The fitness community is constantly evolving. Many new approaches to training and dieting have been developed over the last few years with fitness gadgets making their mark as well. If your goal is to develop a perfect beach body physique, here are some of the best new ideas out there.
1. Intermittent Fasting
Fasting has been known throughout the human history for its physical and mental health benefits. It can have a positive effect on depression, anxiety and similar mental disorders, as they are closely linked to a deficiency of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).
Fasting increases this brain hormone, and provides a biochemical solution for many mental issues. It has also been promoted heavily by the famous physician Arnold Ehret during the early 1900s as a way to rid the body of an accumulation of mucus which impedes the digestive process and the normal functioning of the human system as a whole.
This is a bit of an over-stretch, but Ehret’s ideas have had a huge influence on the health community at large. His “Rational Fasting” book is currently available for free reading and download here.
While most people are not willing to give up eating for a prolonged period of time, intermittent fasting is an excellent way to receive the fasting benefits within a moderate timeframe.
A simple intermittent fasting strategy involves skipping breakfast, and eating 2-3 larger meals later on in the day.
This eating method is advocated by many fitness experts, and practitioners alike, such as the the popular fitness youtuber Kinobody, who regularly produces vlogs in which he fasts for the majority part of the day, and then eats 2 larger meals in late afternoon or in the evening.
His shredded physique speaks volume of the efficiency of this fasting method.
A recently performed randomized trial has shown that intermittent fasting can improve the maintenance of lean muscle mass while training on a calorie restricted diet. The group that was on IF had overall better results than the control group in both muscle and endurance improvements.
From a practical standpoint, it is easy to see the benefits of eating this way. The half-day fasting is also referred to as a flat belly overnight diet, as it allows the digestive system to relax and recover from the constant binge eating, and it also allows the practitioner to consume less calories.
The caloric deficit leads to a sustained fat loss which can have an immense physique changing effect over time.
Another advocate of intermittent fasting is Ori Hofmelker. In his best seller book “The Warrior Diet”, Hofmelker lays out a 1 meal a day eating plan supported by extensive scientific research that supports the aforementioned claims.
If this short intro to intermittent fasting has sparked any interest, check out a more extensive explanation at: https://authoritynutrition.com/intermittent-fasting-guide/ or visit Kinobody’s YouTube channel and give it a try.
*A Word Of Caution: Please consult your doctor before switching to any major diet plan for it might not be the best choice for you.
2. The No-BS Workouts
The surge of information on fitness related subjects has created an impressive impact. Only a few years ago, it was easy to sell almost any workout program, but nowadays people are highly informed and only the best ones make it.
First, in order to build muscle, it is necessary to produce progressive overload, which means that the muscle has to be consistently challenged in order to grow. This has lead to regular strength based workouts such as the 5×5 to become popular again.
Another popular workout program is the 8×8 by Vince Gironda, which advocates doing 8 sets of 8 reps for each exercise with short 15-30 sec rest between sets. This may seem like a lot of volume at first, but it’s the ideal rep scheme for hypertrophy. The program is also designed to burn a lot of calories, so it can be used for both muscle building and fat loss.
Another style of training that has gained popularity recently are the high intensity bodyweight workouts such as the 300 Spartan Workout. This style of training is a bodyweight variant to the program used by Gerard Butler and the rest of the shredded cast of the movie.
It is designed to be fast and efficient, and the only equipment required are fitness elastic bands and a pull up bar, making it an ideal home workout. If you have a busy schedule, check out these other ways to make time for working out.
3. High Intensity Interval Cardio
There is also a different approach to cardio nowadays, as the slow and tedious cardio sessions are being replaced with high intensity, interval training. Cardiovascular exercises are the best way to build endurance, power and of course, create a lean physique by losing excess fat.
Jogging was previously touted as the best way to achieve these goals, because it was viewed as the greatest way to maintain muscle mass while increasing the heart rate and burning calories.
However, new scientific research clearly shows that HIIE (high intensity interval exercise), provides a much better benefit in terms of burning calories, suppressing hunger and maintaining muscle.
The great thing about doing HIIE is that it can be done through various activities. Running, CrossFit, weightlifting, cycling or swimming can all be done in a high intensity, interval way. All you need is to alternate between short 10-30 sec high intensity and 1-2 minute short intensity activity.
Another benefit of doing HIIE is that it’s time friendly, and a workout can be performed in 15-30 minutes. It’s certainly a great way to get lean and increase cardiovascular health if you are are too busy for the standard hour long jogging session.
4. Fitness Trackers
Small and practical gadgets have been in use by personal trainers and sports coaches for a long time. However, they’ve never been as cheap and practical as they are today.
Fitness trackers and smartwatches have gained in popularity recently, and it’s all got to do with how workouts and diets are perceived by trainees today. People are simply becoming more thorough when it comes to fitness. We want to measure our results and track that progress!
A classic fitness tracker like Fitbit Blaze Smart Watch can provide the user with options such as GPS, heart rate tracking, workout recording, and can also measure the progress made towards the fitness goal that the user inserted in the settings.
Create Your Dream Physique
When it comes to attaining an aesthetically pleasing beach body, it’s vital to combine a high-quality workout regime and gradually reduce calories. A flat belly overnight diet is not hard to create, and doesn’t involve too much knowledge.
Following the intermittent fasting route and reducing the consumption of processed and high caloric foods is a good way to do it.
High intensity training with progressive overload will deliver your much-expected results, especially when your progress is tracked with fitness app.
We hope you’ve enjoyed our latest buzz for getting that beach body ready in no time!