Summer bodies are made in winter

As the weather is slowly starting to get cooler, you might notice that a lot of people eventually stop exercising and eating healthy altogether. After all, winter is coming up and this means layers of fat can be covered up with thick jackets and long sweaters and for the time being we don’t need our summer bodies anymore.

Have you ever noticed that we tend to eat more during winter? This may be due to winter blues and an instinctive need to keep our bodies warm. This also includes the holiday season, winter parties and indulgences next to the fire place.

It’s ironic that most gyms don’t get ultra-packed until a month or two before the summer season begins. It’s as if people rush to the gym a month before they want to hit the beach and try to get into shape and build their summer bodies as quickly as possible.
However: summer bodies are created during winter.

If you really want a bikini body or a rippling six pack, you had better get started as soon as possible. It takes a minimum of THREE MONTHS to transform your body if you are already lean. If you have more fat to lose, it can take even longer than that. Overweight people will need at least six months or up to a year. Rushing to the gym a month before beach season isn’t really going to give you the results you are looking for.

The secret to a summer body is to start working hard right NOW. I’m planning to enter my second bikini fitness competition next May and will be training as early as February for it. Don’t let the winter season go by without taking care of your health and your body. Eat clean, train hard and by next summer, you’ll be proudly showing off your new beach body.

Here are some tips to keep you motivated:

1- Embrace outdoor activities. This could include skiing, snowshoeing, jogging on the beach, hiking or biking (when the sun isn’t scorching hot!)

2- Go to the gym straight after work. You will feel extremely discouraged if you go to a warm house and need to leave to go and exercise in the cold.

3- Take advantage of a faster metabolism. You might not know this, but you burn calories at a faster rate during cold weather since your body has to work harder to keep you warm.

4- Think of your body next summer. Set goals to get into the best shape or your life. Do it for the “OMG you got hot” remarks.

5- Keep winter munchies under control. Pay attention to everything you eat and restrict alcohol and cheat meals to no more than once or twice a week. Cold weather is no justification for eating poorly and cheating on your diet.

6- Work hard so you can wear skinny jeans all winter (for the ladies).

7- Being lazy SUCKS. Create a glow this winter by being fit and active.

There’s no point in getting started right before the beach season. You have the chance to begin right now, so go for it. Don’t waste another second! Your only regret next summer will be that you didn’t get started today and earned your perfect beach body!