THE sun has been out this week so you will no doubt have seen a few examples of that most quintessentially Scottish tradition – Taps Aff. And it is inevitable that with this surge of good weather many people are concerned with fitting into their summer clothes. As we have said before, there are no miracle quick fixes and I don't endorse crazy diets or cleanses as they will often result in you regaining or even adding weight in the long term. However if you train efficiently and incorporate a clean-eating program you can burn some last-minute body fat and boost your metabolism in a relatively short period of time.
At Everyday Athlete we run Fight Camp Bootcamps and it is precisely this desire to lose weight in a relatively short period of time that they prove so popular, as they last between 4 to 6 weeks and combine the right amount of bodyweight training, strength training and high-intensity cardio intervals to turn your body into a fat-burning machine.
Workout tips
So what are some of the best exercises you can add into your training?
Large bodyweight movements combined into circuits alongside weighted movements offer the best bang for your buck.
The squat
One of the most functional bodyweight movements working your legs, bum and core. Standing upright with your feet shoulder-width apart and your weight in your heels – send your hips back and down, driving your knees open and keeping your torso upright, clenching your abs until your hip crease goes lower than your knees. Once you break parallel then drive through your heels, standing back upright and clenching your bum at the top.
If you are comfortable with a bodyweight squat, why not add in a weighted version by holding a kettlebell or dumbbell close to your chest and performing the squat to add an extra challenge.
The push-up
A great upper-body exercise that will help build strength in the arms, chest and shoulders and help shape the backs of your arms. Push-ups can be made easier by starting on your knees or more difficult by using a resistance band.
Start in a horizontal plank, hands on the ground shoulder-width apart, have your legs straight if performing push-up off toes or have the knees on the ground if performing from knees. Start with your arms fully extended then lower your chest and hips to the ground at the same time and maintain a tight midsection then push off from floor, returning arms to full extension.
If you are comfortable with the push-up from the toes why not try grasping a resistance band in both hands and wrapping it around your upper back when performing the push-up – it will add extra resistance.
The hill-climber
A fantastic core exercise that involves a plank-style movement and driving your knees towards your elbow, perfect for targeting your midsection. Assume the starting position of the push-up as above with hands on ground shoulder-width apart and legs straight with weight on balls of the toes. Maintaining a tight and braced midsection, bring your right knee in towards your right elbow, keeping your right foot off the floor and all your weight distributed on your hands and left toe. Then bring your right foot back to the start at the same time as you bring your left knee towards your left elbow. Continue to alternate the movement in a rhythmical fashion for a desired length of time such as 30 seconds.
The burpee
One of the best exercises when it comes to bodyweight movements and if performed correctly is a full-body workout in itself. From a standing upright position, place both hands on the ground shoulder-width apart, then jump both feet back into a push-up position maintaining a tight and braced midsection, then lower yourself into a push-up, bringing your chest and thighs to the ground and then jump feet up to hands, finishing the move by jumping vertically in the air and clapping hands overhead.
Add the following exercises into your routine to help increase your fat loss by combining them into mini circuits such as the following:
Perform five rounds of:
30 seconds squats
30 seconds push-ups
30 seconds hillclimbers
30 seconds burpees
30 seconds rest
Record the number of reps you achieved per exercise per round and aim to beat your score each time you perform this workout.
Nutrition tips
First thing to do is chuck out all your high-calorie snacks – if they are in the house you will eat them eventually. The idea behind clean eating is not to starve yourself and often times you'll feel like your eating more, however it's wholesome, nutritionally dense food that will not only help you shape up, it will help fuel your workouts and help you recover better.
When navigating the supermarket, aim to stick to the fresh produce, butcher and fishmonger counters and not venturing into the aisles too much. Aim to purchase single-ingredient foods that you can combine into tasty meals. Make sure you have a protein source such as meat or fish, a complex carbohydrate source such as sweet potato or some wholewheat rice, and some vegetables such as broccoli or spinach. Having your cupboards stocked with some spices can also turn a bland meal into a taste sensation. Try and prepare multiple meals at dinner time so that you have some lunches and snacks for the next few days. Let's be honest, if you're cooking two chicken breasts it will not take any more effort to cook four or six and this can help save time, especially if you lead a very hectic life and time in the evenings is at a premium.
For more information on getting in shape for the summer why not contact the Everyday Athlete Team at info@everydayathletegym.com
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