The sun is out. The heat is up. And the beach (or lake or pool) is calling. That’s right, it’s summer. It’s that time of the year where clothing tends to get smaller, and vacations can make it hard to stick with your fitness routine. If the idea of slipping into a bikini or swim trunks has you wondering how to get a summer body, you’re not alone. EōS Fitness can help you put your most confident foot forward.
First, let’s be clear about one thing. Your body is beautiful just the way it is. Summer is a great time to recommit to a fitness and nutritional eating plan so that you can enjoy lifelong health, strength, and mobility. Summer is NOT a time to crash diet or chain yourself to a treadmill just to temporarily go down a size. (Temporary is the key term here since crash diets and insane exercise plans are utterly unstainable.)
The great thing about recommitting to your health and fitness during the summer is that your body will naturally change due to your efforts. You may notice you have more energy and your muscle definition improves as you focus on staying consistent with your workouts and eating nutritionally dense foods. You’ll even feel better, which could make this the best summer of your life.
Interested in tackling a summer body workout plan and a summer body diet? Not to give away the big twist, but the steps to getting a summer body are almost identical to what you need to do to stay fit and healthy during any season of the year.
Summer Body Workout Plan
Every person’s body is different, and transformations don’t happen overnight. However, here are some tried-and-true fitness habits that can help you get more fit than ever before this summer.
Create a Fitness Baseline
You can’t track your progress if you don’t know where you started. Before you begin your new fitness routine, put yourself to the test and record your results. This baseline will give you a starting point and will allow you to see how far you’ve come when you retest on the same movements in three to six months.
Sample baseline test:
- Max effort quarter-mile run
- Max situps in a minute
- Max pushups in a minute
- Max effort plank hold
- Three set max weighted back squat
- Three set max of weighted bench press
- Three set max of weighted deadlift
Commit to a Fitness Routine
Fitness is not something that is achieved by exercising every once in a while. Instead, fitness is a lifestyle, and exercise must become a habit. Make the commitment to work out at the same time and on the same days each week to build a routine. Here’s what you need to know about how to start and maintain a fitness routine.
Perform Resistance Training
Resistance training (also known as strength training) builds muscles, which can give you a tight, defined look. Women, in particular, may worry that picking up a dumbbell will make them bulk up. This is one of the most common weightlifting myths. Building muscle is a key to maintaining lifelong mobility. Muscle is also metabolically active and can burn more calories at rest than fat. Here is a great introduction to resistance training.
Do Squats
Squats are one of the best exercise movements in the universe. These compound exercises utilize many of the body’s largest muscles and also help you improve your balance, flexibility, and body awareness. Start with air squats and then add weight by using dumbbells, a kettlebell, or a barbell. Take a look at this complete guide to squatting.
Try a HIIT Workout
Want to burn some serious calories but don’t have a lot of time? If you’re willing to feel the burn, try a high-intensity interval (HIIT) workout. The key is to push yourself to your limit during the “on” phase, which will then be followed by a short “off” or rest phase. It’ll hurt, but you’ll get a crazy-good workout in a short amount of time.
Here’s a quick summer body HIIT workout:
- 4 rounds of 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off
- Air squats
- Burpees
- Side shuffle
- Butterfly kicks
Discover more HIIT workouts that burn calories and build muscles.
Join a Group Fitness Class
Not sure how to begin your fitness journey? Most gyms offer a selection of fun and challenging group fitness classes. These classes can spice up your fitness routine while giving you a supportive group atmosphere. Try a cardio class, a dance class, or a strength-based class to experience different exercise modalities.
Hire a Personal Trainer
Do you want to turbocharge your summer workout plan? Then don’t go at it alone. A personal trainer will develop a customized workout plan tailored to your summer fitness goals. They will hold you accountable, put you through challenging workouts, and guide you on your nutrition.
Special Considerations for Your Summer Body Workouts:
- Stay hydrated: It’s hot out there. Always bring water when you exercise.
- Wear sunscreen: Sunburns can hinder your fitness plan and lead to skin cancer
- Workout early: For outdoor workouts, get started before the heat sets in
- Sleep: Your body recovers from your workouts as you sleep. To see the best fitness results, try to grab at least seven hours of sleep a night.
Summer Body Diet
While working out regularly is crucial to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, changing your body is more dependent on your diet than exercise. Summer is a time of vacations, barbecues, and outings with friends that can quickly lead to splurging. Your summer body diet calls on you to develop and maintain healthy eating habits. Here’s how to do it.
Eat Complex Carbs, Lean Protein, and Healthy Fat
At its core, the key to a healthy summer meal plan is to put the right foods in your body. Avoid most foods that come in pre-made boxes or out of a drive-thru window.
Complex carbs include:
- Quinoa
- 100% whole grain bread
- Oatmeal
- Whole wheat pasta
- Barley
Lean proteins include:
- Turkey
- Chicken
- Beans and legumes
- Salmon
- Eggs
- Tuna
- Tofu
Good fats include:
- Avocados
- Olive oil
- Fatty fish
- Nuts
- Flaxseeds
- Nut butters
Focus on Serving Size
Eating healthy is a great start to your summer meal plan, but serving size still matters. At the end of the day, it will always come down to calories in vs. calories out. Watch your serving sizes and consider tracking your calories, at least when you first start on a new meal plan. Fortunately, eating complex carbs, lean proteins, and healthy fats will help you feel full longer. Take a look at this healthy eating guide.
