6 Hacks to Guarantee Fat Loss for Summer

Summer will be here before you know it, and it’s time to get a plan of attack ready to shed pounds and ensure you finish off the summer strong, sexy AF, and in control. These six hacks will ensure your summer isn’t completely wasted on fruity cocktails and gelato, so that you can have the bikini body you’ve been dreaming about. From sleep to shutting down your screens,  these tips to weight loss might not be what you’d expect but they’re exactly what you need.

Keep reading to find out exactly what to do this summer to reach your goals and feel incredible.

1. Sleep Schedule

We all know how important it is to get our z’s, but it’s about so much more than just your beauty sleep. Sleep and weight loss are inextricably linked, which makes it so important to ensure you’re getting 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night. Sound tough? No kidding. With busy lives and stress constantly rearing its ugly head, 7-9 hours a night can seem impossible. But there are a few ways to get your sleep schedule on track, which can help you keep your weight in control. When you don’t get enough sleep, it gets easier to make bad choices because your frontal lobe activity (where impulse control and decision-making resides) starts to dull. When you’re tired, your brain looks for ways to feel better, which means you crave more junk food without having the willpower to say no (pretty much a recipe for disaster).

2. Meal Prep

Meal prepping is becoming more and more trendy, but there’s a reason why (besides the Instagram-worthy pictures). Planning your meals in advance, purchasing the ingredients, and actually prepping them makes it easier to say yes to healthy choices. It’s easier to turn down the takeout when you’ve got a delicious, homemade meal ready to go (especially when you’ve already put the time, money, and energy into making it). Plus, you’re more likely to meal prep healthy, fresh options than unhealthy food! By investing a few hours each Sunday, you’re going to notice a serious difference in your weight over the summer.

Get started, strong. Grab our new meal plan and nutrition guide for all the intel you need for meal prep and planning success!

3. Gear

Getting geared up for summer means more than just purchasing a teeny-weeny, yellow polka dot bikini to hang on your closet for inspiration. It means getting the right gear to ensure your workouts are consistently challenging but doable, even when your only gym is your living room floor. Making workouts a priority even when you’re strapped for time will make a huge difference in your weight loss this summer, and your gear is your secret weapon.

4. Fresh Food

Diets will come and go, but eating whole, fresh food daily is your lasting ticket to fat loss this summer. It’s tempting to sit on patios and snack on half-price appetizers when the sun is shining but making fresh food at home will not only save you money but also help you keep your weight in check. Avoid boxed or packaged food and try making everything you can from scratch if possible; this will help you cut out added sugar and fats that aren’t doing you any favours, while also keeping portions in control. Make fresh vegetables and fruits a major part of each meal, and you’ll see a difference in how your clothes fit throughout the summer.

5. Getting Outside

Getting plenty of fresh air isn’t just a mood booster; it can actually help you keep your waistline in check this summer. Incorporating more outdoor activities into your day-to-day encourages a healthy, active lifestyle that can help you shed pounds without even realizing it. Whether you’re adding an extra walk for your dog, gardening, taking your workout outdoors, or even just walking to the store instead of driving can boost your weight loss this summer without any huge lifestyle changes.

6. Practice Downtime

Going screen-free is getting more and more awareness, and it’s time we take notice. Dropping technology to practice mindfulness, even just a few minutes per day, can help guarantee you fat loss this summer. Sound too good to be true? It’s not. Practicing mindfulness can help you control emotional eating, manage your cravings, and recover from unhealthy slip-ups so that you can get back to your healthy lifestyle and have a fantastic, fat-shedding summer.