Simple Changes to Get/Stay on Track for Swimsuit Season

Summer is just around the corner, and with that comes swimsuit season.  Not quite where you would like to be?  No worries, here are a few easy to follow tips that anyone can do to make progress, regardless of how much time you are able to make for prioritizing fitness. ​

1) Stop Counting Calories.

This is completely unnecessary for most for several reasons.  First - its incredibly inaccurate - even the best tools and highest rated apps can be up to 50% off, and that’s when you use them correctly.  There are definitely some awesome tools being developed, but at the moment there is nothing that is going to give you a reasonable calorie estimate.  Second - it's overkill, unless you are dedicated to working towards an athletic level of leanness (between 16-19% body fat for Women).  Unless that is your goal all you really need is to follow some simple guidelines:

2)  Use your hands to measure your food. 

This saves you the effort of having to weight, measure, count and calculate.

3)  For a great starting point for getting leaner, follow these guidelines at each meal:

For Men:

• 2 Palms of Protein-Dense Food 
• 2 Fist of Vegetables
• 1 Cupped Handful of Carb-Dense Foods
• 3 Thumbs of Fat-Dense Foods

For Women:

• 1 Palms of Protein-Dense Food 
• 1 Fist of Vegetables
• 1/2 Cupped Handful of Carb-Dense Foods
• 2 Thumbs of Fat-Dense Foods

4)  Play with Carbs to move past plateaus:

• If you are following an exercise program, it helps to save the majority (or all, if you have the desire/discipline) of carb intake until after you work out so the carbs can be used to recover instead of being stored.
• If you notice your results are slowing, decrease your daily carb intake by 25% and repeat as necessary/desired.

5)  Move More:  

While following a weightlifting/strength training regiment is the quickest way to lean, it isn't necessary to make progress.  Simply look for ways to move more throughout the day.

• Park near the back of the parking lot at work or the store. 
• Use a basket instead of a cart when grocery shopping (if reasonable).
• Take an extra lap around the store/mall.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator/escalator.

Make time for physical activities you enjoy -

• If you enjoy running, make sure you make time each day (or at least a few times a week) to go for a jog. 
• If you like biking, make time for doing that more frequently. 
• Extend your playtime with your dog and/or get more physically active with them (EG, run with them instead of playing fetch, play chase, or so something physical like a HIIT exercise while you're waiting for him to bring whatever you threw back) etc. 
• Anything you can think of that you either enjoy doing, or can add throughout the day without having to plan it in.

6)  For those who are working out - if you're not already -  hit the weights! 

If you haven't heard by now, that slow to moderate jog on the treadmill for 30 minutes to an hour is NOT the most effective way to drop weight... unless that's just what you enjoy doing.  While the benefits of weightlifting could be an entire article in and of itself, the most important factor in relation to weight loss is that lifting weights builds muscle.  Muscle is more expensive to maintain than fat (meaning it burns more calories).  This means the more muscle you add, the more calories you will burn throughout the day - it is the only REAL way to permanently (so long as you maintain the muscle you have built) boost your metabolism.

7)  If you are already doing most of the above - add a supplement to help boost progress.

Again, I could write a huge article about which supplements to take, which not to take, why some are effective and others aren't, etc. etc. however for this post I will simply give you the ONLY 2 weight-loss specific products I recommend:

• Shred-Jym - from the Jym line, designed more for those who are following a solid exercise and meal plan.  Check it Out/Get it here.
• Keto//OS - indended for anyone wanting to burn fat and increase their energy.  It is the only supplement designed to put your body into a state of ketosis without having to follow a keto diet. Check it out/Get it here.

So there you have it - simple, effective tips for those who want to make progress without having their life revolve around working out and counting calories.

As always, let me know what you think and feel free to comment with any questions in the comments below or on our FB page.  Also, there's tons more no b.s. health and info like this throughout the rest of the Axiom Health and Fitness website.

Check it out...

​Do it.   ;)