Photo from Old Navy
You may be looking for the best bathing suit for your body type or maybe you are just dreading bikini season, but the good news is no matter what size you are, we can all get in shape this summer with some simple tips.
Declan Condron, the co-creator and exercise physiologist of PumpOne FitnessBuilder, gives his Top 5 tips to be- and stay- bikini ready this summer! And guess what? They aren't too hard to follow.
- Try to do something everyday: no matter how simple it may seem. Declan says that "this does not necessarily mean you have to be at the gym everyday for hours. By making some smart decisions you can add in exercise in short spurts throughout the day, like taking the stairs."
- Don't get caught in the "Spot Reduction" rut: spot reduction does not exist, according to Declan. It refers to the idea that if you do a ton of exercises for a certain body part, it will become beautifully sculpted. This is unfortunately not the case. The best way to lose weight and gain muscle tone is to perform a total body conditioning program and eat a healthy diet.
- Focus on a small goal: don't psych yourself out by trying to lose 25 pounds. Concentrate on a smaller number like losing 1 to 2 clothing sizes.... "It makes a huge difference!" claims Declan.
- Avoid those tasty summer thirst quenchers: people break out the blenders and mixes to whip up margaritas and daiquiris. But all that sugar and alcohol can play a very detrimental role in losing weight and gaining muscle. Declan notes that "alcohol is empty calories with no nutritional value. It also can increase fluid retention, which leads to bloating" -- the last thing anyone wants when in a bathing suit!
- Don't stick to the same workout: have an "all-round conditioning program that includes strength training, cardio and flexibility training. An ideal plan has three days of strength training, two-three days of cardio, and stretching as often as possible," states Declan.
And for those of you with an iPhone or iPod touch, PumpOne FitnessBuilder has a free App with over 400 workouts -- just click iTunes App Store.
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Comments 8
LOL - This makes it sound so easy...
I had a friend that lost about 40 pounds and she said that she would lose like three pounds and then go to the grocery story and look at three pounds of ground beef and say to herself, "wow that is how much fat I lost" or when she reached ten pounds she picked up a ten pound bag of kitty litter and said the same thing. It worked out great for her and kept her going.
Yep, today marks the first day of summer. What better day to get started if you haven't already.
Spot reduction may not work, but toning a specific area DOES. You have to already be at your optimal weight for this.
Overall sculpting is ideal for when you'd like your abs a little more defined, or a little tighter upper arms. It's about the muscle, not trying to rid of fat.
Anyway, the idea of putting on a bikini is freakin' laughable. I didn't even wear them when I weighed 108 pounds and was was 10 pounds UNDERWEIGHT before I got pregnant.
"Yes, specific target area training- it does work - but only if you are doing a workout program that is put together properly - in other words if you are following a program that is focused on your lower body problem areas and trouble spots - and the program has been designed to get the desired results - then YES - spot targeting works..."
Keep in mind - you can, and may have already, tried certain exercise programs that 'claim' to target specific parts of your body - BUT you were only let-down after several months on the program to find that it didn't live up to it's promises and hype.