You see them every year…the memes about summer bodies.
I mean, they really are cute and funny…but also…can we take the freaking pressure off?!
And listen, I’m not here to tell you that you are wrong if you wanna drop a few pounds before you head to the beach.
But here’s the truth — and it might be a little hard to swallow — If you think simply losing weight will magically give you more confidence…you’re wrong.
Confidence has to come first. Period.
You have to know your worth and your value just as you are right now. Because first, neither of those things are dependent upon what your body looks like or how much it weighs, but also because if you don’t work on the inside stuff (aka mindset) while working to change the outside, you’ll reach your goal weight and it won’t be enough.
You’ll tell yourself you need to lose more, you need to work harder, you need to sacrifice more.
And after months of agonizing over every single food choice and busting your butt with your workouts, you’ll feel like you’ve nothing left to give. So you’ll throw in the towel and you’ll lose all the results you worked so hard for.
And I know that sounds harsh and super negative, but I’ve just seen it happen so many times I can’t not address it.
You have to work on this inside, too. It’s most important. When you get your mind right, the physical stuff naturally starts happening – I’ve seen that happen a lot, too. So trust me. Mindset first, dieting tips & tricks second.
So I’m gonna go ahead and give you these 3 tips below, so you can tighten up a bit before summer — BUT (lemme just really hammer this into your brain) don’t expect results to last if you don’t have your mindset on point, too. K? K!
Here are 3 simple ways to tighten up for Summer:
1. Don’t skimp on your workouts.
I know, it’s SO tempting to push off workouts when the weather starts getting nice. We’d rather be out on a patio sipping cocktails vs getting all sweaty and gross. BUT, you do wanna keep that metabolism pumping all summer long, right? So you gotta stick to at least 4 days a week strength training plus you have to get those walks in. It really is a small investment to make for a really positive outcome.
In my upcoming Fit Summer Challenge you’ll get a fresh set of strength training workouts you can do at home, on vacation, wherever, whenever. Plus you’ll get a printable calendar with your weekly workout schedule to help take out any guesswork. This challenge will for sure help you keep your fitness on the right track this summer. Click here to get the details and sign up.
2.Hydrate Like a MOFO.
Summer heat and humidity are no joke, so you gotta keep the water flowing — literally, hah! Make sure you drink AT LEAST half your bodyweight in ounces of water each day. And definitely drink water before, during and after your workout, and before, during and after you drink alcohol. You can also up the amounts of fruits (esp melons) and veggies which naturally have high water content anyway, to help give you a hydration boost.
3. Make Smart Swaps.
There’s never a shortage of junk food at BBQs and summer events, and obviously indulges will happen — and rightfully so because Lays potato plays and onion dip are amazing… and so are grilled hot dogs on a toasted bun…and so are margaritas and and ice cold beer…I could go on, but if we can make an effort to make a swap every now and again, we can cut a bunch of calories relatively effortlessly. Here are some examples:
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A burger with no bun with lots of veggies and some chips on the side.
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Choosing chicken wings over of chips & dip.
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Grilled asparagus and zucchini over potato salad.
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Fruit salad over the store bought cookies or cupcakes.
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A cocktail or two over cheese & crackers.
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Kiddie sized ice cream cones over regular sized cones.