With summer in full swing is it time to ramp up your workout routine? Physiologically, it takes about 4-6 weeks for our bodies to adapt to any type of workout that’s done frequently. What this means is that the workout that had you almost on your knees, breathless and sore weeks ago has gotten much easier to do. This is because your workout has not changed!
This goes for any type of exercise: walking, cycling, HIIT, aerobics, weight training, etc. Don’t believe me? Think back to the hardest workout that you’ve done consistently recently? Is it still as hard as it was when you first did it or has it become easier and maybe a little more fun?
This basically means that your body has adapted to your workout routine. Now, I’m not saying this is a bad thing, but if you’re working out for results and you’ve found your workout results have peaked, this could possibly be one of the reasons why you’re not getting those results.
Remember, you must do some form of exercise everyday. This is an important reminder in keeping and fulfilling your fitness goals, so don’t drop the ball on this one! Now, please note I said some “form” of exercise, not that you have to go to the gym and incorporate a traditional workout or try to get in another cardio workout. Exercising on any level should be diverse and exciting.
Non-Workout Workouts
On your non-workout days, try to make this an active rest day. Include activities like hiking, biking, exploring your neighborhood, going swimming or even trying your hand at paddle boarding, which can be done both on the ocean as well as in lagoons or lakes. If you aren’t able to fit an active rest exercise into your day, then start by doing this bodyweight workout routine:
- 20 push ups.
- 30 seconds of jump squats (or squats).
- 20 walking lunges (or stationary lunges).
- 30 seconds of plank hold.
- 30 seconds of rest.
- Repeat from the top 3 times.
Getting In Your ZZZZ’s
An easy way that you can ramp up your workouts is by making sure you’re getting enough sleep and proper rest each day. You may not see the connection between your sleep patterns, your energy levels and the number on your scale, but it’s there. Sleep patterns have an impact on your hormone levels, and hormones are a huge factor when it comes to losing fat, building lean muscle tissue as well as making your workouts more effective. Be sure to get a full eight hours of sleep each night to boost your fitness results.
Diet and Nutrition
A simple reason that you may need to ramp up your workout is your diet and overall nutritional plan. With summer days and nights heating up, you may have noticed that your eating has also changed. This is the perfect time to add a fresh fruit and vegetable smoothie or juice into your daily consumption. Juicing will also add an additional “kick-start” to your morning or mid-day workout routine as well as allowing you to get in several of your daily fruit and vegetable servings.
Consuming Enough Calories
Now, please note that this is not a “normal” cause for concern and usually happens only in cases of severe calorie restriction (under 1,200 calories per day), which means that you should not take it as a license to eat whatever you’d like. When you’re trying to drop a few pounds by eating next to nothing, it actually counteracts your efforts. This way of eating causes your metabolism to slow down which results in your body storing more fat and actually burning your lean muscle tissue for fuel! This is exactly what you don’t want!
There is a base number of calories that you should be eating in order to maintain your proper bodily functions, including fat loss, so check with a doctor or nutritionist to make sure that you’re eating enough. Keep in mind that you should not try to lose more than 2 pounds a week for a safe and effective long-term weight loss plan.
You’re Eating Too Many Carbs
Along with not consuming enough calories, you may be feeding your body the incorrect amount of calories, such as processed carbs. Processed Carbs (simple carbs) will promote fat storage. Did you know that blood sugar and insulin levels always respond the same to processed carbs, whether those carbs are in the form of a Fiber One bar or a Twinkie? You want to add at least 4-5 servings of complex carbs, such as green leafy and bright vegetables to your daily caloric intake. The bottom line is that you’re only fooling yourself by thinking that processed carbs are mandatory and should be included in your diet. Stick to clean sources of nutrient dense carbohydrates if you want to see incredible results in your energy levels and in your body fat levels.
Try using one or more of these tips I’ve shared with you to help improve your results while getting you closer to your personal health and fitness goals!
