The BEST Summer Body Diet & Exercise Tips
I have been featured in the West Australian Newspaper in the Health + Fitness section to talk all things 'beach body goals'. If you missed it here it is:
Slipping into a swimsuit after a long winter of comfort eating and hibernating can be a pretty intimidating experience but some simple adjustments to your diet and exercise plan can work wonders for your confidence and wellbeing.
A great start is to limit "carb heavy" meals and replace them with a diet full of fresh, nutritious wholefoods, including lean meats, vegetables, whole grains, fruit, eggs, nuts, seeds and yoghurt.
It's also important to keep your body hydrated by drinking lots of water to help flush out toxins, assist with fat loss and reduce water retention and bloating.
Before hitting the beach, I recommend avoiding foods that are known to cause bloating such as legumes, wheat, artificial sweeteners, alcohol and carbonated drinks.
Processed foods and excess salt consumption also contribute towards bloating by increasing water retention leading to that puffy feeling - no thanks."
I also suggest including potassium-rich foods that assist in eliminating excess water. My favourites are bananas, avocadoes, tomatoes, yoghurt and green leafy vegetables.
The key to achieving a "toned" look is by slightly reducing your calorie intake, increasing cardio and adding strength exercises.
There are so many fantastic abdominal exercises out there but the secret to getting a nice toned stomach is to ensure that you are targeting all areas of your abdominals and not just the rectus abdominals at the front which you work while doing crunches.
Add some Russian twists to work your obliques and some straight leg raises to work your lower abdominals. By combining these exercises with some core work such as planks and a healthy diet, you will reduce your belly fat which will allow your abdominals aka 'six-pack' to shine through in your bikini.
While its vital to look after your body, its equally as important to learn to love your body you were given no matter your shape or size. Confidence comes from within so put on a smile, hit the beach and rock your beach body!
BANISH THE DIMPLES
Cellulite is something most of us have or will experience at some time. Some tips I recommend to delay or reduce its appearance are:
Living a healthy active lifestyle while reducing your intake of processed foods, caffeine, saturated fat and alcohol is going to be your biggest tool in delaying its arrival.
If you do have cellulite and you want to reduce its appearance, begin by introducing weights to your workouts. When we improve our muscle tone our skin will look smoother and cellulite will be less noticeable.
Another favourite of mine is to dry body brush before you shower, exfoliate regularly, and keep your skin hydrated with coconut oil or your favourite body butter.
FOR SEXY SUMMER LEGS, I RECOMMEND:
High-intensity intervals are an excellent way to maximise the fat burn over steady state cardio. The best cardio exercises that target the legs are running, cycling, stair climbs and the cross trainer.
Include strength workouts into your routine 2-3 times a week, and by adding weights to your leg workouts, you will build lean muscle while strengthening your muscles.
When exercising, include compound exercises such as squats, lunges and deadlifts which involve multiple muscles - these burn loads more calories, giving you more 'bang for your buck".