Recent studies prove that almost half of all Americans are unhappy with or just concerned about their weight.
When the weather starts to get warmer, more and more people begin to fret about their beach bodies.
Ready or not, bikini and swim trunks season is around the corner.
Learn how to take supplements, switch up your workout, and overhaul your diet to get where you want to be in time for your flight.
This year, conquer the sand and the shore by taking our beach body challenge.
Step 1: Take Supplements And Powders To Bulk Up And Fuel Workouts
Like most things worth doing in life, getting in shape for the beach doesn't come easy. And if you want to gain muscle and get the most out of your beach body challenge workouts, everything extra you can do to help, you should do.
If you really want to put on muscle fast, we recommend looking into taking protein powder and protein supplements, which helps your body to build and stock up on amino acids – the basis for muscle.
Especially if you take whey protein powders, which contain peptides that will pump blood to your muscles faster. To get the most out of your supplement, take yours half an hour before your workout, and then again about an hour after training.
If you're already getting enough protein, look into other supplements like creatine, which also contains tons of amino acids. The benefits of this supplement are well known and scientifically proven time and time again.
It's even been shown to pull water into the cells of your muscles, which will increase your long-term muscle growth and help you lift more with each workout.
This will help you to increase your reps as well, which is a crucial part of any beach body challenge.
Step 2: Give Interval Training A Try
When you're doing a beach body challenge, one of the things you're shortest on is time.
That's why interval training is so valuable.
To get the most out of your workout, adapt to the 5-3-2 interval set when you're in the midst of your cardio routine.
Start by going at a moderate or average pace for five minutes, then go at your absolute maximum for 3 minutes straight – no stopping, no matter what. After all, it's only 3 minutes.
Then, use the remaining 2 minutes in your cycle as a kind of cool-down, only slightly before average (don't even think about walking.)Repeat this cycle as many times as you can, and gradually increase the time you spend at your maximum level.
Repeat this cycle as many times as you can, and gradually increase the time you spend at your maximum level.
Interval training will throw off your body's metabolism, meaning that you'll trick your body into burning more calories faster as it tries to figure out the pace of your workouts.
Step 3: Get Into Carb Cycling
When you're doing a beach body challenge, you probably already know that working out is really only half the battle.
Unless you're making serious adjustments to your diet, you're not going to see the kind of results you're looking for – especially not in the shorter time frame you probably have to do this.
You already know that you're probably going to have to give up drinking for the duration of your training (relax, you'll be throwing back some serious Pina Coladas on the beach) but you've got to look at the types of carbs you consume as well.
But the good news is that carbs really aren't the enemy we've all been programmed to make them out to be. In fact, if you aren't including the right types of carbs in your diet, you may struggle with getting through your workouts.
Focus on including the “good carbs” like those made of whole grain, brown rice, a piece of fruits, and steel cut oats in your diet. Then, for at least the first two weeks of your beach body challenge, cycle your carb intake into high, low, and average carb days.
Try to consume the most carbs on days you're doing serious cardio and lifting.
This helps to crush the fat storage in your body and bulk up faster. For your final week, focus on consuming mainly vegetables, and then in the few days before, carb up or maximum results.
Step 4: Drink A Crazy Amount Of Water
During the first two weeks of your beach body challenge routine, try to consume upwards of four liters of water every day.
This next part of the plan though, may surprise you.
When you're cutting your carb intake (AKA, step 3) make sure you also reduce the amount of water you're drinking.
On low-carb days, try to reduce the amount of water you're drinking to about 3 liters of water a day. When you get closer to the big reveal, cut that back to two liters of water a day.
Don't worry – as long as you don't do anything crazy strenuous, you won't get dehydrated.
This will prevent your body from hanging onto water weight, which can add serious pounds and make it look like you haven't spent the tons of hours at the gym we know you have.
You're Ready To Crush This Beach Body Challenge
There's nothing quite as motivating as knowing that you're soon going to be standing, half-naked, on a beach full of strangers.
To get the most out of your beach body challenge, we recommend asking a few friends to do it with you.
This way, you'll keep each other accountable, get workout and diet tips, and won't give into temptation as easily.
Why not take a few before and after pictures so you can see serious proof of your progress?
For more information about how to gain muscle, how to find the right supplements for your workout goals, and other tips on getting the most out of every gym session, check us out online or get in touch with us.