Batch Cook Your Meals
It’s so easy to order out when your stomach’s rumbling and there’s nothing in the fridge. Take away the temptation by cooking your meals for the week all at one time. Pick a day (most people choose a weekend day) and do all your grocery shopping and cooking. It will take some time and effort, but you’ll save lots of time during the week and always ensure that you have healthy meals in the fridge. Here’s a great guide to meal prepping for beginners.
Keep Healthy Snacks Handy
You can keep your hunger at bay by eating a small snack between meals. In fact, some people prefer to eat multiple smaller meals throughout the day instead of just three bigger meals. The trick is to make sure those snacks are healthy and not the stale donuts in the breakroom or a bowl of your kids’ sugary cereal. Great snack ideas include:
- A piece of fruit (with an optional dab of peanut butter)
- Raw veggies, like carrots, celery, green beans, or broccoli with hummus
- A small handful of nuts
- A yummy and healthy smoothie
Don’t Drink Your Calories
In the summer, you may hear those margaritas and craft beers calling, but hold on. Between sugary sports drinks, sodas, and alcoholic beverages, it can be super easy to sip down hundreds of calories without even noticing, especially because drinks don’t typically cause us to feel full. It’s okay to grab a drink on the weekend but do your best to stick with water for the rest of the week. Now is the perfect time to kick that soda habit, volunteer as the designated driver, and switch from creamy iced coffee drinks to tea. Don’t sabotage your weight by drinking your calories.
Special Considerations for Your Summer Body Diet
- You don’t have the winter holidays to worry about, but there are still plenty of birthday parties, backyard barbecues, and picnics to pack on the calories. Keep your eye on the prize and don’t go overboard on these occasions.
- At your next barbecue, ask for chicken or a bun-less patty. Skip the cheese and try some yummy avocado slices on your burger instead.
- Try drinking a full glass of water before accepting an alcoholic drink. You’ll feel fuller and your liver will thank you.
How to Eat Healthy on Vacation
Even though you’re on vacation, that doesn’t mean you should throw all your new fitness and healthy eating habits out the window. Sure, you can let loose and enjoy yourself, but if you go too crazy, you may find that it’s difficult to re-establish your healthy habits when you get back home. Here’s what you need to know about keeping a vacation meal plan and exercise routine.
Build Movement into Your Vacation
Take the family on a hike. Rent bicycles. Bring games to the beach. Do a walking tour of your destination city. There are many fun and creative ways to keep moving on your vacation to help you stay active and have fun at the same time.
Schedule Exercise Around Your Trip
Have a whole day with the family planned during your trip? Get up a little early and go for a quick jog before the rest of the family wakes up. Taking a break between adventures? Slip into the hotel pool for an easy swim. There are numerous ways you can keep up a modified exercise routine during your vacation. Limited time is no excuse not to work out. Take a look at these three fat-burning HIIT workouts you can do anywhere in 15 minutes or less.
Bring Resistance Bands
If you aren’t staying at a hotel or resort with a gym, you don’t have to give up on strength training. You can always perform bodyweight workouts without any equipment. Another option is to bring a set of resistance bands on your trip. Resistance bands are low-cost and take up almost no space in your luggage, but they pack a big workout punch. Check out this beginner’s guide to resistance band training.
Book Accommodations With a Kitchen
If you are in charge of picking accommodations during your vacation, consider booking a room, home, or condo that includes a kitchen or kitchenette that will allow you to prepare and store your own meals. Not only will you save lots of money on your trip by eating in, but you’ll also be able to maintain greater control over your calories.
Request a To-Go Box
Of course, you’ll still want to sample the local restaurants during your vacation. Don’t be afraid to request a to-go box to split calorie-heavy meals in half. Want a super helpful tip? When ordering your meal, ask your waiter to plate half your food and put the other half in a to-go box. This way, you won’t be tempted to over-indulge. And, bonus, you’ll get leftovers.
Go Easy on the Tropical Drinks
Drinking can be a fun part of many summer outings, but don’t let the calories add up too fast. Tropical drinks tend to include the most calories. A better alternative is to mix your favorite base liquor with flavored sparkling or tonic water for a bubbly and fruity taste without so much caloric baggage.
You are Ready for a Healthy Summer
Learning how to get a summer body isn’t so hard if you follow the tips in this article. Even when the days grow shorter and the leaves start turning colors, this advice will still ring true. The right exercise and eating habits never go out of season and will help you stay fit throughout this year and all the ones to follow. One important caveat to keep in mind, however, is moderation in everything… including moderation. Give yourself one or two cheat days a week and have a blast. Summer only comes once a year, so make the most of it with your beautiful summer body.
Need help building your summer body? EōS Fitness offers top-quality equipment, a wide array of challenging group fitness classes, and tons of great fitness amenities. You don’t have to commit now. Grab a 7-day free pass to give a gym near you a try.
