Spring has sprung! And that means summer is right around the corner.
We’ve all heard the saying, “summer bodies are made in winter”. But with winter drawing to a close, and a few extra inches on our waistlines, is there enough time to get into shape?
Thankfully, yes! The key is to start now.
You’ll want to be making slow and steady changes to your routine over the next twelve weeks. And with the following steps, we’ll have you in peak condition by the time summer rolls around.
Here's 3 steps to spring your way to a summer body.
Improve What You Eat
Because a healthy body starts in the kitchen. As the professionals say, "you can’t outrun a bad diet".
This doesn’t mean starving yourself – far from it! Do everything in a sustainable way. Make steady changes to the food you eat over the next few weeks, and you'll build good eating habits.
When losing weight, it can be useful to track what you are eating. If you're having trouble, try an app like MyFitnessPal or LoseIt. You'll be able to log everything you eat, and pinpoint what needs improvement.
Where possible, try cooking at home. Aim for whole, unprocessed foods, lean meats, fruit, vegetables, and nuts. And if you’re not up to cooking every night, buy healthy food that doesn’t need a lot of prep work like yoghurt or salads. This will save you on those rough days when you feel like binging. A punnet of cherry tomatoes will serve you better than a pantry of biscuits and chocolates.
And make sure you are drinking enough water. You still need to stay hydrated, even though its not as hot outside.
Add Physical Activity to your Routine
As hard as it can be to get motivated in the cooler months, staying active all year round is key to staying in shape. If you've let it slip this winter, now is the best time to dust off your running shoes.
But, you don’t need to work out till you burn out.
Start small.
Some activity is better than none. Make it part of your daily routine. Bring exercise into your daily life so that it doesn’t feel like you’re exercising. Consider: riding to work, some hardcore gardening, lunchtime walks, playing with the dogs... or even giving the house a vigorous clean. (Ok, let's not get too carried away!)
Or pick something active that you also enjoy. Or at the very least, won’t have you waking up in the middle of the night with cold sweats of dread thinking about it. Anything that keeps the body moving is great – from cycling or hiking, to dancing or tennis.
But we get it, motivation can be tricky. If you’re finding it hard, ask a friend or family member to join you. Get out your calendars and lock in the time, date, and place!
You don’t need to start by doing everything at once. Build this up until you’re doing a daily 30–60 minutes. Set yourself small, achievable goals, and each day you’ll be one step closer to that dream body.
Get Enough Sleep
If salads and cardio aren't how you imagined spending your spring, never fear, sleep is here.
Sleep is a key part of maintaining a healthy body. Science has shown that when you sleep, your body recovers and your muscles grow. That's right, you can literally sleep your self to success.
Maintaining good sleep patterns in winter is hard. It messes with your body clock. You're in the office before sunrise, out after sunset. And once you're home you lose the next three hours to a screen because it's too cold to leave the house. Once you've unglued your eyes, it's off to bed (far too late!), only to rise and do it all over again.
That’s why you need a system.
Set yourself a routine. Go to bed at the same time each night, and wake at a consistent hour. Start with a warm bath, a nice hot drink (being careful to avoid caffeine), and a good book. Turn off your screens at least an hour before bedtime, and make sure you keep them out of the bedroom. Yes, your bedroom should be a sanctuary – dark, cool, and quiet. If you need ear plugs, get them! It’s worth it.
And try not to worry if you can’t get to sleep straight away. It happens to everyone. Give yourself 20 minutes. If you haven’t fallen asleep, get out of bed, head to another room and do something calming like reading a book. Take a few deep breaths until you feel sleepy again. If you find yourself distracted, grab a notepad and keep it by the bed. You can jot down your ideas and deal with them in the morning.
By focusing on your sleep, you’ll give your body the best chance to be ready by summertime.
Final Thoughts
So there you have it. Three simple steps to follow to get your body ready for summer.
Remember, summer bodies are a marathon, not a sprint. Just make sure you start the race today.