The holidays are fast approaching, and it’s almost time to uncover yourself and put on your swimsuits. If for the more sporty among you the idea seems very sweet, for others, it is a (slight) Source of anxiety. It must be said that this year, the sunny days took a long time to arrive and we almost forgot that we had to prepare our bodies before showing it off on the beach.
In other words, it’s time to work on your summer body. “You should know that this term, summer body, is used to define a precise objective achievable in the short term, between 3 and 1 month before a deadline.“, explains Rebecca Chocron, dietitian, based in Marseille (8th). As summer approaches, “the objectives are always the same. It’s about removing cellulite, losing fat and losing belly fat.“, but without resorting to deprivation.”It can have the opposite effect. The body can stop burning calories and go into survival mode. And, despite the deprivation, we achieve no weight loss“. So to help you feel good in your body, the dietitian will give you valuable advice.
Eat a balanced diet and stay hydrated
First of all, you will need to review your diet. Opt for a balanced diet by separating your plate into three parts: 1/3 proteins, 1/3 starchy foods, 1/3 vegetables and a good fat such as olive oil, avocado, salmon, fresh cheese, oilseeds and dried fruits. As for the quantities, they will change depending on your objective. During dry periods, we limit the quantity of carbohydrates and lipids to consume a little more protein. During periods of calorie deficit, we limit carbohydrates and lipids but focus on vegetables and salads.
Remember to stop eating fast sugars (candies, cakes, etc.) because they are “capitalizers” fat and weight. But you should not remove all sugars either. Slow sugars (present in bread, rice, even wholemeal pasta for example) are a fuel for the body, and it has some need. To avoid water retention, we focus on hydration, between 1.5 and 2 liters of water per day. It promotes the elimination of toxins and will boost the metabolism. We avoid fats. foods that are too sweet, fried foods, alcohol so as not to run into a caloric surplus.
Food supplements and intermittent fasting
And if you need a little help, you can always turn to natural food supplements, especially caffeine-based. These are fat burners that can help you with your weight loss goal, without harming your health. Note that protein powder can also be added to your meals to increase or preserve muscle mass during this diet period which can be a little abrupt.
The other option to accelerate weight loss is intermittent fasting. In other words, you do not eat any food over a period of 16 hours, which will promote cellular regeneration. The body can draw on fat and you can achieve short-term weight loss and refine your figure. It is more and more frequent and easier to maintain because the body gets used to it and we operate with a new internal clock. Of course, over the 8 hour period during which you can eat, it is recommended to eat healthily.
Don’t look at the scale too much
Not all the efforts and effects of a diet are necessarily visible when weighing. You should therefore not look at the scale too often. Because even if the pounds don’t disappear, let’s not forget that the body benefits because you eat better. Life expectancy increases and the silhouette can still change.
Beauty: eat orange foods for a tanned complexion
For the health and beauty of your skin, choose foods rich in antioxidants. Cocoa, red fruits, cruciferous vegetables (such as cabbage, broccoli), green tea and coffee.which slow down skin aging”assures Rebecca Chocron, dietitian.
Also opt for foods rich in vitamin C which will stimulate good collagen synthesis. This vitamin is found in orange, citrus fruits, papaya, broccoli, red pepper. Without forgetting those who stock up on vitamin D which encourages skin cell renewal. This is the case for whole grains, dried fruits and eggs.
To maintain your tan, consume without moderation carotenoids which encourage the production of melanin. Like carrots, apricots, melon, pumpkin… In short, orange foods. As well as seafood, certain fish (herring, salmon, white fish) and Brazil nuts. Rich in selenium, they promote tanning and will give you a tanned complexion all summer long.
Sport: “Adopt a sports routine, between cardio exercises and muscle strengthening”
Of course, we are advised to adopt regular sporting activity to try to stay in good health. But as summer approaches, many of us suddenly develop a passion for sport. Their goal ? Sweat as much as possible to lose as many calories as possible and sharpen your figure. To avoid making unnecessary effort and maximize your chances of losing excess weight, Axel Sevieri and Anthony Giacomo, both experienced sports coaches at Wellness, in Marseille (8th), give us their best advice.
Adopt a workout routine
To lose excess pounds, you can maintain a sports routine by alternating both muscle strengthening and more targeted cardio training. In other words, it’s about getting your heart rate up to take care of your heart.
To strengthen your muscles, you can go to a gym (and try out the different machines) or do exercises using only body weight. The idea is to work the muscles which require much more energy expenditure than fat. In other words, you’ll burn a lot more calories and potentially lose weight.
The right exercises
Before starting each workout, take about ten minutes for your joint and muscle mobility. Then, increase your cardio for 10 minutes using a treadmill, rowing machine, elliptical bike (or by running on the spot, or by doing knee raises)… Then we move on to the core session. If you want to target, for example, refine your silhouette on the lower body, you work on this area for 45 minutes with different exercises. If you want to work your lower body, from the abs to the calves, including the thighs and buttocks, favor squats and lunges. You can vary the movements, the loads, the intensity…
If you don’t have the desire or the ability to join a gym, you can do a “full body“. It involves working each part of the body, then each muscle group with different movements. For the legs, we do squats and lunges, for the glutes: the bridge, core for the abs, push-ups for the upper body… All this over 45 minutes.
Recovery is part of training
When you want to quickly lose weight or, conversely, quickly gain muscle mass, you must not fall into the trap of overtraining. Be sure to leave at least one day of recovery between each workout, especially if you are a beginner. Keep sessions short at the beginning to avoid injury, increase their duration little by little and remember to sleep well, between 6 and 8 hours per night. Also note that walking is a good exercise, especially for seniors and people with health problems.
Generally speaking, it is advisable to be on the move and move. The ideal is to find an activity that we like to have fun… Because let’s not forget, the summer body can be prepared throughout the year.
