6 Ways to Make Your Workouts Count

We all seem to be getting excited about Summer coming right around the corner. The sun is shining, temperatures rising, and pools are opening – everything’s screaming fun in the sun.

Whoa, whoa, whoa…wait. Did that just say summer? Who’s ready for that? I mean, besides the advertisers pumping the latest diets and hottest bikinis, you might be screaming I’m not ready!

Where’s my gym membership card?

Do I have time for two-a-days?

Where are my ankle weights (you know you been there)?

Does this sound familiar?

I know what you’re thinking…training two hours a day and eating like a rabbit, no Bueno.

A Quicker, Killer Summer Body

Don’t get caught up in the mayhem. And, don’t be the person doing cardio fourteen hours a week (Been there, done that). I know it’s easy for us ladies to freak out about being poolside, but you don’t have to do cardio for hours at a time.

I don’t want you feeling hungry, irritable and insecure heading into summer.

Instead…

How does total body confidence sound? Radiating confidence. AND a lean, “toned” figure men drool over (Too much?).

Ok, we’ll just shoot for a bod you can be proud of.

EEeeek! I’m excited for you!

Do you want to know how to turn those long, boring hours on the treadmill into fat blasting summer-ready workouts (even if you don’t have time OR belong to a gym)?

Here are 6 ways to shed that winter weight and get bikini ready asap:

1 Minute Workouts. Not everyone has time on their side. Or wants to spend hours in the gym. That’s when burst training comes in. Burst training is when you do quick, explosive or intense movements throughout the day.

These are performed in 1, 2, or 3-minute bursts (hence the name) done anywhere; home, office or at the gym. A few examples are a set of bodyweight squats in the office, running up the stairs of the parking garage instead of using the elevator, or doing a minute of push-ups in the break room. Limited sweat, low time commitment, and all the science to back it up.

A few examples are a set of bodyweight squats in the office, running up the stairs of the parking garage instead of using the elevator, or doing a minute of push-ups in the break room. Limited sweat, low time commitment, and all the science to back it up.

More Rest, Less Cardio. Not a big fan of doing cardio? No worries, you can do Rest-Based Training (RBT) instead. Studies have shown that RBT style training can elevate fat burning metabolism by 60% for 16 hours in women.

The two main factors of RBT training are 1) Fast paced weight training. Training a little faster, heavier than no weights and until you fail or need a rest. 2) Self-regulated rest periods. Rest as little or as much as you need to still perform at a high level. A workout that will have the fat burning, muscles toning, and calories crying.

Elevate Efficiency. Metabolic Conditioning or High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). Metabolic Conditioning requires alternating periods of extreme work with rest. HIIT is often described as a series of short bursts of exercise that are followed by periods of relief, as well. The first two are modifications of HIIT, however, I like to think of this as a progression.

Start with burst, move to rest-based as you improve and level up to metabolic conditioning when you’re ready. There are many ways add HIIT to your workout routine including sprinting, kettlebells, battle ropes, and more. The purpose is to push the body enough that it’s “forced” to adapt (melt fat or shape muscle). If you want bang for your buck burn, this it for you.

Resist. No, I’m not talking political here. I’m talking Metabolic Resistance Training, a.k.a. Heavy lifting. When you lift hard, you can increase your caloric burn for up to 48 hours post-workout. So when you’re sitting on the couch at night watching that episode of Gilmore Girls, your workout will still be burning calories.

To maximize your lifts, incorporate supersets, tri-sets, and giant sets, as well as doing compound movements like squats, pulls, and presses. Good rep ranges tend to fall around 8-10. Faster metabolism equals fat melting away.

Disturb the Norm. I’ve talked a lot about training fast, but if you’re not ready (ie. technique or conditioning) you can change up the tempo and still get results. Yes, increasing time-under-tension can also improve metabolism. I recommend using lighter weights with perfect form to failure for best results.

Performance Enhancement expert Mike Robertson recommends about 40-60 seconds of time-under-tension per set for fat loss. Beginner or advance, fast or slow, tempo can ramp up caloric burn.

Steady and Strong. Don’t worry cardio lovers, I don’t think cardio is a waste I just recommend doing it in combination with the others so I can optimize fat burn. For quick reference, do one or a couple of the previous points prior to induce lipolysis (fat release). Then use steady-state cardio to increase blood flow and carry the fat to another cell to be burned as energy (I’ll save that conversation for another time). Now that’s effective cardio!

It’s entirely possible to get lean and have that booty popping on the beach this summer. You know…where body fat is low and your silhouette is like a coke bottle (tell me that’s your dream too). It only takes a couple of minutes to kickstart your metabolism. No more excuses. And no more slaving away on the treadmill.

I’ve learned over the years that there is much more to successful workouts then just what happens in the gym. I’ve created this free, downloadable Build Your Own Workout Kit to help you build the foundation for workouts that stick.

What does a summer-ready body look like to you? You can start or join the conversation by leaving a comment below.