Increase energy, blast calories and refresh a stale routine with our super-easy tone-it-up plan.
This summer, liberate yourself! Change your body. Wake up earlier and try a frisky run-walk on a treadmill, or cross train with something simple and inexpensive in your home. A quality jump rope and a few resistance bands will set you back less than $100, but they can provide a heart pumping and muscle toning change of pace for your daily routine.
Morning exercise jumpstarts your metabolism for the entire day. Bike or kayak on the perfect weather days for variety. The result: A stamina-stoking plan that takes the “work” out of your summer workouts and allows you to revel in the great outdoors when the weather invites you there and keeps you on track when it’s too hot and muggy.
Total-body activities and incorporating variety into your workouts will increase your strength, stamina, power and balance.
SOS The Summer Body Countdown
Take your gym workout outside once in a while to translate all those biking sessions and treadmill workouts into the great outdoors. Once you put it all together, you’ll reap the mind-body benefits of fun-inspired indoor-outdoor activities. So, grab your water bottle, slap on the sunscreen and don’t be afraid to break a sweat!
Get Fit Fast, Here Comes Summer!
Doing moderate cardiovascular activity 4-5 days a week can include elliptical machines or indoor-outdoor running/walking for 30-45 minutes a pop. Step up your weight training (at home or hit the gym for this one) and at the end of 12 weeks, after melting off an extra 1000-1200 calories each week, you could actually smoke 24,000 calories. Get fit alongside your family and summon up your inner athlete… anyone for water polo?
30-MINUTE TREADMILL CARDIO RUN-WALK
250 – 300 calories per session
MINUTE 0:00 – 5:00
Warm-up walk at a 17-minute-mile pace, which is walking 3.5 miles per hour (mph). Swing both arms and shrug your shoulders to limber up the upper body as you gradually pick up the tempo.
MINUTE 5:00-15:00
Increase your pace to stride briskly at 4.5 mph (a 13-minute-mile pace). To accelerate, take faster shorter steps instead of longer strides. Keep bent arms close to your sides, pumping hard.
MINUTE 15:00-25:00
Break into a slow jog at 5 – 6 mph (a 10-minute mile). Maintain a tempo where you’re slightly breathless but not panting. During jogs, it’s fine to decelerate to a brisk walk to recover your breath.
MINUTE 25:00-30:00
Gradually decelerate to a cool-down walk (similar to warm-up pace). Stretch thoroughly and re-hydrate.
Note: All calories calculated for a 150-pound person. You’ll burn closer to 300 calories if you run a bit longer or weigh closer to 180 pounds.
Cross-training, Grand Summer Slam
Incorporate a variety of activities into your fitness plan. Your body loves the element of surprise. In addition to Cardio Run-Walks, experiment on three alternate days. Choose from seasonal activities such as beach volleyball and swimming on Day 1.
- On the second day, hit the home gym/weight equipment, use those inexpensive stretch bands (they’re better exercise than you think!) or go to the club for a change of scenery and the plethora of exercise options offered.
- On Day 3, it’s Dealer’s Choice! Pick the activity you like best. The secret to success in fitness is consistency. Sick with it and the results are guaranteed.
Outdoor sports boost strength and agility by honing skills you normally don’t focus on, like testing your sense of balance by skateboarding with your kids. Use a Bosu Ball or mini-trampoline at home for the same benefits. These activities prevent exercise boredom because you don’t do them all the time, and you can perform them in social settings so they never really feel like work. Keep a running tally of all calories burned as you cross off activities.
Here are the calories you’ll burn doing 30 minutes of leisure activities this summer (based on 150-pound person):
ACTIVITY CALORIE BURN
Basketball 288 calories
Beach walk (sand) 216 calories
Boogie-board 360 calories
Elliptical 324 calories
Frisbee 108 calories
Gardening 167 calories
Golf (carry clubs) 198 calories
Mini Golf 126 calories
Mountain Bike 306 calories
Play Tag (with kids) 180 calories
Sail 130 calories
Swim Laps 360 calories
Tennis 252 calories
Volleyball (beach) 108 calories
Pool Aerobics 144 calories
Maintain your strength training workouts at home or in the gym as you explore all your outdoor fitness options.Total-body sporting activities like surfing, biking and ocean swimming increase your strength, stamina, power and balance. And stay tuned to Premier Fitness Source for our discounts and exciting new offerings in cardio cross-training workouts.