May is that time of year when people start thinking about that summer body. The weather is getting better, the days are longer and the deadline of being in shape for the summer holidays starts to draw closer.
Here are 3 secrets I use with clients to help get them summer ready.
1. Laser Focus On One Thing
It is so easy to try to do it all as the pressure starts to mount. Exercise more, eat drastically less than before, try to drink more water, sleep more and cut down the booze. Give it two to three weeks and this plan will have fallen apart.
- Write a list of 5-10 things you feel are your biggest limiting factors when it comes to health and fitness.
For example, too much sugar, too much alcohol, too many carbs, not enough veg, not eating regularly enough, too stressed, poor sleep, not exercising enough...e.t.c.
- Now pick 3 of these that you consider essential to being a little bit healthier.
For example, not enough veg, not exercising enough and too much alcohol.
- Now pick only one of these that you feel will have the biggest impact on your health and is realistic with your current lifestyle.
For example, you are social and like to be around people so drinking is inevitable. You could cut down, but the odds of being consistent are low. Not realistic. You exercise 3x a week sometimes 4x. You could exercise more, but know that nutrition plays 70-80% of a role in changing the way you look. You decide to go for veg... but what specifically.
For example, you will pre-chop a big box of salad and roast 2 trays of vegetables that you can eat throughout the week at lunch, dinner and any snacks you have. You can take them with you to work too.
If you are not 9/10 confident that you can do this, the shrink the change and make it so easy that its unobjectionable to do.
- Focus on nothing, but this habit for 4 weeks. Do as you normally would do with exercise and socializing, but make sure that you stick to your vegetable habit at least 80% of the time. 5.6/7 days a week for 4 weeks.
2. Gradually Increase Your Training Volume And Intensity
Using a coach here makes this easier as you don't have to think about it. We do the technical stuff for you.
The instinct of most people when they get into summer body mode is to go hardcore all out blitz mode. The trouble here is that if you throw every tool/ method at your body straight away, you will have nowhere to go later. Our bodies are smart and will have adapted in 4 weeks time.
Start slow and keep the change gradual.
For example,try one of the following at a time. If you train 3x a week right now, up it to 4x a week. If you are currently doing 3 sets of your exercises, up it to 4 sets. If you currently take 60 seconds rest per set (I hope you time it), take it down to 45 seconds. Small changes such as these may not seem like a lot, but over 6-8 weeks will play a big part in keeping your body guessing.
When it comes to intensity we can look at this from a more traditional strength and conditioning perspective and lift a little bit heavier. Or a mainstream perspective and just work harder in our sessions. Be stricter with form, rest time and exercise selection.
3. Get On Top Of Your Nutrition
Nutrition will account to 70-80% of your success when it comes to getting into summer shape. It can be one of the harder parts to master too as its so emotionally and socially connected. Locking yourself away like a monk and eating nothing but spinach and white fish will never last long, and is not recommended.
Whilst I mentioned focusing your efforts on one thing above, nutrition will most likely be that focus. Exercise is effective, but alone won't get us the results we are after.
The key to nutrition is to stay consistent and most importantly accountable to someone. This can be a coach, a friend or even an online forum. Put some money down on you sticking to a plan. People have done this with great success believe it or not. They put their "skin in the game" to keep themselves accountable.
Even if you focus on just one thing when it comes to nutrition, stay on top of it by keeping yourself accountable, especially at this time of year. Use a habit tracking app or even pen and paper on the fridge. Mark down and record how you are getting on and report to someone at least weekly to keep you on track.
Measuring your consistency can be better than taking photos and measuring body fat, just because these usually take care of the results anyway. You will see a difference. The photos and body fat can help as objective markers, but can be detrimental if you know you are not doing the basics.
Yours In Health
Patrick Fallis
Founder of Leaner
www.leaner-uk.com