Guest Blog by Stephanie Mansour
Many people are more active during summer months, but just because you’re hitting the sand for beach volleyball or riding bikes doesn’t mean you should forgo your normal workout. Instead, view these extra outdoor activities as bonus workouts and stick to your regular plan.
Oftentimes, this is a mental decision you need to make in order to prioritize your workouts. Being extra lazy just because it’s a long weekend and promising to play a rigorous game of sand volleyball in place of going to the gym is not going to help you reach your fitness goals.
The following are my top 5 tips on how to avoid dropping the ball on fitness this summer:
- If you’re on a workout plan, try to stick to it! It’s a long weekend, which means technically you have more time and are able to be well-rested and hit the gym without conflict. Don’t sabotage yourself by saying that you’ll work out at a party when really, you may only volley the ball a few times and that’s it.
- The time is now, and by talking yourself out of going to the gym, you’re talking yourself out of committing to being healthy and fit. So, just do it and get your workout in. And maybe you will play a rigorous game at the party, which will mean you’ll have worked out twice in one day!
- Schedule your workout on your calendar. If you’re going to the beach with a friend or to a barbecue, try and go 30 minutes late so you’re still able to squeeze in a quick workout.
- Repeat positive affirmations to yourself, and frequently remind yourself of how good you feel after you work out. Say aloud: “I love how fabulous I look and how great I feel after I work out.”
- Remind yourself why you are committed to working out regularly, and make sure your reason is something positive. For instance, instead of saying, “I hate my body and need to lose 20 lbs,” say something like, “I want to take care of my body and love how I feel in my smaller clothes.” By training your brain to be more positive, you’ll train your body to take more positive actions.
By recalling these five helpful tips throughout the course of your summer, you’ll be far more likely to stay on track with your fitness plan and keep your bikini body in check long after beach season ends. And that’s a healthy goal we find well worth striving for.
Stephanie Mansour, CEO of Step It Up with Steph, is a nationally known health and fitness expert and body image and confidence coach. She’s a reality TV trainer on “Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is,” helping her clients lose 80+ lbs in 12 weeks. She combines yoga, Pilates, personal training, and body image coaching for a holistic approach to health and fitness, and her no diets/no guilt mentality is changing the way women everywhere view food and exercise.
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