Summer may be over, but that doesn’t mean beach bunnies have to give up their bikini bodies. A little hard work and a careful diet is all it takes to maintain a toned physique.
YMCA Sports and Fitness Director Richard Sommerville recently shared his top five suggestions for keeping fit.
1. Watch what you’re eating: “Avoid low-fat or fat-free foods,” Sommerville said. “They usually are loaded with carbohydrates so, yes, you are getting less fat but more calories. Avoid simple sugars and eat less complex carbohydrates.
“Make a food journal so you know how many calories you take in on a daily basis. You may be surprised to see what you actually take in.”
2. Resistance training: “Weight train three or four times per week using short rest periods — 30-60 seconds — between sets for about an hour per workout,” he said. “Muscle burns calories. The more tone you are, the higher your metabolism will be.”
3. Cardio training: “Traditional cardio — running, swimming, biking — are all excellent ways to stay fit, but what I find is even better at burning fat is high-intensity interval training two or three times a week on alternate days or after weight training,” Sommerville said. “An example of a hit training workout would be after a warm up jog for 30 seconds then sprint for 30 seconds repeating this process for 30-45 minutes. If you prefer the traditional methods of cardio 30-60 minutes in duration 3-6 times a week.
4. Drink water: Drink around 8-10 glasses of water a day to prevent dehydration and to help move fat stores to be burned as energy, water intake is the most overlooked part of weight loss.
5. Have Fun: My favorite part! Do things you enjoy to lose weight, sports or any activity that gets your heart rate up. You’re less likely to stick to a workout program you don’t like, Also don’t always do the same routine change it up and keep your body guessing most people get to a sticking point when their body becomes use to doing certain exercises or programs. Frequent changes are the best way to bring change to your body.
YMCA Sports and Fitness Director Richard Sommerville recently shared his top five suggestions for keeping fit.
1. Watch what you’re eating: “Avoid low-fat or fat-free foods,” Sommerville said. “They usually are loaded with carbohydrates so, yes, you are getting less fat but more calories. Avoid simple sugars and eat less complex carbohydrates.
“Make a food journal so you know how many calories you take in on a daily basis. You may be surprised to see what you actually take in.”
2. Resistance training: “Weight train three or four times per week using short rest periods — 30-60 seconds — between sets for about an hour per workout,” he said. “Muscle burns calories. The more tone you are, the higher your metabolism will be.”
3. Cardio training: “Traditional cardio — running, swimming, biking — are all excellent ways to stay fit, but what I find is even better at burning fat is high-intensity interval training two or three times a week on alternate days or after weight training,” Sommerville said. “An example of a hit training workout would be after a warm up jog for 30 seconds then sprint for 30 seconds repeating this process for 30-45 minutes. If you prefer the traditional methods of cardio 30-60 minutes in duration 3-6 times a week.
4. Drink water: Drink around 8-10 glasses of water a day to prevent dehydration and to help move fat stores to be burned as energy, water intake is the most overlooked part of weight loss.
5. Have Fun: My favorite part! Do things you enjoy to lose weight, sports or any activity that gets your heart rate up. You’re less likely to stick to a workout program you don’t like, Also don’t always do the same routine change it up and keep your body guessing most people get to a sticking point when their body becomes use to doing certain exercises or programs. Frequent changes are the best way to bring change to your body.