Five summer body super-shredders
With summer fast approaching, many fitness fanatics and newcomers alike are asking one simple question: “how can I shed as much fat as possible in the next few weeks and seriously strut my stuff on the beach?”
Here are five simple super-shredder tips to help you close the distance on your dream physique in a hurry.
Stop Drinking Alcohol (Completely)
Now, it might sound a little extreme to cut out all alcohol from your life while trying to lose fat fast – after all, you could just trade out that calorie-heavy beer for a few vodka shots, right?
Probably not the best idea. While beer is indeed calorie heavy, with an average of around 40 calories per 100ml, spirits might just give you a nasty surprise as well, with a single shot of vodka containing around 100 calories.
If you really want to shed as much weight as possible in a hurry, invite your friends to grab a coffee instead.
Do Your HIIT Religiously
The science is clear that High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is significantly more effective than regular steady state cardio at promoting fat loss, while also improving insulin sensitivity.[1]
With that in mind, you should be hitting the road, treadmill, or stationary bike for an intense interval workout 2-3 times per week to really stoke the inner fire. Try one of our free HIIT video workouts next time you're in the gym to burn calories, tone your muscles and blast fat in under 30 minutes.
If you prefer to do your HIIT in a group, we have a number of free fitness classes available, such as Pure Cycle and Pure Bootcamp that will get your heart pumping.
Hop on the Ketogenic Diet for a Short While
The ketogenic diet – which involves effectively eliminating your carb intake and gorging on fats – can be pretty uncomfortable for a lot of people, especially as a long-term diet strategy. Everyone likes sandwiches and chips, after all.
Alas, the research does show that the keto diet significantly improves fat loss, while reducing blood glucose levels and “bad” LDL cholesterol in the body at the same time.[2]
If you’re willing to grin and bear it for a month or two, you should seriously consider taking carbs off the menu and going keto.
Dedicate More Time to Sleeping
This one doesn’t sound too bad, does it? Unlike adopting a strenuous cardio or diet routine, sleep is something everyone enjoys, and which pretty much everyone wants more of.
Well, you’ve now got a gold-plated excuse to get more Zs.
A 2010 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that sleep deprivation stalled fat loss efforts, probably due to its negative effects on hormonal production and balance.
And don’t think that “sleep deprivation” means something like “only getting an hour a night,” either. The study in question was comparing subjects who slept 5.5 hours a night with those who slept 8.5 hours a night.
Switch out Your Usual Beverages for Water
The great thing about water – apart from the fact that it’s essential to the healthy functioning of the body – is that it contains no calories.
The same can’t be said for many other popular beverages. Definitely not for standard fizzy drinks, or juice, milk, or most sugar-heavy types of lemonade you’re likely to try.
Although black coffee or unsweetened tea won’t do any harm, in most other cases it’s best to err on the side of caution and just have a glass of water when you’re feeling thirsty.
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2991639/
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2716748/
