Most of us dream of the perfect beach bod that we see in magazines and online. Unfortunately, there is no magic pill or diet that can make our dreams come true. The real secret is a healthy, balanced diet and regular exercise. Read our top tips to help you get back into a good routine this summer.
Ease into it
At the start of a new routine we want to dive in head first and give it our all but sometimes that’s not the best thing for our bodies. You need to give your body time to adjust to exercise, especially if you haven’t done it for a while. Make sure to give yourself a couple of rest days in between vigorous exercise, it’s just as important to rest as it gives your body a chance to recover and be ready for your next session. Also, don’t be too hard on yourself if you miss a day or two, just get back on the horse!
Variety is the spice of life
If you are a regular in the gym but find yourself bored or unmotivated, you may need to try something new. Change your workout routine, introduce new moves or try a new form of exercise, go from cardio to weights or spinning to aerobics. If you feel your body isn’t progressing or you’ve hit a plateau in fitness or weight loss, talk to a professional trainer and ask them for advice on how to mix it up.
No fad diets!
Fad diets may work in the short term but cutting out or severely limiting food groups, carbs for example, can have detrimental effects on your mood, energy levels and all-round health. Stick to a balanced and healthy diet with the recommended amounts of each food group. This along with a regular exercise routine will have you fit and trim and the results will last much longer.
Find a gym buddy
Studies have shown that when you have a partner to exercise with and your partner is encouraging and supportive, you will exercise more often. You are less likely to miss workouts as you don’t want to let your partner down. You will also enjoy your workouts more, create some friendly competition and push each other to do better. We know we find the dreaded burpees a tiny bit more manageable when we have someone to share the pain with!
Nothing compares to you!
The most important thing to remember when getting back into the gym is; DON’T compare yourself to anyone else. Set your own manageable goals and work towards them at your own pace. It's so easy to compare yourself to people you see on Instagram who can lift more than you or fit into smaller clothes than you but remember it's not always as it seems. Each body is unique, we progress at different rates and we come in all shapes and sizes.
If you are considering joining a gym or would like to get back into a good routine check out the newly reopened Osprey Leisure Centre. We have all new machinery, a 20-metre swimming pool and we offer free sample classes so you can decide what type of workout suits you. Arrange to take a tour with one of our experienced team members and see what we have to offer.