With summer just around the corner, now is the perfect time to grab your bathers, sandals and SPF 30 and start to prepare for a much needed dose of vitamin d in the form of sunshine (hopefully!).

As we build up to a season of cricket, barbecues and beach outings, let’s look at some ways to get our bodies looking and feeling great.

Below are some simple guidelines to help you to achieve the results you want, without having to drastically change your lifestyle or spend a lot of money doing it. With a bit of willpower and a small amount of work, you can transform your body no matter what shape you’re in now.

- Peter Burge, Hawthorn Strength and Conditioning Coach


1. Drink water.
Sounds simple enough, yet it’s so difficult for many of us. Do you drink enough water?

Dehydration is so common and yet most of us have no idea we are dehydrated. Since we are mostly composed of water, we need to replace water that is depleted from the body as well as give our body the water it needs to perform metabolic processes.

Boosting your water intake is going to help increase your metabolism! Try and drink between 1.5 to 2 litres of water a day (1 cup is 250ml). Get yourself a water bottle and sip on it whenever you see it in front of you.  If water bores you, add some lemon or lime wedges to it.

2. Get your greens in!
Eat more salads and cooked leafy greens. Upward reaching leafy veggies are blood builders and cleansing for the liver. Have your greens in a variety of ways; interesting salads, sautéed, steamed, juiced. Add a variety of toppings to make your salads more substantial such as beans, chopped veggies, etc.

Greens help to regulate your blood sugar and will help to curb any cravings for sweets.

3. Get a workout buddy.
Find a friend or colleague with similar goals and plan your training/fitness sessions together. The motivation to train when you have someone to work with can make the time pass quicker and also increases your enjoyment.

Having someone with similar goals can assist when you are feeling a bit lousy or not as motivated as they can help get you out of bed and onto the pavement!

4. Set your alarm and go!
Exercise during the morning whenever possible. When you work out at the start of your day it decreases your appetite and stimulates the thyroid to burn calories all day long. If on a long walk or jog take stairs whenever possible.

Walking stairs activates the glutes, which works your butt and keeps it firm, and who doesn’t like a firm butt! Add some resistance training at the end of the workout to further stimulate the fat burning process. This might include push-ups, bicep curls, lateral raises, curl ups (crunches), and bodyweight squats or lunges. Women should not be afraid to do resistance training as it increases the muscles’ metabolic rate and tone.

In general it is very difficult for females to put on muscle as they don’t have as much testosterone as men. Two to three resistance sessions a week for 20 minutes can have a major impact on your overall fitness plan.

5. Eat more.
Eat more meals throughout the day. Start the day with a solid breakfast and eat smaller meals throughout the day. Five to six small meals spread throughout the day will encourage stable blood sugar levels and a satiated appetite. Breakfast is very important as it kick-starts your metabolism for the day.

Eat whole and unprocessed fruits and veggies, making sure you balance your diet with high quality lean proteins, green leafy vegetables and complex carbohydrates.

6. Eliminate sugars!
Simple sugars enter your blood stream within minutes and can have a harmful effect on the body, causing mood swings, weight gain, mineral depletion and more. Let’s face it, our diets are loaded with sugar, but we can do our best to control how much sugar we eat and in what forms.

Generally avoid white sugar, as well as synthetic sugars as it will definitely interfere with your goal for a trimmer waistline.  If you know you have a sweet tooth, try integrating sweet-tasting foods into your diet.

Foods like sweet potatoes, pears, and cinnamon are soothing to the pancreas and can satisfy the body’s craving for sweet taste. For healthier alternatives to sugar try sweeteners like maple syrup or honey.

Personally I have found that to beat sugar cravings, if you can avoid them for 14-21 days, the cravings start to disappear… it’s a challenge, but the reward is a slimmer, fitter physique!

7. Keep moving.
As it gets warmer our bodies naturally desire more sunlight and activity. Carve out some time in your busy schedule to do some of the things you love to do outdoors, like rollerblading, bike-riding, recreational sports, walking more, etc.

Another strategy is to park your car further away from work so you have to walk an extra block (remember you will have to do it at the end of the day also, so don’t get too excited and park in the next postcode!).

Even if you only do it once or twice each week, you’ll get great exercise and burn a few extra calories as a bonus.

8. Keep it Lean!
When consuming protein, cut back a bit. You don’t need to have meat at every meal, in fact, it should be treated more like a side dish than a main course. Eat lean portions of protein a few times per week and get adequate sources of plant protein to supplement your diet. Some good sources include legumes, brown rice, artichokes, brussel sprouts, nuts, and seeds.

9. Set yourself up for success.
Be prepared. If you know you need new runners or need a new pair of tights for a yoga class, do yourself a favour and purchase these things ahead of time. Download schedules for group exercise classes you are interested in taking at the gym.

10. Eat in and cook!
Dining out means less control of what’s in your food. Restaurants and processed food contribute to the majority of sodium, sugar, and poor fat in our diets, not to mention the hidden calories.

Save restaurant dining for occasional nights out and really focus on preparing healthy meals for yourself at home. Even if you’re eating out on the cheap, the average meal and drink at a restaurant costs 50-75 per cent more per person than a home-cooked meal.

Cooking can be fun, download some recipes off the internet and try something different, all you need to do is prepare by purchasing the ingredients. Summer is a great time for BBQs so get outside and use the flame grill on your steak!

Author’s tip: I have always worked on a theory that to look and feel great it is largely influenced by what goes into your mouth.

Exercise is very important and needs to be consistent, but largely it is people’s diets that continue to let them down when looking for a trimmer physique. Focus on being active and exercising, but focus more on your meal plans and preparing your own food.

This will go along way to helping you achieve that fitter and slimmer physique this summer.