Get A "Beach Body" In 6 Weeks

 
Spring is here. Flowers are blooming, jackets are being put away and chances are that you're beginning to panic about putting on a swimsuit again. But wait... Don't pack your bags for the North Pole just yet. You can get a complete body makeover in six weeks or less.

If you work hard and set your mind to it, you really can transformation your body and get fit in time for lots of summer fun. But don't worry, while these changes will indeed require a high level of dedication and hard work, it doesn't require excessive workouts or a crash diet.

Here are seven changes you can start making today to get your body in great shape for the summer:

1. Get a fitness ball - If you don't already have one, buy an inexpensive fitness ball and use it to perform leg toning and abdominal and exercises five days each week. Do 5-10 minutes in the morning and 5-10 minutes in the evening.
   
   There are hundreds of exercises you can do on a fitness ball from beginner to advanced levels so the variety will keep boredom at bay and ensure you keep your body challenged.
    
2. Add some resistance training to your weekly workout - If you aren't currently doing a regular strength training workout then start today. Aim for a minimum of two sessions per week.
   
   Each session should work all of your major muscle groups with 2-3 sets per exercise of 8-12 reps using a resistance that fatigues your muscle by the final rep. Start working on your larger muscles and then do exercises that target the smaller ones as well.
   
   Besides the great physical appearance strength training provides, it helps speed up weight loss as well! Even when muscles are not actively being used, they need fuel to function. So, the more muscle mass you have the more fuel they need, and therefore the more calories you burn.
    
3. Alter your strength training - If you're currently including resistance training in your weekly routine then try changing it buy quite a bit.
   
   It is very important to change your workout routine every few weeks to help ensure that your body remains challenged, that you are regularly recruiting multiple muscle fibers and ultimately that you make progress and see improvements in your fitness level.
    
4. Add intervals to your cardiovascular workouts - Aim for three 30-minute interval training sessions per week. Interval training is short, high-intensity exercise periods alternated with periods of rest.
   
   Interval training is one of the most effective ways to burn calories. These higher and lower intensity periods are repeated several times to form a complete workout. By exercising harder for short periods of time and then allowing yourself recovery time, you can push yourself harder.
    
5. Look closely at your eating habits - Even small changes can vastly reduce your calorie intake. For example, if you drink one can of soda per day that's about 1050 calories per week that can be eliminated. That's almost a whole days worth of calories omitted just by consuming zero-calorie drinks in place of soft drinks.
    
6. Find ways to squeeze even more physical activity into your daily routine (in addition to your normal workout routines).
   
   Don't underestimate the power of making even very small changes. Just get off your feet as much as you can. Put away the remote control and change channels on the TV the old-fashioned way, do leg lifts during your favorite show, and stand up instead of sitting whenever possible during your normal daily activities, etc.
    
7. Make the most of your workout time with cross training. Cross-training is a type of exercise regimen that combines aerobic work, strength work and stretching.
   
   With this method you use different muscles each day, which means you'll be able to work out at an intense level without overstraining your body. So try alternating the interval training days with strength training days for a cross training approach.
   
   If you make use of all of these recommendations, you can have a great "beach body" and feel confident in your appearance in no time.

About the Author:

Lynn Bode is a certified personal trainer specializing in Internet-based fitness programs. She founded Workouts For You, which provides affordable online exercise programs that are custom designed for each individual. Visit Lynn at workoutsforyou.com for a free sample workout.

More Interesting Articles