5 tips to lose weight and get toned for summer
We’re well into February my friends! You have about 16 weeks left before it’s tank-top and bikini weather. Is your body summer-ready? If you still needs to drop a few pounds before the warm weather hits, here are a few things you can do to get the ball rolling.
Follow these 5 steps to really get the ball rolling on those goals of yours. Burn fat, build muscle, tone and define your body.
Throw out your junk food
– If there is junk food within your reach, chances are you’ll reach for it! Get rid of any foods that are barriers to your goal. Fill your fridge and pantry with healthy foods and snacks such as fruits, nuts and yogurt.
Focus on compound movements
– Focus on exercises that work more than one muscle at once. Compound movements are exercises such as squats, dead lifts, chest presses, shoulder presses and lunges. Not only do you develop more muscles at once, you burn more calories doing these types of exercises.
Cardio Cardio Cardio
– Cardio exercise is a great way to burn off any excess calories you may be carrying around. Don’t make the mistake of doing only cardio. While it’s a great way to burn calories, it won’t give you nice shape and tone – that’s done through weight training. Try to go as hard as you can for as long as you can; don’t pay too much attention to the heart rate zone on cardio equipment, it’s an outdated way to measure how hard you can work. Try to work at a good pace where you’re breathing heavily but not quite out of breath.
Lots of water
-This explanation is really an oversimplification because water has so many benefits with regard to fat loss but I’ll talk about two of them. 1) It keeps your body, especially muscles, hydrated. Dehydration is the number one cause of muscle cramps. 2) It helps to flush out unwanted toxins from your body and helps with your weight loss goals.
Eat Smarter
My next article is going to be a huge discussion about fat loss and why people refuse to wake up and follow what works as opposed as to what is said to work. Eating is a huge part of that article. Here’s the short version:
Eat Breakfast, have a snack between lunch and another between dinner. AGAIN, healthy snacks include: Fruits, unsalted nuts, yogurt, cottage cheese and veggies.
If you don’t eat enough during the day, you’re more likely to overeat at night. You’re also more likely to settle for something quick and unhealthy because you’re too hungry to take the time to prepare something healthy.
Don’t know which snacks are healthy?
Here are a few healthy snacking options that will help you on your weight loss journey:
Healthy Snacks:
Raw Almonds
20 almonds
Calories: 139
Mandarin
Serving shown: 180g, 1 medium & 1 small.
Calories: 95
Apple
Serving shown: 185g / 6.5oz
Calories: 96
Banana
Serving shown: 1 medium banana – 118g
Calories: 105
Grapes
Serving shown: 215g / 7.6oz
Calories: 148
Tuna
Serving shown: 85g / 3oz
Calories: 99
Popcorn
Serving shown: 2 cups
Calories: 62 (air-popped)
Calories:110 (oil-popped)
No condiments added.
Baby Carrots
Serving shown: 170g / 6oz
Calories: 60
Celery & Hummus
Serving shown: 40g / 1.4oz hummus
Calories: 108
Note: Buy celery pre-cut and pre-washed. Goes well with many other dips.
Cherry Tomatoes
Serving shown: 150g / 1 Cup
Calories: 27
Whole-grain Crispbread with Cottage Cheese
Serving shown: 1 cracker + ~45g (1.5oz) cottage cheese (light)
Calories: 70
Note: Aim for crispbreads or crackers that are completely whole grain and have a minimal amount of oil.
Bean Salad
80g / 2.8oz
Calories: 90
It’s not an easy road, but it’s definitely possible. Stick to these 5 rules and you will lose belly fat, build muscle and tone your body well before summer hits!
Great tips. I find that keeping healthy snacks around helps quite a bit as well as a good work out regiment.
Hey Kamaral, what are your thoughts regarding interval training. I know there are a few different camps out there with regards to this type of cardio training – just curious what your take it?
