Summer bodies are made now

We have all heard the saying that “Summer bodies are made in the winter” but what does that actually mean?? I have so many clients asking me this question at the minute so I thought we should look at the reasons together!

With so many things in life is all comes down to timing! Starting around September in the UK we go for months wearing cosy jumpers and thick layers straight into the “Season of Joy” where its practically rude not to indulge in that extra glass (or two) of wine alongside those mince pies and quality streets! All this indulgence tends to lead to most people putting on a few extra pounds and generally experienceing a slump in energy levels. So what to do?

Unfortunately the transition from cosy jumpers to itsy bitsy bikini doesn’t happen over night so  there is no point going crazy with some manic jam packed routine with a hard core training session every day and a restricted diet because chances are you won’t be able to stick to it and you will only stress yourself out and fall back into bad habits! Its all about forming habits that you can stick to gain long term results and now is the perfect time to take just a few simple steps to start you on the road to your healthy toned summer body for 2015!

Try these simple steps to kick start your routine:

• Get more active
  In London terms I mean take the stairs or at least walk up the escalator in the tube, get off one stop earlier on the tube/bus, get outside and walk for pleasure for at least 10mins every day.
• Clean up your act
  I’m not advocating any kind of restrictive diet but you can’t start any kind of exercise regime without considering the food you are eating. Start with reducing the amount of processed and sugar laden foods you eat and increase your intake of fruit and vegetables.
• Stay hydrated
  Increasing your H20 has a host of benefits!! Flushing toxins, regulating temperature, protecting joints/nerves (including your spinal cord) to name a few. But also when well hydrated your eyes sparkle, your skin is clear and it helps give cellulite the boot!
• Pick one new class and give it a go
  If you already love Pilates then great, why not add in a HIIP class or maybe hit the spin studio for a little cardio boost? 
• Find a friend to help motivate you
  It has been proven that we exercise harder and with more consistency with a friend than alone.

In order to work your way to that summer body I also recommend taking a little photo of yourself to see where you are now and where you want to be! Visual feedback is much more useful than a number on a scale but if a photo still sounds scary then pick a pair or jeans or a dress you love pop it on and see how it feels then retry it every few weeks to see how the fit changes!

Remember….

“Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out”

Good luck!

Nadine McCann has a background in competitive gymnastics and ballet, and was first introduced to Pilates at 15 as a means to recover from injury. As a qualified British Gymnastics coach and judge, she pursued her growing love of Pilates and went on to gain a Level 4 mat work qualification with Body Control Pilates.

For more information about Nadine follow her blog www.livefashionfit.com