10 Simple Steps to Get in Shape for Summer (Emphasis on the Simple)

11 weeks, that’s all you have until Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of summer.  Are you ready to expose more of your body to the public?  If you’re like most, the answer to that question is a definitive “no!”  Not to worry, avid reader, there’s still time to shed a few pounds and tone up that bod a bit prior to the end of May.  However, the window to achieve your fitness/health goals is quickly closing.  In other words, it’s time to get started and here are ten simple things to get you on track.

1. Make a plan and stick to it the whole way to Memorial Day. Your plan should include realistic and achievable goals with exercise scheduled into your daily routine.  A typical goal might be to lose one pound per week for the next 11 weeks or to exercise five days per week for the next eleven weeks for at least 30 minutes per session.
2. Improve your diet, but don’t go on a diet. Simply eating better, combined with increased activity, is the super-secret formula to losing weight.  We all know what “eating better” means…replace processed foods with fruits and veggies.  Ensure you get enough protein and liquids (preferably water) to help your muscles recover from increased exercise and limit your intake of unhealthy restaurant/fast food.
3. Create an image of your future self, just ensure it’s a realistic image…you know, not an image of the Rock or Brie Larson. Visualization is a powerful motivator and has been found to assist people achieve their goals.  Once you have that image in your head, refer back to it often over the next 11 weeks.
4. Vary your workouts. Yes, I know most of us love a routine, like walking the same two-mile course at 9:00 AM every day at the same 16 per minute mile pace.  That’s not going to cut it.  Your workouts can, of course, consist of cardio, but work in some yoga, strength training, faster interval running, steep hill walking, steps, etc.
5. Give HIIT a try or high-intensity interval training, especially if you’re pressed for time. This involves short, intense bursts of activity with a rest period in between. And no, HIIT isn’t just for the younger kids.  High intensity is a relative term.  If it’s difficult for you, that makes it high intensity.  This type of activity tends to increase your body’s metabolism and burns calories quicker.
6. Set benchmarks along the way. You know, like drop a dress size or inch off your waist or exercise four days in a row or eat five helpings of fruits/veggies every day for a week.
7. Exercise with a group of friends (even if they’re virtual) who will give you sh!t if you miss a day without a valid reason. They can be great motivators and help to keep you on the straight and narrow…not sure where that term came from, but it applies here.  Use them to help you eat properly too!
8. Don’t overdo it and end up with sore muscles or, worse, injured. If you haven’t exercised in a while, ease into it.  Better you do too little than too much at the beginning and end up with an injury that puts you in a walking boot.
9. Sign up for a public fitness event prior to Memorial Day. Find a local 5k or bike ride or cross-fit event.  Having an event that you must prepare for in the future is, again, a powerful motivator.  Involve friends and family and throw in some friendly wagering and you’ve got yet another reason to work hard.
10. Burn more calories in your everyday life by making small changes to your routine. Skip the elevator and take the stairs, park at the back of the parking lot, get up from the desk every hour and take a 10 minute walk, carry all your groceries into the house rather than forcing the kids or your spouse to help.  There are a lot of ways to burn an extra 200 calories during your day by simply forcing the issue and altering your routine.

Yes, I know we’re not officially in spring yet, that arrives at 11:49 PM (EST) on March 19, but just as you make vacation plans now, so too should you be planning to expose more skin to your friends, family and the general public.  Unlike completing your taxes, procrastination should be avoided in this instance…so get started today!

If you are not worried about a summer body, because function not form is your mantra, then get in shape for your health. Don’t forget, this is National Nutrition Month, and your health is your most important asset!