Great Article. I have been drinking so much water lately and doing a lot of cardio I have definitely been seeing results. Thanks a lot for posting the healthy snacks on the bottom, that makes it so convenient.
Hi Kamaral,
Thanks for the list of snacks. Now I have to include a some snacks on my diet which I was lacking earlier.
That is really excellent advice for those needing to get trimmed for summer time. The funny thing is that swimsuit season literally creeps up fast after winter months. I like how you said to throw out junk foods. Many people thing that consuming a little junk food is okay, but if you want to get trimmed they will hinder your success. Keep up the great work with your blog.
Hi Kamaral,
To count your eating calories is a genius step.
Thanks for the list of snacks. Do write more..most likely i’ll be back soon to check your new post…
Excellent article. Oatmeal is packed with complex carbohydrates. Complex carbs will keep you full, energized and healthy. Pick the traditional style oatmeal since it has less sugar than the flavored kinds. You can top it with cinnamon, honey and your favorite fruit.
Great article for all those trying to fight off the extra fat….Munching on fruits & nuts & drinking lots of water is a simple way to remain fit…
brilliant article, I agree for me sustainable weight loss begins and ends in the kitchen, healthy diet leads to a slim, trim healthy body!
I’ve been doing some on your list and adding more with your tips and I do workout everyday to lose fat. I’ll change the partner of my program and adding those you’ve provided on my list.
It is really helpful for me to keep in shape. Love to read more of your posts!
I enjoyed reading this post about Top 5 tips to get toned for summer | Everything about health care. Really interesting. I will come back to visit this blog again.
This post in and of itself provides the same amount of great advice as some of the $40 diet programs I’ve seen online. Eating smarter for me and drinking water are 80% of the reason I’ve been able to lose weight and stay fit. The point you make about “compound exercises” is very true…I consider this “working smarter” rather than simply “working harder.” Thanks for the tips on snacks as well…I’ll save this post for my own use.
These are the wonderful tips one can work on and even i was actually looking something same like this, because as season changes even we need to change our dietary habits, clothing, exercise and overall schedule to cope up with the atmosphere. But sometimes we fail to follow everything and don’t get the results as expected.This is something which can be implemented and one can work on to remain healthy and fit during summer.
Great Article. I have been drinking so much water lately and doing a lot of cardio I have definitely been seeing results. find that keeping healthy snacks around helps quite a bit as well as a good work out regiment.
That is really excellent advice for those needing to get trimmed for summer time. The funny thing is that swimsuit season literally creeps up fast after winter months.
I really like that you have given information about healthy snacks which I really needed.There are valuable tips to lose weight and get toned.After reading this post I can say that these tips will be very useful for me.I also think that cardio exercise,lots of water and eating habits can affect so much to lose weight.Junk food is just not good for health.
Great Article. I have been drinking so much water lately and doing a lot of cardio I have definitely been seeing results. Thanks a lot for posting the healthy snacks on the bottom, that makes it so convenient.
Thank you for posting the healthy snacks at the base which makes it so comfortable .. I like how you said to throw the junk food. Many things that people take a little junk food is okay, but if you want to look they affect your success. Keep up the good work with your blog.
A great post and very good advices. I completely agree when you say to get rid of all the junkfoods. From experience, I can tell that when you don’t have junkfoods at reach in the house, most of the time you don’t go out to buy them (too lazy to get dressed, then to walk or drive to the store..). I’ll add one more tip that had work for me: stop eating out, prepare your own meal..
Those are some very nice tips for losing weight especially the use of compound movements as they allow you to train multiple muscles at the same time and also speed up the metabolism to make us burn more body fat.
Buy:Viagra Soft Tabs.Viagra Professional.Levitra.Tramadol.Cialis Professional.Viagra Super Force.Cialis Soft Tabs.Propecia.Maxaman.Cialis Super Active+.Viagra.VPXL.Zithromax.Super Active ED Pack.Viagra Super Active+.Cialis.Soma….