Summer is in the rearview (insert tears…), and now we’re getting ready to turn back time – it’s enough to make anyone want to stay in bed and pull the covers over their head. But thankfully, this is the time of year when summer bodies are made. There is no time like the present to start getting into your fitness routine.
Use all the hours of darkness for good and get a head start on those holiday pounds before they find you, claim your favorite spin bike at the gym before all the New Year’s resolutioners (is that even a word?) begin, or find a fitness coach or fitness-minded friend to hold you accountable and get your butt out of bed on those cold, dark mornings. We all know how tempting it is to skip workouts this time of year, but that’s not the way to sculpt your summer body. You want a summer body you can be proud of and now is the time to start making it a reality. Because summer bodies really are made in the winter.
Yes, summer bodies are made in the winter, but healthy bodies are made through commitment and consistency. That means regardless of the season, outside temperature, or if it’s daylight savings time or not, you’re giving your body the activity and nutrition it needs to operate at optimum performance all year long. Of course, you need to allow room for the holiday parties, football Sundays, and the occasional glass of wine, but your overall lifestyle should incorporate healthy meals and at least 20 minutes of heartrate elevating activity on most days.
Don’t allow the cooler temperatures or dark skies to be an excuse this year. Don’t hide behind hoodies, tunics, or oversized sweaters all fall and winter only to push yourself so hard come spring that you end up with an injury. The same goes for waiting until the new year for a “fresh start” for your fitness routine. Stop trying these strategies. They don’t work! Do it differently – step away from what you have done all the years prior. You want to be and do better. Be a better version of yourself (always).
Prevent the springtime crash diets and insane amount of cardio by starting now. It really is the best time. Three months from now you’ll be thanking me when the girl next to you on the treadmill is losing her lunch and you’re upping the incline on yours. And six months from now, you’ll be loving me when you’re walking (I mean strutting 😊) on the beach proud of all the work you put in while everyone else spent winter under the covers in sweatpants instead of sweating to sculpt their bodies.
For many, the thought of getting back into a fitness routine after a summer hiatus can be daunting but getting back to it is the biggest hurdle. Because once the routine is established (experts say it takes a mere 21 days for a goal to become a habit), the results start to show and speak for themselves. Establish a plan and set goals. How do you want to feel and look this summer? What will it take to get you there? I can guarantee it will be different than what you are doing now or had planned to do before reading this post. No matter what your goals are, they will take commitment – so start now.
“Would you rather be covered in sweat at the gym or covered in clothes at the beach?”
~ Unknown Gym Goer
I know I’ll choose to be sweaty any day – what about you?
Real Life Talk 