How to Love Yourself This Summer
Author: Ottis Bailey — Read Time: 2.5 minutes
Summer Bods & Self-Love — Both are Possible!
Say it after us: "I am perfect, whole, and complete just the way I am." Self-love is the key to steady progress — you can't bully yourself into a better you!
That being said, feeling confident in our bodies IS something we have control over. Getting in shape for summer boosts our health, confidence, and makes us feel like we're living our best life.
SO we've got some tips to get you in tip-top shape, just in time for summer.
Upgrade your diet
1) Cut the carbs
In the lead up to summer, cut out an extra few grams of carbs in exchange for an extra dose of protein. Swap out the french fries for some roasted or steamed veggies (we love asparagus), and add some lean meat or high protein veg such as lima beans.
This helps the body become more efficient in using excess fat for fuel, maintaining muscle, and shedding excess water.
For extra results, research shows cutting the carbs from your breakfast has a boosting effect on fat-cell-busting.
2) Stay hydrated
Research proven benefits of staying hydrated in the lead up to summer includes weight loss and helping cognitive functioning, and giving your skin a healthy glow.
There's lots of modern myths surrounding just how much water we should be drinking (Do I really need to drink 3.5L of water a day!?) But research shows that 1/2 of Brits are going about their daily life in a state of dehydration! So starting off your day with a glass of the fresh stuff, and drinking a 500ml glass with every meal is a great start!
Pro-Tip: at social events, aim for an 80-20 wine-seltzer mix instead of 100% wine to stay hydrated whilst drinking. Plus, support your healthy habit of drinking water throughout the day by investing in a baller stay-cool water bottle.
3) Try our take on a juice cleanse
Most juice cleanses suck. They have poor ingredients, low protein, are not sustainable in the long run and are even harmful to your health.
Our take on the juice cleanse tries to fix these huge problems.
Our smoothies & juice plans provide all 9 essential amino acids, as well as a range of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and all three macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats). This three-phase release of the protein can help to keep you feeling fuller for longer with a sustained protein release.
Try the EXALT Life here.
Switch up your exercise routine
1) Flex your new strength training techniques
In the run-up to summer, take a leaf from the powerlifters' book and stick to compound movements like squats, deadlifts, bent rows, bench presses, and pullups.
Machines and isolation movements are of course great for fine-tuning your pecs or glutes, but in the early stages of fat-burning, compound movement will burn a lot more calories, as well as stimulate greater levels of natural hormones that busts fat-cells pronto.
Focus on your core.There is a big temptation to just focus on "glamour" muscles when we're trying to see results quickly in time for Summer. But if your core is weak than your whole body is going to suffer. Add in some extra core workto your routine in the run-up to summer.
2) Enhance your cardio
Do your cardio first thing in the morning. Some trainers swear by the technique of getting some cardio in before you break your fast in the morning to boost fat-burning.
Split it up. If your goal is 60 minutes of cardio for the day, you will have better results splitting that time between two or even three sessions than doing it all at once. Wake up and do 30 minutes, another 15 minutes post workout, and the final 15 before your final meal. This will keep your metabolism elevated all day long, turning you into a fat-burning machine.
Try something new.Our bodies are adaptive to aerobic exercise — so, like resistance training, you have to push yourself into new formats of cardio to see the best results. Run, sprint, climb, cross-train, swim – try a new cardio format to "shock" your body into change.
Above all — Love yourself.
Nothing can be achieved through torturing yourself by cutting out ALL carbs, or running on an empty stomach 'til you drop. That's the fastest way to cave in and hit up the McDonald's drive-thru in tears.
All lasting progress has to be made slowly and sustainably, in our opinion. When you love yourself, along with education on health and nutrition, you'll naturally do what's best for your body anyway.
Trying an EXALT Life cleanse is a great pivoting point to jump into new healthy habits and maintain them.