This global pandemic that’s going on might not look too kindly on you lounging on the beach or having an overly active social life this summer, but that still doesn’t mean that you should abandon your goals of building a killer physique for the upcoming season. You never know, the COVID-19 pandemic might pass just in time for you to hit the beach, and the last thing you want to happen is to feel like you can’t rock your new bikini.
Don’t leave anything to chance, instead, it’s time that you fall back in love with fitness and tidy up your nutrition in order to burn fat fast and build a bod that you can be proud of. Let’s go over the five best tips that will get you the summer bod of your dreams.
Start by tidying up your diet
First things first, you can’t hope to achieve your physique goals by lifting weights or running all day long if you’re not watching what you’re eating. After all, it is your diet that will control how much weight you gain or lose, so you want to make sure that your diet is on point in order to maximize fat loss while building that lean, functional muscle mass that will give your body the hourglass figure that everyone craves.
With that in mind, start by eliminating all unhealthy diet habits from your daily routine. You can list everything that you eat and drink in a day (be honest with yourself), and then start crossing off anything that is not healthy or doesn’t contribute to your goals. Commit to cooking all of your meals at home so that you can control your caloric intake, and so that you can focus on eating protein-rich foods that will help with fat loss and muscle building.
Balance resistance training and cardio
Some people will tell you that weight training is the key to an amazing physique, while others will tell you that cardio is all you need to sculpt a healthy bod. While both of these opinions are correct, it’s important to note that the best results come from combining the two training regimens in order to reap the benefits of both, and maximize fat burning while safeguarding your precious muscle.
If you’re currently stuck at home because of the pandemic, don’t worry, you only need a few key pieces of equipment such as a $10 jump rope and some resistance bands to get a quality workout in. Make sure to challenge yourself with resistance training to support lean muscle growth, and use HIIT-style cardio training to burn off those excess fat stores.
Make the most of every workout
Working out, whether at home or at the gym, is no easy feat. In fact, it can be very stressful and sometimes it can seem like an impossible task when you’re exercising early in the morning, or worse, later in the evening after work. One of the worst things you can do for your physique is to slack off during your workouts or to abandon them completely because you’re too tired – your goal should be to maximize your physical potential during every training session.
This is why you should let supplements lend a helping hand, and choose caffeine alternatives like citrulline that will help with energy production and endurance, support blood flow to the muscles you’re working, and help you recover from every workout faster. Choose only reliable supplementation and refrain from caffeine if you want to avoid crashing in the middle of your training session.
Use technology to your advantage
Technology has completely revolutionized the modern fitness world, so there’re no reason why you shouldn’t let it revolutionize your fitness journey as well. Nowadays, you can find top-quality android smartwatches that you can connect with your smartphone to track your fitness metrics such as calories in and calories out, heart rate, protein intake, physical activity, and more. This will help you stay accountable and monitor your progress so that you can keep pushing towards your summer goals.
Focus on proper recovery
In the end, you can’t hope to stay consistent with training and nutrition if you don’t allow your body to rest and recover properly. Be sure to make sleep a priority and try to get at least seven hours a night, making sure that you’re going to be at the same time every night in order to stabilize your circadian rhythm. When you’re not sleeping, don’t be a couch potato, but instead adhere to active recovery by going for a walk and doing something truly productive.
Wrapping up
It’s unclear whether or not the COVID-19 pandemic will allow us to fully realize our summer plans, but that shouldn’t matter so long as you realize your dream of building a physique that will make you proud. Don’t miss this chance to fall in love with yourself and be sure to use these tips to transform your body, and your life.
