Seven Tips to Get You Fit for Summer
It’s been a long year, hasn’t it?
Business shutdowns, quarantines, and self-isolation.
If you’re like most people, you’ve spent more time on your couch over the past year than usual. Maybe you got into baking. And with gyms being closed…regular workouts may have come to a halt.
The result: a few extra pandemic pounds.
Well, it’s time to turn that around!
Before summer officially arrives, here are seven things you can do to get back in shape.
- Get plenty of sleep
- Protein with every meal
- Cut out snacks
- Keep a regular workout schedule
- Vary your workouts
- Collagen is your friend
- Keep your hormones balanced
Your body does its rebuilding and maintenance while you’re asleep. And if you’re bumping up your workouts, sleep is even more important.
Contrary to popular myths, people continue needing at least seven hours of sleep every night even as they get older.
So…before you commit to an exercise and diet upgrade, commit to getting the sleep your body needs.
Protein supplies the essential amino acids your muscles need to rebuild and grow.
Protein also helps your body to avoid the blood sugar crashes that can make you more likely to indulge in less than healthy meals and snacks. And speaking of snacks…
Whether it’s health food or junk food, regular snacking adds extra calories. Better to just cut them out of your daily routine if possible.
Plan on exercising at least 3-5 times per week.
If you don’t feel comfortable returning to the gym just yet, access to online workout programs has exploded over the past year. Try a few and find one (or more) that works for you.
Most experts agree that doing the same routine every time you work out isn’t optimal. Instead, try to vary how you work the various muscle groups in your body, as well as how strenuously you work them. If you need help keeping your exercise routine switched up, consider hiring a personal trainer or use a personal training app.
Also, be sure to do both cardio and resistance training on a weekly basis. Doing all cardio or all strength training day after day really isn’t adequate.
And don’t forget to rest. Plan to take one or two days per week off from exercise to give your body a chance to heal and recover.
Collagen provides structure for your skin, bones, muscles, and connective tissue. It also makes up the springy cartilage that cushions your joints.
As people get older, collagen production naturally decreases. This can cause joint issues as you ramp up your workouts…not to mention cellulite due to collagen breakdown in your skin.
Try to eat a sufficient amount of high-quality protein to maintain an ample supply of the amino acids your body needs to produce collagen. Collagen supplements are another good option.
Hormone production declines with age. In fact, much of what we call “aging” is the result of declining hormones.
In particular, men and women produce less testosterone and less growth hormone as they get older…both of which affect muscle growth and maintenance. Hormone imbalances can also leave you with less energy and a slower metabolism.
So if you’re making the right changes in terms of diet and exercise, but the results just aren’t happening, hormone imbalance may be the cause.
At Renew Youth, we want to help you achieve the fitness level necessary to make life enjoyable, not just tolerable. And balanced hormones are an important part of that picture.
Want to find your New You? A 30-minute consultation with us could be the start.
Call us at 800-859-7511 or use our contact form and let’s get started.
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