Top tips for losing weight this summer

Monday, 23 April 2012 7:14 AM

As soon as the weather starts to get warmer, we begin to feel the pressure to dig out those floaty summer dresses and cute shorts. However, when you want to lose weight it can be tempting to cover up in spite of the heat. Yet there are ways to change this.

By following a few simple tips, you can drop a few pounds and tone up ready for the summer - and this doesn't mean spending the entire season eating celery or locked in the gym. Make a few changes and you could have the figure you want in time for the good weather.

Get exercising

Exercising is one of the best ways of losing weight and improving cardiovascular health. Not only that, but it is also thought to be effective at improving your mood, by prompting the body to release endorphins. Plus, there are so many ways to get fit that it should be easy to integrate it into your life.

Perhaps the most convenient thing to do is invest in exercise equipment you can use at home, so you can easily schedule your workouts around your other commitments. This could mean going for a brisk 20-minute jog on the treadmill before you get ready for work in the morning or doing some late night cycling. Another incentive is that you can exercise whatever the weather and without having to queue to use the apparatus you want unlike in the gym.

Other popular ways to get fit during the summer include running and cycling in the park or swimming, as all of these are pleasant activities when the weather is good. You can ask a friend to join you for these sessions if you find exercising alone boring and the two of you can encourage each other. Alternatively, you could join a class in order to meet other likeminded people.

Eat healthily

It may sound obvious but, as with exercising, eating healthily is one of the best ways to drop those unwanted pounds. Again, you shouldn't see this as a punishment but instead take steps to integrate your new eating plan into your lifestyle rather than denying yourself everything you love.

This means allowing yourself a treat now and again but where possible looking for an alternative to something you know is high in calories. Instead of ice-cream, try a bowl of yoghurt mixed with frozen berries and have an iced tea instead of a cold beer.

Make a plan

It goes without saying, but losing weight is not something that will happen overnight and in order to see results you need to come up with a plan and stick to it. It is better to think long-term by eating healthily and exercising regularly, rather than crash dieting and moving into the gym for a couple of weeks. While you might lose weight fast doing the latter, you could put it back on just as quickly.

You should also consider getting professional assistance - and this doesn't necessarily mean hiring yourself a personal trainer. Indeed, if you are considering purchasing exercise equipment to use at home you can look for items that are compatible with either iFit SD training cards or iFit Live. This is an exercise system that helps you to achieve your personal fitness goal, whether that is to drop a clothes size or tone up your muscles.