Exclusive Summer Fitness Tips
Summer Fitness
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Summer Slump - When April rolled around, we frantically ran to the gym and immediately started getting our bikini bods together. Diets, “lifestyle changes” and weight-loss tips were all the rage. But by the ridiculously hot month of July, we’re content with eating ice cream and indulging in ribs. It’s called the “summer slump,” folks. <br><br>Trainer Rahman “Ray” Grayson, who has trained the likes of Ciara and LeToya Luckett, has the top tips to motivating yourself in these last few months of summer.
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Fall Motivation - Think about trying to get in shape before you see your family. You’re going to be around them for Thanksgiving and you’ll be around them for Christmas, so why not let your family see a new you. That could be your motivation. If you have siblings, maybe you could start a little sibling rivalry.
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Sugary Substitute - Instead of going to an ice cream place, go to a yogurt shop. You’ll still get that same fix and you still feel like you’ve cheated and you’re only getting a third of the calories.
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BBQ Behavior - Stick with your lean choices of meats - fish and chicken. With your sauces, dip your meats as opposed to smothering your meal. There’s so much sugar in barbeque sauce. Cook with light seasoning and focus more on peppers and try to leave all of the salt and sodium-based seasonings aside. Mrs. Dash is always good. Leave the heavy carbs alone. No potato salad.
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Plan Accordingly - To avoid the slump, you have to plan your workouts. If you plan your workouts and you plan your meals weekly, on Sunday you’ll know what you’re eating and where you’re working out for the rest of the week. Sunday afternoon, you should know what you’re having Thursday for lunch, or at least have some options.
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Morning Glory - I tell people, in the summer, why not get your workout done early, knowing that you have so many things to do. Summer mornings are beautiful and you can avoid the midday heat and actually work out outside. A lot of my clients do an outdoors track and field workout three times a week starting in April. It breaks the monotony of the gym.
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High Intensity - I love hiking. It’s called working out for a reason. I should feel like I’m working out. When hiking, you shouldn’t be doing a leisurely stroll. Your intensity level should be “whew!” Your body should be physically uncomfortable. That’s how you know you’re getting a good workout.
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Chilly Burn - Fact: You burn more calories in cold weather. It takes more energy because your body has to warm up.
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Interval Training - You can get on the elliptical machine and do what I call “bursts.” For 10 seconds go all out, then let your heart rate slow down for 20 seconds, but keep moving. Then, go all out for 10 more seconds. That’s interval training. Walk on the treadmill if you have bad joints. Walk on an incline without holding on. It’s proven that when you don’t hold on, you burn 45 percent more calories.
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Personalized Program - Everyone is different and you need to find the best fit for that person. The best time to exercise is the best time that you can commit to it. The best exercises for you are the exercises that you’re actually going to do. A person may love doing lunges and will do them correctly and won’t cheat me, but if you hate doing lunges, I may have you do some squats.
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No Excuses - That’s the ‘shut up and train’ mentality. Just shut up and stop making excuses because there are so many different things that you can do. ‘I don’t like gyms.’ Go to the mountains. ‘I don’t want to run outside.’ Let’s get on the treadmill on an incline. ‘I don’t like hitting the weights.’ Try a kickboxing class.