The first thing to focus on when getting in shape for summer is your nutrition. Trust me when I say, you can’t out-train a bad diet. It just doesn’t work like that, I’m afraid.
 
So, I’m going to cover the 'holy grail' of fatloss tips that my clients have access to in my VIP groups.
 
1. Water
Get stuck in to a good quality water. It’s not a difficult thing to do, and it’s the most important. You must drink three litres to get best results.
 
  • It will help you stay hydrated and flush toxins out while helping keep hunger at bay
  • It will help you train harder in your workouts (dehydrated muscles won’t work optimally)
  • It will help reduce water retention (yes, I know, but it does - trust me)
  • It will help your body function at a higher level, as that’s what it’s primarily made up of
  • Bottled is better than tap, as it can be contaminated.
 
2. Eat protein
  • To help build muscle that will burn more calories just having it on your body
  • Help you feel fuller for longer
  • It takes more calories to digest than carbs and fats
  • To prevent muscle break-down when exercising
  • To promote fat-loss through controlling blood sugars
 
3. Embrace the veg
  • They contain fibre which will maintain a healthy gut
  • They will help fill you up, being more nutrient-dense than other foods
  • Some veg take just as many calories to digest and process as they contain
  • You can eat as many as you like
  • They contain a huge variety of vitamins and minerals for optimal health
Have you tried courgetti or cauliflower rice? They’re great replacements to your favourite pasta and rice dishes.
 
 
 
4. Ditch the refined carbs and salt
 
  • Bread pasta and white rice contain very little nutrient value and can play havoc with your gut and blood sugar levels
  • Replace with colourful vegetables
  • Swap out table salt, and replace with organic sea salt as refined salt will retain water. Most processed foods contain poor quality salt, so avoid.
 
5. Exercise hard for no more than an hour a day
 
Ditch the two-hour gym sessions. Quit the faff - get in, get out. Circuit training (like we do at CPT Bootcamps) is your best fat-loss formula. You are getting your cardio and strength work done together, thus killing two birds with one stone. 
 
We run our bootcamps in South Dublin, at several locations including Dalkey, Glasthule, Bray and Leopardstown. We get astonishing results in a short amount of time.
 
 
6. Stand up straight (like you were told as a child)

This may sound overly simplistic.Try exaggerating a slouch, and watch your tummy pop out and your confidence drop. 
 
Stand tall and feel the difference in your posture - tummy flatter and shoulders back, chest up, ready to take on the world and strut your stuff on the beach. Give it a go.

 
 
 
7. Work that booty

Squat, lunge and step up for best bum workouts.
 
 
8. Work that tum

Plank, roll out and dead-bug for best abdominal results. (What you did in the kitchen and put in your mouth is where you’ll get to see them).
 
 
9. Worship sleep

Rest - and more specifically, sleep - is when your body recovers from training and builds muscle. If you ain’t sleeping or resting properly in between workouts, your result will be limited. Get eight hours' sleep a night if possible, but everyone is different. This will help your hormones to balance, and help prevent those devilish cravings.
 
 
10. Don’t over train and under recover
 
Four tough classes a week is plenty. The other days you can walk, swim or cycle as an active recovery day. Take one day completely off. If you do too much, your body will break down in the form of injury or sickness or both (guaranteed).
 

 
11. Own it

You have a body, you are healthy, so go out there and own it. We can all improve how we look and should always strive to reach optimal health above all else, while striving for a tighter bum or a flatter tummy. The main thing to remember is, everyone is on their own journey and has had their own experiences.
 
Please don’t compare yourself to others, especially the airbrushed models you see in magazines. That will lead you down a road of insecurity and unhappiness.
 
 
12. Love your body

Enjoy it, embrace it - you’ve only got one, and it’s all yours.Treat it well, and look after it.
Health & Fitness Expert
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