The good news? The first official day of summer — June 20 — is only 100 days away.
The bad news? That means it’s time to start thinking about how to shed that winter weight.
If you don’t have a gym membership and the thought of doing leg lifts is wholly unappealing, personal trainer and Future performance coach Katie Wilder Thomas spoke to The Post about some simple ways to get in shape sans any equipment.
Pick up the pace
“You want to feel amazing in your skin in the next 100 days? Commit to consistent cardiovascular training!” Thomas said.
That might sound intimidating, but it just means following the CDC’s recommendation of getting 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week.
You could, for example, go for a brisk walk for just 30 minutes a day five days a week — which, as an added bonus, can reduce your risk of dying by 31%.
But “if you are ready for a challenge, you can bring focus and intention to your efforts by measuring your weekly progress,” she said.
Start by jogging for as long as you’re comfortable with — whether it’s for 30, 10 or even just five minutes — write down the number, and try to beat it a little bit with every jog.
“You can continue this pattern until that initial duration begins to feel easy,” she said. “From there, you can add two to five minutes to your total time and continue to gradually attack your new training duration the same way.”
Get your steps in
According to Thomas, “what you do for 30-45 minutes in a workout is but a fraction of a day” that’s likely going to be dominated by sitting at your desk, languishing in traffic or relaxing on the couch.
“The easiest way to increase your calorie expenditure throughout the week without excessive physical strain on your body is to increase your daily step count,” she said.
The average American barely clocks in at 4,800 steps per day — or two miles — which Wilson notes is roughly four times less than our hunter-gatherer ancestors.
Obviously, modern life is what it is and we have to adapt — but that doesn’t mean we have to be sedentary.
“Our lives are different now, but the need to move our body for optimal health is as real as ever,” she said. “A body in motion stays in motion.”
To do this practically, measure where you’re at right now and then aim to increase those steps by 10-15% each week. So, if you’re averaging 5,000 steps at the moment, see if you can push that to 5,500 next week, then 6,500 and so on.
“A gradual build like this gives you an opportunity to see where you can incorporate more movement into your day in order to find a sustainable and lasting approach to building in more movement,” she said.
Don’t sit still
One of the best ways to get your steps in is to avoid being glued to your chair.
Thomas suggests not being seated for more than 50 minutes at a time, even if that means setting a timer to remind yourself to get up.
It may be hard to tear yourself away from a project you’re working on, but, as she points out, “you will actually stimulate more focus when you keep your body in motion throughout the day.”
As an added bonus, taking a break to move your body once every hour might actually help you remember to hydrate and induce healthier habits overall.
“These built-in breaks also allow you to manage your daily stress better, which leads to making better choices about the foods you’re eating and behavioral choices you’re making throughout the day,” she said.
Get stronger
They might not always be a whole lot of fun, but strength training exercises like push-ups help you build muscle, boost your longevity and just make you feel good.
And “because muscle is a metabolically active tissue, it will also help to keep your metabolism higher than if you do cardio alone — a key to preventing weight gain later in life,” she said.
Thomas recommends strength training at least twice a week with basic movements like squats, presses and pulls.
“Bonus points if you get down on the floor and crawl around a bit too — after all, we crawled before we walked,” she said.
As with the cardiovascular training, you’ll want to add on and challenge yourself every week to see noticeable improvement.
“Want to know if you’re getting stronger? How many unbroken push-ups can you do? How many squats can you do in a minute?” she said.
“How long can you hold a plank? These will be solid indicators you can test month-to-month to see that your work is paying off.”
Prioritize protein
Are you sick of hearing about all of the benefits of protein? If so, you’re out of luck, because Thomas believes “this macronutrient is finally getting the long-overdue attention it deserves, and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.”
Protein gives you energy, helps build and repair muscles, and provides the body with essential nutrients — but it also keeps you feeling full longer, which is crucial if you’re trying to lose weight by eating fewer calories.
“You don’t have to be perfect,” she said. “But the more you can think ‘protein first’ at meal time, the better you will feel, even while in a calorie deficit.”
