Summer Tips For Weight Loss

Summer is here - and you know what that means - the beach is calling, sis! If you’re not feeling your summer bod confidence just yet, don’t worry - you’re not alone.

There are many misconceptions when it comes to losing weight and often people take the approach of not eating enough and adding huge amounts of cardio to their workout regime. Not only is this an unsustainable lifestyle, but it could deeply affect your health. 

Here are some simple weight loss tips to help you feel beach ready in no time.

1. Set a realistic goal 

Take some time to write down your weight loss goals. Make them S.M.A.R.T goals - specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely. For example, “I want to drop 5kg in body weight through daily exercises and adhering to my macros over the next 12 weeks”. Keep your goals somewhere handy so you can refer to them daily and keep you motivated to stay on track.

2. Join a challenge

If you’re unsure where to begin, or you’re struggling to see results, committing to a challenge can help hold you accountable with your health and fitness goals - and it adds some fun to your weight loss journey! We love 30 Day challenges at THE BOD and our goal is to educate you to continue on with your health and fitness goals in a long-term and sustainable way - not just for 30 days. I always say, if it isn’t sustainable forever don’t start it. My hope is that you will have all the tools you need at your fingertips to be able to understand the basics of nutrition, follow a training program and reset your mind so that you can truly achieve great things!

3. Stay hydrated

Loading up on water is a great way to keep calories to a minimum and also helps you reach your water intake for the day. A great thing about summer is all the water-rich fruits and veggies that are in season - try snacking on watermelon, cucumber, tomatoes, melon, pineapple, and celery for hydrating yet nutritious snacks. Try to drink between 2L and 3L of water a day. Keep a bottle on you and take small sips throughout the day to keep you full.

4. Take progress photos

It’s easy to get discouraged and feel like you’re not making much progress, especially if you’re only relying on the numbers on the scales. The reality is, you’re probably making more progress than you realise. Taking selfies can be one of the most accurate ways to see your progress (if done correctly). Seeing visual progress is excellent for your mindset and will give you a motivation boost to keep smashing those goals. When taking progress photos, it’s important to take a ‘before’ photo and set reminders to take a progress photo every 1-2 weeks. Stay consistent and take progress photos at the same time of the day and of the front, back, and side profiles. 

5. Choose healthy snacks

Reaching for a sugary treat from the cupboard or something from the vending machine may seem like the easiest option when a snack attack creeps up, but don’t let this affect your health and fitness goals. Snacks can be filling, delicious, and guess what - healthy! Avoid empty calories (such as fizzy drinks, cakes, high sugar foods) and choose a healthy alternative such as steamed veggies, fruit, or protein balls. Find plenty of fuelling, low calorie snack recipes on THE BOD app. 

6. Meal prep

Not only can meal prep help save you on time, but it can help you make better nutritious choices which will support your weight loss journey. Try preparing your lunches and snacks for the week on a Sunday - you’ll notice throughout the week then you’ll face less temptation to cheat on your diet, you’ll eat more veggies, and you’ll eat fewer calories. Plus, you’ll have more time and stress less about what to buy for lunch! 

7. Count your macros

If you still want flexibility in your diet and the option to choose other food options outside of a meal plan, then flexible dieting is endless in its options. Also referred to as tracking macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fat), flexible dieting allows you the freedom to eat the foods you enjoy, while still maintaining your health and fitness goals. Flexible dieting doesn’t mean eating junk food day in, day out, however, it does mean that by focusing on your macronutrient intake rather than eating certain foods or sticking to a strict regime you can stay on track and be able to live your life with balance. Use THE BOD App or THE BOD Macro Calculator to calculate your personal macronutrients based on your goals.

Get in touch with our  Customer Support if you have questions and you'd like more help with your weight loss journey. We'd love to help you!