Summer Holiday SOS – Get your body ready (ish) for the pool!

Holiday soon…

Really soon…?

Check out our tips to get in ship shape before the plane departs

Passport… check ✔

Currency… check ✔

Tickets… check ✔

Kids… check ✔

Sun cream… check ✔

Summer body… … … Aghhh!

If you’ve left your summer body last minute, we can help.

1. Drop Calories

You may have heard the phrase ‘calories in vs. calories out’ - well it’s true.

To drop a few pounds, you need to reduce the intake of calories.

500 calories equates to approximately 1 pound of body fat, so if you’re

looking to lose 2 pounds before you go away, you need to be dropping 1000 calories from your diet.

NOTE: I do not recommend ‘cutting carbs’ or any other food group from your diet.

2. High Intense Workout

To get the maximum affect in the least amount of time, HIIT a workout. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has been shown to be effective to burn a lot of calories in very little time. 15-20 minutes of vigorous training (at home or at the gym) will get the heart pumping and make you feel awesome. Also, you are less likely to want rubbish food after you’ve busted a gut in the workout.

3. Increase protein.

Protein will help satisfy your hunger pangs, plus also help maintain lean muscle tissue (which is a good thing, ladies!) You want to be anywhere between 0.8g-1.8g per kg body weight, so if you weigh 65kg, you want to be consuming at least 52g protein per day.

4. Hit the weights.

This goes for men and women. The more lean muscle you have, the leaner, stronger, fitter and sexier you will look on the beach or by the pool.

Here are a few examples for you: - Deadlifts

- Pull-ups

- Chest press

- Triceps dips (Great for bingo wings)

5. Work on your core muscles

Doing 1000s of crunches will not give you a six-pack. Sorry to break the bad news. To reveal your abs, you need to drop body fat, and therefore be in a calorie deficit (see point 1), so lower your calories and workout.

But by doing ab workouts, you’re still burning calories and you will over-time get a stronger core – Plus it will make you feel better and make you tense your abs.

6. Cut out the crap!

Remove all crap from your diet. I.e. soda, chocolate, crisps, alcohol or any foods that have very little nutritional value.

If you’re hungry, grab a piece of fruit or drink a hot beverage (black coffee or tea), which will curb your hunger for a while.

7. Portion Size

This is pretty simple - To firm up and drop a few pounds, control what you are eating. Or more specifically, reduce your portions. This will reduce your overall calorie intake; therefore you will lose body fat before your holiday.

8. Hydrate!

This is super-important. Make sure you are fully hydrated, especially when you are working out.

If you’re feeling hungry, drink a pint of water. Wait 10 minutes, if you’re still think you’re hungry, then get a good, low calorie snack.

9. Cut out alcohol

If you’re going all out and will be drinking on holiday with friends, curbing back on the booze before you go will help you look better on holiday.

Alcohol has 7 calories per gram and they are empty calories, which won’t do your waist line any good.

If you’re dead-set on drinking before your holidays, go for vodka and a diet drink, or gin and slim line tonic, which has less calories and won’t bloat you.