repetitions with a one-minute rest in between exercises.
Cardio (exercise which gets the heart and lungs working) is an important aspect of creating a beach body, as it improves muscle tone (by adding definition to the legs and thighs) and burns fat. Start by choosing your favourite cardiovascular exercise and performing it three to four times a week for 30 minutes, increasing the time or distance slowly. Taking part in sport is a great way to get these gains in a fun environment.
Interval training, or changing the pace and effort of the exercises, will also improve fitness. This can be done on the treadmill by running at a pace you are comfortable with, then increasing the pace to a workload that can only be maintained for a short period. Aim for two minutes at a comfortable pace and one minute at a hard pace, over a 20-minute session.
Nutrition is also important in changing your body: You are what you eat. Try to follow these three simple steps to a healthier diet.
1) Reduce your intake of simple carbohydrates: chocolate, white bread, pasta, rice and cakes. I suggest eating complex carbohydrates such as wholegrain varieties of bread, rice and pasta, as well as couscous and quinoa.
2) Ensure you’re eating more than five fruits or vegetables a day.
3) Stick to fixed meal times. If you get hungry between meals, then snack on healthier options such as nuts.
Good luck!
Receive one month's free online personal training with Feel Good PT, worth £25. The online personal training consists of personalised programmes tailored to your individual goals and needs, along with nutritional advice, email support and detailed notes. To enter, email dominic@feelgoodpt.co.uk
Dominic Burns is a personal trainer and the owner of Feel Good PT, follow his blog at domburns.blogspot.com
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not of Fitness Professionals Ltd or Virtual Magazine. Consult a qualified health or fitness professional before making changes to your diet or exercise.
