Along with summer barbecues and hotter temperatures comes cheeseburgers on the grill and ice cream cones. Staying in shape and eating healthy can be a struggle and our summer shorts and bathing suits make us feel on display. But toning up and looking our best doesn’t have to be time-consuming or overwhelming. Done right, it can be fun and effective. This four-week series will give you tips on how best to stay in shape, feel your best, and create a workout that works for you. PLUS, you can grab my FREE weekly printable for a sample workout targeting common problem areas. (And, just in case you didn’t know, I’m not a doctor so you may want to check with yours before undertaking any strenuous exercise. Just a thought.) Catch up with Week 1, Week 2, and Week 3, and then let’s get started…
The best part of working out is seeing the results (and the endorphins, of course). After weeks of hard work, it feels great to know that our efforts have paid off and we’ve either reached our goal or are well on our way. And if you’ve been sticking with your workout routine and eating in moderation, then you’re definitely going to notice a difference.
Everyone has their own goals so our results will be evaluated against personal benchmarks. Do your favorite jeans feel more like pants now and less like layered Spanx? Are you running two miles with confidence and without walking? Do you see definition in your abs that wasn’t there before?
If your goal was based on your weight, a word of warning. You may check the number on the scale and feel disheartened because it hasn’t changed as much as you thought it would. Keep in mind that while a pound of muscle and a pound of fat weigh the same (duh), their density is different. That pound of fat is taking up more space than the pound of muscle.
While you might have noticed differences in the way your clothes fit and how you look, your weight on the scale might not have changed very much. So don’t put too much stock in that little number.
Now that you’ve hit your goal, you may be thinking about taking a break. What’s the harm in skipping a few workouts, or a few weeks, anyway?
It turns out, if you don’t use it, you’re going to lose it.
A study found that after two weeks without exercise, participants lost 22-34% of their muscle strength. And after getting back into a workout routine, they still had 5-10% less than when they started. So if you like the way you look and you like the way you feel, then keep doing what you’re doing.
Maintaining your exercise routine and staying active are important. But you can make some changes to your workouts and the frequency of them if you like where you are right now. If you want to do this for life, you need to make it something that you can do long-term, and will want to.
I’ve never been good at doing three workouts a week. I prefer doing them for shorter periods of time, but 6-7 days a week. Too many days off makes me feel lazy. But that’s just me. Create the unique schedule that makes you feel happy and healthy.
Be proud of the body that God gave you and treat it right. How you see yourself will be reflected in how your children see themselves. So turn away from society’s demands and “norms” and be the example that you’ll be proud to see your kids follow. Good luck!
P.S. Here’s a FREE PRINTABLE for toning and strengthening your arms. Enjoy!
Have you reached your workout goals this month? How do you feel? Let me know in the comments.
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