New Year has arrived and Valentine’s Day is around the corner. Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate your appreciation and affection for the people you love in your life. If you are looking to get in shape and look your best to impress that special person in your life, you would need to lose those pounds accumulated over Christmas. Here are some fitness tips that can get you back in shape before V-Day:
- Losing weight: Just with few weeks to go, it is time for men to hit the gym and try High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) (www.askmen.com). According to a study in the Journal of Applied Nutrition Physiology and Metabolism, HIIT increases your body’s capacity for burning fat by 60%. Work out intensely for 30 seconds, rest for 2 minutes and then repeat. This could involve sprinting on the treadmill, using the rowing machine, or any sort of cardio activity. After a week’s time, try explosive weight training that can give your quick results with more muscle tension. Finally, you can add high intensity exercise which involves multiple muscle groups.
- Bulking up: If you are skinny and wish to gain some packs by Valentine’s Day, www.askmen.com recommends focusing on training all the major muscle groups in each workout, instead of on different days. The goal should be to use higher weights with few reps. But make sure that you don’t lift more and end up injuring yourself. On day 1, train with a weight with which you can do 8 reps. For day 2, train with a weight you can do 5 reps with;, and on day 3 train with a weight you can just about do 10 reps. Begin each workout with squats , followed by chin-ups and rows and finally, bench presses and overhead presses. Make sure to take two days rest in between the workouts so that your muscles can rebuild.
- V-Day V cut: if you are in good shape and just want to get ripped abs before Valentine’s Day, make a few changes to your routine to cut body fat. Add HIIT to the end of your workout to get rid of that excess fat. Train your calves, forearms and abs together to get the best results.
- Healthy diet: Eating healthy is important to be fit. Don’t go on a crash diet; instead, cut your calorie by about a sixth to avoid the metabolic slowdown. Eat fresh fruit, vegetables and lean protein and avoid processed food, fried food, soda, and excess caffeine.
- Don’t starve yourself: Having healthy meals at the right intervals is important to stay fit. Don’t avoid breakfast. Eat small six meals every three hours. This will help keep your energy levels up, curb appetite, and discourage binge eating. Make sure to eating healthy snacks like sprouts, salads, etc. Taking green tea can help with weight loss.
Getting in shape before Valentine’s Day will boost your confidence and also your well-being. Don’t forget to continue to maintain your results by sticking to healthy habits.
