Get Right for the Summer

By Shana Adams (@bbgtonline) You better weeerrk….out. It’s spring time and that can only mean one thing; summer is right around the corner! But before you pull out the daisy dukes, bikinis and sandals, you have to make sure your body is right. Here are some things that I’m doing that you could incorporate into your routine to get your body together.

• Squats, squats, and more squats.

If you’re like me and weren’t genetically gifted with a nice butt, you have to work for it. I didn’t believe that I could build a butt at first, but after doing squats and calf raises for a few weeks, I’m a firm believer (pun intended).

• Don’t wait to do weights. Most women I talk to about fitness who are beginners tell me they don’t want to do weights. Their concern is they don’t want to bulk up and look manly. I understand because this was my fear a few years back. Don’t fret ladies! You won’t look like Hercules if you start lifting. If you want lean muscle, I suggest doing smaller weights with lots of reps. i.e. 5lb. dumbbells, 3 sets of 15 for bicep curls.

• Incorporate some cardio.

You got to sweat to drop the weight. I know a lot of people don’t like cardio because it’s hard but it gets easier. I started incorporating cardio using the Couch to 5K app. I could not run for 30 seconds without losing my breath but like most things, if you keep it up, it will get better. Eating is fundamental. To really make sure your body is right and tight for the summer, you have to make sure you’ve adopted a healthy lifestyle. That doesn’t mean a “diet” but a healthy lifestyle where you’re doing all of the following:

• Drink your water. You should be drinking at least 8 cups a day. I drink a gallon a day and I know that a lot of you may not be there yet and that’s fine. I know many people don’t like water. I would suggest you buy Crystal Light packs, Mio or some other type of flavor enhancer to make the water easier to drink.

• Fruits & Veggies. I try to eat about 2-3 servings of each per day. Because I’m diabetic, I try to stick to foods on the lower end of the glycemic index. For more information on the glycemic index, click here.

• Limit processed foods and eating out. This is easier said than done. When you have a hectic lifestyle, grabbing and going is much easier. I combat this by cooking my meals ahead of time.

Shana is a 25 year old communications professional who took her health into her own hands and started her weight loss journey mid 2010, but really took charge when she was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2012. She is the creator of the health and fitness blog Big Boned Gets Toned! You can also view her Big Boned Gets Toned! weight loss vlog on YouTube.  

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