Four Ways To Get Bikini Ready

Swimsuit season is fast approaching and what you need is to a) peel yourself off the couch immediately and b) get the lowdown on the most effective types of exercise to have you body confident and bikini ready. Personal training and fitness expert Natalie Carter shares four exercise tips to get bikini ready.

image via pinterest

Weight training

Lifting weights or even just using your body weight as resistance is the best way to burn fat and lose weight. It is so effective because whilst you are performing the exercises you are burning fat. Then when you stop you are still burning fat for up to 72 hours after. What? Yep you read right, not only whilst doing the actual activity but even when your sitting at your desk, you will be enjoying the benefits of resistance training. Try big movements like squats and lunges, pull ups and push ups.They will utilise more muscle groups therefore giving you greater calorie output. Here is a great workout to target all the major muscle groups.

Calories used in 60min of resistance: 400-600 cals depending on your body weight 

Do this 3 times per week for at least 30 mins

Running

Lace up your shoes and get out there. Running has many benefits. Here’s a few: Increases bone density, it’s free, burns loads of energy (calories), decreases stress levels, tones your legs and core- not to mention your butt! Try incorporating more running into your current routine. For every 3 minutes of walking try 1 minute of jogging or running. When you get better just reduce the walking time. You’ll be striding it out in no time.

Calories used in 60min of running: A whopping 600-1000 cals, depending on your body weight

Do this 2-4 times per week for at least 20 mins (hard & fast i.e intervals or 45 mins steady state jog)

Skipping

What a great way to burn fat on holiday or if you have a small amount of space. You will also increase your fitness levels by adding skipping to your fitness routine. Start off with 1min skipping with 30 secs of rest then increase as your fitness gets better. You will improve quickly, just stick at it. It’s also great for co-ordination.

Calories Burned: 600cals per 60mins of skipping, depending on body weight

Do this 1-2 times per week when time crunched and aim for 10 x 1 min intervals

Boxing

What a great way to burn lots of calories, get fit (increases cardio fitness) and have an amazing looking upper body. You work on all these elements when you box. Try a boxing class, box with a trainer or a partner. When you punch against pads this is a form of resistance training. It is important to have some technique lessons first and always wear good quality protective gear (wraps and gloves). You’ll also improve your hand eye co-ordination. Move over Rocky!

Calories Burned: 800-1000cals per 60mins of Boxing, depending on body weight

Do this 1-2 times per week with your girlfriend at the gym or local fitness centre

A few pearls of wisdom to get the body you want this summer:

Essentially a lifestyle change is needed. Can you really go without chocolate for the rest of your life? I mean really? Never eat it again? No! It’s ridiculous and WRONG to believe you won’t ever eat a “bad” food again. That’s why we balance the good and the bad. We have cheat meals and even cheat days when you reach maintenance phase of your weight loss plan. 

Diets will not do the work of an exercise plan. Yes you need to have your diet tight as it’s 70-80% of the weight loss puzzle however that still leaves 20-30% left for the magic of exercise to play it’s role. If you have fallen for the trap of the latest diet pill or shake program: “You don’t need exercise to achieve results, all your muscle is simply sitting under your body fat”. Whilst not a complete lie, your muscle still needs to be built and utilised. Someone with a higher muscle content will burn more calories at rest then the person with minimal muscle tone. Especially if your are serial dieter you will need to stop resisting and start adding some weight training and cardio exercise into your life. Your body shape will change dramatically if an effective eating plan is coupled with training. It makes perfect sense to give your body all the help in needs right? And who doesn’t love seeing a tight round butt or flexing their arm in mirror? Don’t deny it! Will all like being tight! You should aim to look good naked after those clothes hit the floor.

It’s OK to rotate your eating plan. Reducing grains may work for a while but you may find your fat loss comes to a stand still. That’s your bodies way of being super efficient at holding on to it’s fat stores. It doesn’t like being deprived. It really, really hates it. You will need to change things up with your food types and calories plus your exercise. Most of you have experienced that 6-8 week feeling amazing with your new eating and exercise plan then BOOM nothing happens for a few weeks. It’s important to remember when this happens it’s time to change your workouts and your eating. The “meat heads” and fitness freaks love that saying “Train insane or remain the same”. It’s definitely true when it comes to fat loss. You may find simply changing the time you eat your meals helps switch things up. Increasing calorie consumption (ah the joy!) can also re-set your fat burning furnace.  Just do what works! 

Lastly, lose your negative, shitty attitude. It’s really the tool that will get you over the finish line. Be positive, use affirmations and set goals regularly. If you need to tell your friends daily on Facebook then do it or if you need to stare at girls with hot bodies to stop you eating cake, then be my guest! Do what works for you. The power of the mind is a freaky thing, EVERY single person has that mind power, you just need to tap into it.