You don’t have to wait for a major swimwear sale or the first signs of warm weather to start working on your beach body. In fact, getting a fit and healthy physique will prove much easier if you start making the necessary life changes today. A last minute dash to drop pounds and firm your body up will do far more harm than good. Unfortunately, however, this is often the method that most people choose each and every time swimwear seasons comes rolling in.
The Two Essential Elements Of A Good Beach Body Routine
There are two essential elements that your beach body routine must include. These are strength training and cardiovascular exercise. Cardio revs your heart rate up, improves blood circulation and helps your body burn more calories and fat. Strength training helps build lean muscle mass and it additionally assists in boosting the metabolism. In fact, strength training can be far more effective for promoting fat loss than mere dieting and it is far better for your health. The cardio portion of your workout can include a quick run on the treadmill, power walking through your neighborhood, a bike ride, swimming, dance or any other activity that makes you breathe hard and drip sweat. Strength training can include abdominal exercises like crunches and sit-ups that build and tighten your core muscles, lunges, squats and push-ups. Yoga and Pilates are both great toning activities and each of these exercises are low-impact and easy to learn.
The Beach Body Diet
The old adage, “You are what you eat” holds more truth than most people would like to believe. You can tell a lot about people by looking at them in their swimwear. Even the most strategic of swimwear selections cannot hide a lifelong preference for fast foods and highly refined food products. People who are committed to eating fresh and natural foods tend to eat what they want while maintaining fit and healthy physiques. This is because real food (as opposed to chemical-laden food products) are easy for the body to digest, rich with nutrients and very satisfying. Making the switch from foods that are passed through the drive-thru window to those that are prepared at home will have a significant impact on how much you eat, how often you eat and how well you feel after eating. The cold weather season is the perfect time to start indulging in hearty soups, steamed leafy, green vegetables, roasted poultry, wild or brown rice and other healthy fare. Load your body up on lean protein, a colorful array of fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products and whole grains. Take the focus off of how much you are eating and focus on eating foods that are good for you instead.
Getting a head start on building your ideal beach body will give you plenty of time to practice making the right decisions. With less pressure, you’ll be far less likely to overeat or cast your workout plan to the side. Gradual results are much longer-lasting than those that are achieved overnight. By the time the first swimwear sale of the season rolls around, you’ll be ready to bare skin with confidence.