THE sun is shining in south Cumbria and summer is closing in fast. The good news is more ice creams and barbecues for everyone, but perhaps some less welcome news is that it heralds the beginning of 'swimwear season'.
For many people, getting in to a swimming costume for their holiday can be an anxiety inducing challenge.
As we creep towards the middle of May it might seem too late to start thinking about toning up but personal trainer Stephen Bell, 25, of Mikasa Street, Walney, insists that anybody can get fitter and healthier in just eight weeks.
Mr Bell, who is self-employed and based in Ironwerx Gym in Barrow, specialises in getting people in to shape faster. He said: "You would be surprised just how much you can achieve in two months if you are willing to put the work in. One of my clients lost four stone over her eight-week program, going from 19 stone to 15 stone.
"Of course if you are already a healthy weight and just want to tone up before your holiday then you would follow a slightly different regime but you can definitely make dramatic changes in a very short time period."
Mr Bell tailors nutrition and workout plans to all of his clients and helps them fulfill their potential whether that is through weight loss or muscle gain. He said: "It is really important to do a variation of cardiovascular exercise and weights so that you can have a healthy balance and lose body fat while staying strong and healthy.
"Being in good shape is definitely 70% nutrition and 30% exercise so you can't just eat what you like and then go for a run every now and then. If you want dramatic results fast then you have to apply yourself and work hard."
However, Mr Bell is quick to discourage drastic dieting and calorie counting and encourages people to choose healthier foods that they enjoy. He prefers his clients to embrace a healthy lifestyle and make sure they don't cut out any source of nutrition from food. He recommends a diet that consists of 50% carbohydrate, 30% protein and 20% fat to keep happy and healthy. He finds that just as many people are eager to have personalised eating plans are they are to have training sessions.
If you don't necessarily have the time of money to go to the gym then Mr Bell has some top tips for working out at home, he said: "It's great to come to a gym like this because there is a real camaraderie and everybody helps each other out but if you're trying to get fitter at home it's a good idea to try and do it with a friend. Having somebody to workout with makes it more enjoyable and you can both motivate each other.
"With the warmer weather coming now it is so much easier to get out for a jog after work and I encourage clients to add walking in to their routines. Even a half hour walk with the dog can be burning calories.
"For a great workout at home using just your body weight I would recommend HIIT (high intensity interval training) circuits. For example sets of Burpees, Squats, Press Ups, Star jumps, Sit Ups and Mountain climbers would target every area of the body from the comfort of your house."
WATCH A BEGINNERS HIIT TUTORIAL HERE:
A technique made popular by growing Instagram fitness gurus like Kayla Itsines are weekly progress pictures and this is a trick that Mr Bell advocates. He said: "I encourage all my clients to take a front, profile and rear photo every week so that we can record their process and then adjust their diet and workout according to which areas still need work.
"A lot of people feel really self conscious taking progress pictures but I find after a few weeks they really boost morale. If you are feeling a bit low in the middle of an eight week transformation, reminding yourself just how far you've come can be a real confidence boost."
Mr Bell is currently planning a series of beach boot camps for summer in the hope of getting more people out doors to exercise. He wants to teach techniques that can then be used every day to get trim and stay trim.
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