Summer is QUICKLY approaching, with us only being about a little over a month out from spring break, meaning we are only about 3 months and a couple of weeks from summer break! So, for all of you who want to build a healthy routine and be summer-ready, I have perfect ideas and tips for you!
For starters, it’s important to move your body, whether that be going to the gym, going outside for a walk/run, pilates, yoga, biking, etc. What I’ve found to be the most helpful in building a routine is the gym. The gym provides me with the equipment and space to build structured workouts, including upper body, lower body, abdominal (AKA abs), and cardio workouts. Doing cardio, such as running/incline walking on the treadmill, cycling, stair master, elliptical, and jump roping are a great way to build endurance and burn calories. Lifting weights or adding weights to your workouts is a fantastic way to build muscle, which helps increase your metabolism. Making the gym my dedicated place to work out has really helped me make a set schedule and stick to my routine, which has helped me see results! Some great gyms in the Boca Raton area are : EōS Fitness, WOLF GYM BOCA, LA Fitness, and Crunch Fitness, but my all-time favorite has to be EōS Fitness right in Mission Bay! EōS Fitness is fairly new and super modern with all the equipment you could ever imagine; they even have a pool and massage chairs! Definitely check it out! If you have a hard time sticking to your routine, buying cute gym clothes is a GREAT way to motivate yourself to get up and get working! Some great gym brands include: Gymshark, Dfyne, YoungLA, OnerActive, AYBL, and more!
Moving on, creating a healthy routine and trying to become summer-ready isn’t JUST about how you move your body, it’s also about how you’re fueling it. If you go to the gym and aren’t matching the work with the right diet and wonder why you’re not seeing results, that is exactly why. Making sure to stay away from seed-oils, processed meals and snacks, and excessive amounts of sugar is crucial for success. But remember, life is all about balance, so a nice scoop of ice cream isn’t going to derail your entire progress journey. A pre-workout snack/meal and post-workout snack/meal are INCREDIBLY important. The reason why a pre-workout snack/meal is important is that it fuels your body for the workout you’re about to do, prevents the breakdown of the muscles you’re about to work out, and helps your body maintain stamina so you don’t feel depleted and fatigued. For a pre-workout snack/meal you’re going to want to keep it pretty light (to prevent any digestive discomfort during your workout) with some quick carbohydrates such as : Banana + Peanut butter, Rice cakes + Boiled eggs, Greek yogurt + Berries, Oatmeal with protein powder + Fruits. Now moving on to a post-workout snack/meal, the reason a post-workout snack/meal is so important is it replenishes your bodies glycogen (the body’s way of storing extra glucose (sugar) from carbohydrates, primarily in the liver and muscles, to use as a quick energy reserve), speeds up your bodies muscle repair and growth, and helps to prevent and reduce soreness. Fueling your body after you complete a workout won’t take your progress away; in fact, it’ll help you build up your strength and lead your body’s muscles towards a speedy recovery so that you can continue going to the gym and building muscle. And again, just like the pre-workout snack/meal, a post-workout snack/meal helps prevent any fatigue and/or any injuries, which we especially don’t want, so you can continue your progress and reach your goals! Therefore, you want your post-workout snack/meals to be protein-fueled while including carbs. Some good post-workout snacks/meals would include: Chicken+Rice+Veggies, Steak+Mashed potatoes, Salmon+Sweet potatoes, Protein smoothie, and Tuna+Protein pasta.
All in all, to reach your goals by summer, make sure you move your body and fuel it to hit peak success! And remember, moving and fueling your body is so incredibly important to see positive results! Creating a health routine (including physical movement and diet) and sticking to it helps you learn discipline, which doesn’t just help you physically, but also benefits you mentally.
