How to Sustain Your Summer Shape
Don’t lose your summer body—commit to a fitness plan for the fall.
You've worked hard for your great summer body, and it’s been great showing it off these last three months. However, with fall coming up, you’re looking at Labor Day, football games and tailgating, Halloween, and before you know it, Thanksgiving all packed into a few short months. On top of all that, school is back in full swing and you will have used up all your vacation days on summer trips to the beach.
At this point you might be tempted to look down at your bathing suit body and sigh, but Denise LaRue, manager of Fitness on Broughton, has some insight to offer on how you can make sure the holiday season is not synonymous with the end of this healthy, fit version of you.
“If you’re happy with your summer weight and size, you should prioritize maintaining your fitness level,” says Denise. “It’s so much easier to keep up with what you have achieved than it is to start all over again in January with extra pounds to burn.”
This means cultivating healthy habits like keeping the gym in your schedule five days a week. Even if you go for less time than you did when you set out to lose weight, it is critical that you don’t sacrifice regular visits. Once you’re out of the habit, getting back in it can be a long process.
More importantly, however, is paying attention to you what you eat and drink. Diet is 70% of the battle, Denise explains, so you need to be careful what you consume, but this doesn’t mean you can’t treat yourself.
“It’s okay to take a cheat day once a week or on special occasions,” she says, because allowing a little flexibility can help people stick with good habits, as long as you don’t go overboard on those days.
“Pick your battles and choose healthy foods,” Denise says. “You should never starve yourself because you will inevitably end up in front of the fridge ravenously hungry late at night, which is the worst time to eat if you’re trying to be conscious of your weight.”
It’s also a great idea to find a buddy to hold you accountable, Denise explains. Whether it is a significant other, co-worker or a group of friends, having someone to get you to the gym and push you the extra five minutes is the motivation many people need to maintain a workout routine.
Fitness on Broughton strives to make staying healthy easy, accessible and even fun. In addition to offering personal training services and boot camps, the tucked-away gym includes group workout classes and locker room services in its membership packages.
“Being a boutique gym has its advantages,” Denise explains. “We can customize classes for events like bridal parties and give each of our members the perks of higher-end amenities for a great price. We love to go all-out because we love to get people excited about getting exercise.”
Denise LaRue is the Manager of Fitness on Broughton. To learn more about the gym, its weekly passes, class schedule and member services, visit https://www.fitnessonbroughton.com
