Are you ready for swimsuit season?
It's hard to believe the unofficial start of summer is a mere two weeks away. And that means it's time to get brutally honest and take a good look in the mirror and see if you're ready to hit the beach.
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Healthy Hollywood is feeling so-so about slipping into my bikini. It's hard to feel full-on swimsuit-ready when you're bombarded daily by images of seemingly perfect Hollywood celebrities in itty-bitty swimsuits. But, nonetheless, I'd like a little less jiggle before I take-off my cover-up at the beach.
So, it's time for Healthy Hollywood to recruit my go-to body tune-up guy - Equinox Fitness trainer Ben Hart.
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"The quickest fix someone can do is a combination of diet, cardio, and strength training. What has worked best for my clients is a high intensity interval training with a combination of strength training. The more you push your body, the more results you're going to get," exclaims Ben!
Yet, to achieve a beach-ready body doesn't require hours at the gym. Ben stresses that a mistake he sees people make is spending endless hours doing an aimless workout. The best results can be attained from 30 minutes of a structured high intensity regimen.
Also, if you're like Healthy Hollywood and would like a tighter tush combined with more definition in the ab area, Ben suggests toning exercises that integrate full body movements.
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"There is no such thing as spot reduction. There is such a thing as spot strengthening, but you will not burn calories and fat in one specific area of your body. For general toning and shaping, I would suggest full body moves that work different areas at the same time, along with cardio."
To tone legs/glutes and abs, Ben thinks squats are the best exercise. "You don't have to stick with traditional squats. Try various versions, such as a side step into a squat with bicep curls, squats into a shoulder press or squats into a wide grip cable row. These moves are all full body toners."
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Also, to effectively tighten the core, be sure to add planks into your exercise routine. "Try alternating different forms of plank, such as adding straight leg raises or crawling to the side while in plank position."
So, get inspired and hit the gym, there's still time to get swimsuit ready. Healthy Hollywood is off to exercise.
For more fitness tips, check out Equinox's Q blog at www.equinox.com.
-- Terri MacLeod
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