It's time to shift your perspective on what role fitness plays in your life. If the idea of bikini season [1] makes you want to hide back in the closet with your Winter coats, never fear. This Summer, instead of focusing on calorie counting, the scale, and full-length mirrors, we're focusing on self-love [2] strength training.
"Body confidence and self-love are muscles — the more you work on them, the stronger they get," said Caroline Jordan, a fitness and wellness guru and creator of the Strong Body Beautiful [3] program. "There is no better time than right now — yep, right this very minute! — to get started on some serious body-love. I encourage you to practice your body love push-ups daily and build your body confidence strength."
Switch up your fitness routine with a focus on feeling strong and having fun, and say hello to a routine you'll love and never want to skip.
Hit the Weight Room
The key to strong, sculpted bodies? Pick up those dumbbells [5]. "Having a consistent strength routine allows you to sculpt and shape your entire body, ignite your metabolism and burn more calories 24/7, lose fat, build lean, defined, muscles and stronger bones, have better posture, decrease joint pain and risk for injuries, increase your flexibility, gain more energy, boost your confidence, mental strength, and body image, and kick ass in life," said Jordan. Need we say more?Weights work magic for your body [6] and promote a confident, powerful mind.
Shock Your Body
"If you tend to stick to the same weekly workout routine, you will eventually hit a plateau and fail to see any additional change," said Jordan. "When you're no longer seeing results, it's too easy to become bored with your workouts, and it can eventually be the reason you to give up on the gym."
Avoid mental and physical plateaus by trying something completely new. Switch it up with a total-body strength and cardio workout such as Orangetheory [8]. The combination of high-intensity intervals and strength training helps burn more fat, boost metabolism, define your muscles, and basically make you feel like a total badass when you conquer a new workout.
Stop the Comparison
Put down your phone and step away from Instagram. Scrolling through the latest #fitspo is not going to get you where you want to be. "Because of the culture we live in, we're always going to be underimpressed with our own bodies. It's human nature to constantly feel like we could do more and look better," said Jordan. "But if your perspective is to focus on how you feel more than on how you look [9], you've got a much better chance of sticking with your goals and being healthy long-term."
It can be hard to stop measuring yourself up to the girl beside you [10] at Pilates and that one fitness influencer with the unstoppable abs, but internalizing these negative feelings won't help you look better on the outside — taking care of your own healthy lifestyle will.
As Jordan said: "Feeling good is addictive! The more energized and productive you feel, the more you're going to want to continue doing the things that are contributing to your well-being. Live a life that feels good on the inside, not just one that looks good in a bikini."
Go Play
Workout routines don't just involve trips to the gym. Have fun with it! The more joy you take away from your sweat session of choice, the more you will keep coming back for more, making it a permanent addition to your healthy lifestyle. Try shakin' yo thang with your girlfriends at Zumba class [12] or giving the clubbell yoga trend [13] a try.
Working out is always better with a partner. Recruit your significant other to get fit together with a couple's workout [14], or invite your friend to try that new cycle studio instead of (or before) happy hour. Start shifting your perspective from making fitness something you have to do and instead make it something you get to do.
Get Outside
Chase the Winter blues away and soak up some vitamin D outside instead of a dark, sweaty studio for even more endorphin-boosting benefits. Truly take advantage of this season's warmer weather and longer daylight hours. Not to mention, time outside and away from gym mirrors allows you to escape the hustle [15], decompress, and shift your mindset to how you feel rather than how you look.
"Think beyond the bathing suit," advised Jordan. "Think about how your life feels." And what feels better than a few hours in the sun? Go for a hike [16], jump in the ocean for a surf or swim, or take the doggies on a long walk around your town. Just don't forget your sunscreen. [17]
