5 Tips To Stay In Shape After Summer

It’s hard to get in shape for the summer but it’s even harder to stay fit when summer’s over. The follow tips will help you keep your body lean and strong:

1. Make morning workouts work for you.

“I never wanted to exercise after work, because I wanted to either go out with friends, or come home and just relax. I needed a plan for working out in the morning with no excuses. Now I lay out my exercise clothes, fill a bottle of water, pack the outfit I’m going to wear to work the night before. This way I’m ready to hit the gym and have no excuses. ”
—Cat Fuentes, 28

2. Master portion control.

“In seven years I’ve lost 70 pounds. Here’s how I did it: I’m all about tapas-style dining, or “small plates”, which allows me to try a little bit of everything. I also eat small, healthy meals throughout the day instead of three huge meals.”
—Emily Abbate, 26

3. Eat more fiber and lean protein.

“I wanted to join Officer Candidate School in the Marine Corps, which required meeting certain physical requirements. I soon realized that strength training wasn’t going to be enough to get me in shape — I needed to lose weight. I started eating more fiber, which included oatmeal for breakfast and salad for lunch and dinner. I allowed myself to eat whatever I wanted to as long as I ate a big salad first, and soon I wasn’t hungry at all after eating the salad! I included good sources of lean protein like tuna or turkey. I lost 30 pounds, and was accepted into the OCS.”
—Arjun Chandrasekaran, 29

4. Lift weights.

“I wanted to get my weight under control so I started seeing a personal trainer who got me lifting weights right away. I now love exercising and I’ve gained so much confidence, strength and power.”
—Mackenzie Kruvant, 24

5. Get enough sleep.

“My number one tip for living healthier getting enough sleep every night. You can’t stay motivated if you’re exhausted. Set a bedtime and stick to it. Unplug before bed. Putting your phone in airplane mode will help you to sleep better.”
—Rachel Miller, 29