Getting Ready for Swimsuit Season
Posted: Wednesday, March 28, 2007
by Kathie Ingram Owen
Body Designer
Before we know it swimsuit season will be among us. And down south in Texas swimsuit season is just around the corner. Being a personal trainer I am asked, "What can I do to get ready for swimsuit season?" Well read further to find out what I do to not only help them but also to help myself:
#1. Make a commitment. The first thing one needs to do is to start by making a commitment and setting up goals. I look at my calendar for the upcoming week and prepare my schedule for workouts. I decide what days I will be able to workout and write them on my calendar. Of course, there will be days that will be "rainout" days because something may or may not come up so I include a makeup day as well. The makeup day will naturally come at the end of the week. If I did not miss a day I can always include it anyway and get that extra workout for the week. Always be prepared for the workout day by packing your gym bag the night before and throwing it in the car. Include bottled water in that gym bag of yours.
#3. Strength training. I also incorporate strength training in my exercise week by including at least 2-3 days of strength training. Muscle weighs more than fat and by lifting weights I gain muscle mass that burns more calories 24/7! You could either include 3 days of total body workouts or you could break it down by muscle group per day. I like to do chest and back one day, legs another day, and arms and shoulders for one other day. It is usually best to do 6-8 strength training exercises on strength training day.
#4. Eat right. If I am going to have the figure I want for swimsuit season I must eat right. But how am I going to turn down that fried shrimp po-boy that I love so much? Well, I incorporate a cheat day in my week. That way I reward myself for all the hard work in the gym and also prevent 'falling off the wagon' because I am still getting the food I love, just one day a week. The main thing I do is watch the fat grams and eat plenty of protein. Protein can curb your appetite. In every meal I try to include a balance of healthy carbs, proteins and healthy fats. I also drink plenty of water because water is so good for you. Plus water detoxifies the system and fat is a toxin.
#5. Posture, posture, posture. Your posture affects so much about you. Did you know that if you stand up straight, tilt your pelvis in and hold your shoulders back that you will look thinner? Not to mention you look confident and self-assured.
#6. Work those abdominals. As a female, most of my body fat is concentrated in my tummy. The best thing you can do to get rid of that body fat is, not crunches but cardiovascular exercise. That burns the fat. And the second best thing you can do is abdominal exercises. You can do all the crunches in the world but if you are not doing cardio exercise you are wasting your time. Since I have already included cardio exercise in my prep program I want to include abdominal exercises. You can work your abs any time any place. Start by holding in your abdominals, don't hold your breath, just hold in your abs. If you are standing tilt your pelvis forward - ah, we are back to posture. So as you work on posture you can work your abs. How convenient! You can work your abdominals while driving, sitting at your desk, or watching tv. I work my abs at every single workout. I do crunches on the stability ball, crunches on the bench, leg lift crunches, pilates ab work, crunches on the mat, there are infinite ways to do crunches. The best crunch is intense and few, perhaps 10-20 reps with a wide variety of work. Don't forget the obliques - those are the side muscles. I also include lower back exercises because if your lower back is strong it will help when pulling the abs in - a perfect swimsuit stance!
So, if you are getting ready for swimsuit season I just listed the things that help me. I help hundreds of clients all the time too. That is so rewarding! If you'd like more help on attaining that rockin' swimsuit bod - male or female just check out my website: www.anybodyfitnesstexas.com or read one of my many articles on fitness included on searchwarp.com. Good luck to you and may you succeed at all you set out to do!
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