Ok, depending on where in the world you’re reading this from, for many of us we’re now in the midst of summer, which means we’re in the midst of bathing suit season. If you happen to have left things a bit late as far as diet and exercise are concerned, fear not, because there’s still plenty of warm weather left yet, and besides which, if you want to look your best then you can look your best, no matter what time of year it is.
We all want a fabulous-looking bikini body, yet many of us simply aren’t quite able to attain it for whatever reason. If you’re one of those individuals that have tried and tried to burn the fat, tone up, and trim down but have seen little progress, despite working your butt off, take a look at these 4 women’s workout routine fitness tips for a fab bikini body and before you know it you’ll be looking better than you ever could have imagined.
#1 Know How to Work Your Body
The problem with many women’s workout routines these days is that they try to include too much into each routine, when in fact, quite the opposite has been proven to be the most successful method of shaping up. There are three main variables when it comes to getting in shape: Volume, intensity, and weights used. In order to keep your body on its toes so that it doesn’t know whether it’s coming or going, try to focus on just one of these variables per workout.
For example, one workout you may dedicate solely to cardio, whilst the next will be dedicated solely to weight and resistance training. The problem with many women’s workout routines you see online or in some magazines and publications is that they try to cram too much in there at once.
They’ll tell you to perform a 15-minute warm-up, followed by 30 minutes on the treadmill, followed by 30 minutes of weight training, finished off with another 20 minutes on the exercise bike, and that is detrimental as you’re putting your body through too much in one go.
Instead, if you’re doing cardio, just do cardio. If you’re lifting weights, just lift weights. If you’re on a high-intensity day, make sure your entire workout is a high-intensity workout.
#2 Circuit Training to Get a Bikini Body
We mentioned the importance of high-intensity training, and here’s an example of how beneficial high-intensity training can be. If fat loss is your goal, every few weeks, include a few circuit training sessions to really melt away stubborn body fat by combining weight exercises with cardio exercises.
We know that we told you to do the exact opposite above, but remember, this is a high intensity day that should only be included every now and then, and certainly not as part of any regular women’s workout routine. A circuit training session will allow you to build and tone muscle, whilst melting stubborn body fat in the process. So for example, you can do a set of push-ups, a set of burpees for one minute, a set of bodyweight squats, and finish up with one minute of jump rope, all with little-to-no rest in between sets.
#3 Eat more Protein
Don’t worry, if you eat more protein you’re certainly not going to turn into a she-hulk covered in bulging muscles and veins, but what you will do is burn fat and slightly increase your lean muscle mass, which is exactly what you’re looking to achieve. Protein is perfect because it assists with muscle growth, repair, and recovery, and it is an essential micronutrient needed for our cells to function correctly.
As far as your bikini body goes, protein is perfect because as mentioned, it helps increase lean muscle growth and definition, but on top of that, it is a thermogenic food which means that it increases the metabolism as it digests, because it takes much longer to digest than other foods.
Stick with healthy protein sources such as fish, chicken, turkey, lean beef, organic eggs, nuts, seeds, beans, and even a good quality protein supplement in the process. Stay away from fatty and processed meats such as salami and bologna as they’re often full of unhealthy fats, not to mention artificial chemicals and ingredients.
#4 Eat small and Often
So, as long as you track your calories and eat fresh, healthy, and balanced meals, eating 5 – 6 small and healthy meals per day will help you to burn fat and tone up in no time at all. Instead of eating large meals, eat several smaller and healthier meals to keep your metabolism burning at its highest capacity.
The faster your metabolism is burning, the more fat you will burn and the more energy you will have as a result. Believe it or not, but some women’s workout routines actually tell you to avoid breakfast, but that is something you should never do.
Always start your day off with a healthy and balanced breakfast and your metabolism will fire into life and, providing you keep it well fed with healthy food, will energize you and turn your body into a fat burning machine!
