No doubt your summer holiday is literally around the corner. You’ve been waiting for it all year. In fact, you probably started looking forward to it last year. So the week has to be perfect, right? But what if your body isn’t? That feeling of self doubt can affect what you do on your holiday, and potentially ruin your snapshots as well. But fear not – we’re here to help!
Whether you’re trying to lose a little weight, gain some muscle, or simply tone up, there’s still ample time left to produce some impressive results with our 7 tips to get that beach body fast!
20:80, 24:7
As any fitness enthusiast knows, a serious routine must involve both exercise and diet, with a 20:80 ratio between the two. For an accelerated exercise routine, either check out our Phil Learney 10 minute T-Shirt workout, or return later this week for our equivalent 10 minute guide for the legs. But today we’re concentrating on the other 80% of the work...
Six Packs are made in the Kitchen
This diet and nutrition plan works by increasing your metabolism and the rate at which your body burns fat. It will also keep your hunger levels down and fuel your new muscle gain (assuming you’re also working out). But in order to produce maximum results within the limited time remaining, it must be adhered to strictly!
1. Calorie Cycling
Cycling the amount of calories your body consumes on a daily basis is a fast and efficient way to either lose weight or add ‘Sony Bravia’ levels of definition to your sixpack. This works by preventing your metabolism from ever getting too comfortable with your dietary routine, and subsequently shifting into a lower gear. Depending on what you’re looking to achieve, follow one of these routines.
• Maximum Weight Loss – Eat a deficit of 700 calories a day, five days on, one day off, and repeat. Try to reserve those extra calories on the sixth day for healthy foods, even though it might be tempting to indulge in a mammoth carbohydrate binge. Remember, a moment on the lips....
• Moderate Weight Loss – Eat a deficit of 500 calories, four days on, one day off, and repeat. This will work for those happy with their current size and shape, but just looking to lose a little around the waist.
• Definition – Eat a deficit of 300 calories, three days on, one day off. This will isolate pure body fat without burning lean muscle mass, and will have you looking more ripped than a pair of Wolverine’s oven gloves.
2. Protein
Protein will be your best friend during this period. It’s the essential ingredient when it comes to muscle growth, will enhance the recovery of your muscles during this intense training phase, and will prevent the breakdown of existing muscle as you lower your calorie intake.
Diets rich in protein will also suppress hunger levels and aid your thermogenetic rate by fuelling your metabolism. Chicken, turkey, salmon and eggs, with a side serving of lentils, soy-beans and sun-dried tomatoes will see you straight.
3. Meal Planning
As the old saying goes, eat like a King at breakfast! Especially a King that likes his protein. This will kick-start your metabolism and provides a low fat source of sustainable energy throughout the day.
To optimise growth and recovery following an intense workout session, eat a blend of protein and carbohydrates within an hour of finishing. During the rest of the day, eat small but frequently. This will keep your metabolism ticking along nicely, and prevent blood sugar spikes – not good for your body or your mood!
4. Liquids
Obviously hydration is always important, but drinks including green tea and coffee are not only low in calories, but also themogenic – this will again increase your metabolism, and before long, your body will be absolutely torching that fat up!
5. Fibre
Colourful, leafy vegetables, such as lettuce and cabbage, are highly nutritious, contain minimal calories, and are loaded with fibre. The latter will keep you fuller for longer, and help sustain your blood sugar levels, so eat plenty of them with every meal.
6. Healthy Fats
Avocado, fish, olives and nuts all contain healthy fats, imperative to your diet. In fact, 20-25% of your daily calorie intake should come from this food group alone. They are often high in omega 3 and will give you a prolonged feeling of fullness.
7. Spice it Up
Ditch the calorific salad dressing. Spices including cinnamon, ginger and chilli are a low calorie alternative that will add explosive flavour to your meals and fire to your metabolic engine.
And there you have it! A few simple tips with impressive results, especially if you’re also following one of our workout guides, too. We’d love to know your results below, or even better, tweet us a pic at @BAAApparel. And just to improve your holiday that little bit more, below are a few Be An Athlete top picks, perfect for a morning jog along the beach.
*As with all exercise/fitness/health regimes always consult your physician first
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