South African summers are notoriously hot, and then there’s the weather… All jokes aside, it’s almost a crime to wear anything but shorts during summer in South Africa. That’s why it’s the best time to show off all your hard work done in the gym. If you haven’t started yet, or slightly behind schedule- don’t fear, because the summer shed program will have you looking beach-ready within a few months.
Set your goals
The most important factor in reaching your fitness or aesthetic objective is to set a fixed goal. Decide what you want to achieve, when you want to achieve it, and how this will be done. Remember to revise your goals to make sure that you are heading in the right direction- and change it if you are slightly behind on your summer plan.
Replace your calorie with protein
Maintaining a calorie deficit is vital if you want to shred all those extra kilos. If you decrease your calories, you will most likely also lose some of your vital muscle tissue. That’s where the very important food group of Protein comes in! If you continuously consume quality protein, you can minimize muscle loss and increased energy and reserves.
Stay active
No weight loss routine will be complete without the mention of cardio. Cardio is a simple way of placing your body in a calorie deficit- while still being healthy and active. Incorporate some HIIT training in your routine to get your heart pumping. Try at least 30 minutes cardio a day, followed by either HIIT training or weight training.
Shredding for Summer routines
Incorporate some of these elements into your weekly training for optimal sweat:
Workout 1
250 calories cardio session
- 20 Lunges
- 15 kettlebell swing
- 30-second plank
- 20 hammer curls
- 50 crunches
- One-minute knee ups
*Repeat set four times
Workout 2:
- 10 Squat Jumps
1-minute jump rope
- 10 Kettlebell Swings
- 8 Kettlebell squat cleans
- 1-minute row
- *repeat the set 3 times
Shredding for summer: Abs
30 minutes elliptical
- 10 Ab roll-out
- 40-second plank
- 15 Burpees
- 30 barbell Russian Twists
*Repeat set 4 times