Summer Shape Up 2012: Intro post + June Calendar
Hey friends! Welcome to the 2012 Summer Shape Up! I’m super excited about this years’ and have been following the workouts myself for the past few weeks. They’re challenging (I’ve included some modifications), SWEATY (for real), and hopefully a fun way to shake up your usual weights and cardio routine.
I put together a little calendar, and will be including these every month from now on if you would like to workout with all of us:
Feel free to jump in whenever you’d like and adjust the workouts to fit your schedule. A great way to do it is to print out the calendar (option to print is in the end of each post- click to delete the parts you don’t want to print) put it in an easily visible place and cross off the workouts as you go along. I’ll have places to check in each day with your workouts (usually in the morning post’s comments section or via Facebook/Twitter) and we can cheer each other on.
Here’s what you can expect with this Summer Shape Up (4 weeks):
-A weekly workout to follow on non-consecutive days 2-3x per week (will go up Monday am)
-Weekly meal ideas and grocery lists (will go up Sunday am)
-Support: as I mentioned above, be sure to check in each day with your workout and if you met your healthy eating goals! Please tweet your workout and/or meal pics @fitnessista #summershapeup -I’ll post my faves each Friday 🙂
-FREE. Always has been, always will be.
-Some tips:
As always, these are just suggestions and methods to change up your eats and workouts. Please be sure to honor your body, injuries and personal nutrition requirements. As always, check with a doctor before making any fitness or nutrition changes.
Adjust anything you need to, and I’ll help provide modifications along the way. Since this is a general fitness program for the average gym-going Jane, I apologize for not being able to provide modifications for each unique situation. If you have a question, ask in the comments section and I’ll try my best to accommodate your needs!
Bedtime Ab Burner (bottom of the post)
Week 1 meal ideas and grocery list, click here.
Week 2 Workout and Week 2 Meal ideas, Tabata Thursday
Week 3 Meals and Grocery list and Week 3 Workout
Week 4 Workout and July Calendar and Grocery List
Who’s in?
Happy training!! You know I’m here cheering for ya along the way <3
xoxo
Gina
Check-in: Leave a comment on this post when you’ve completed your steady state cardio for the day! What did you do? How did you feel? Did you meet your eating goals (5 fruits and veggies, 8 glasses of water)?
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I did the first workout and HIIT this morning before work and it kicked my butt in the best way possible. The toe touches made me look like a crazy woman though because my balance is so, so off. Haha.
great job! and yes, the toe touches are shaky for me too 🙂
ok. this is my first time to participate in any of your posted workouts. so i’m excited/nervous. mainly because i tend to be an all or nothing personality. so missing a day or having to switch things up for time, might throw me for a loop. ha. and i’ve already messed up. 🙂 yesterday i did an HIIT workout (sprinting/jogging) for 20 minutes before i looked at this. and honestly, that was all i had time for yesterday. excited to work out along with this little group!
Looks like a great plan! I road my bike this morning on the trainer, and my thighs are feeling it! Whoo hoo!
Did Workout 1 + HIIT today. I took it a little easy on the weights so I wouldn’t be too sore tomorrow, but I loved the whole workout! Thanks for doing this!
I did Workout 1 + HITT today and it left me a sweaty mess! Thanks for making this so easy to do at home without any cardio equipment. I did it in my basement in the morning before work, ran up and down the stairs as my warm up and loved your ideas for the hard intervals in the HITT. My girls came downstairs, saw me dancing around during the recovery phase and joined in. I even got them to do some jumping jacks with me.
I also did the first workout and HITT. It was a really good workout..just one question. Is there a alternate move for the toe touches? I am so inflexible that I couldn’t get near my feet and just looked like a flailing animal…
sure, bend your knee and try to bring it towards the opposite elbow, alternating
Oh ok thanks!
I did the first workout today and Loved it!! Thanks for posting this. I’m hoping to keep on board for the next 4 weeks!! I also had a hard time with the toe touches, but hopefully they get easier. One question.. did you post how much weight to use? I used 7.5 hand weights. Thanks!
just use a weight that’s challenging for you- it will be different for everyone <3
Question for you – – we have a handful of girls who like to work out together, but our gym currently doesn’t have a space for us to do the circuit all together at once – – is it possible to start the circuit at different spots or do the exercises need to go in order? Also – I did the circuit and HIIT last night – I enjoyed – hoping I’ll get better at it the next time around!
you can definitely start them in different spots 🙂
so excited to join in!
I did the DAY 1, steady cardio 60 mins walk to grocery store and pack—very hilly so it was a great workout!
Did it and LOVED it! I must admit, I was skeptical thinking I was going to want to do more weights…but, I was sweating and my buns were definitely burning! The HIIT was so challenging for me, too. I am trying to break through a weight loss plateau, and I think that this is the best way to do it! I have grown too “comfortable” in my cardio. Your plan really kicked my butt and made me excited to try something new! Thanks!!
I did the circuit three times and was a sweaty mess afterward. I loved it. I only struggled with the toe touches (I think I was doing them right…) and the walk the plank, which made me feel like an uncoordinated dork; I literally had to say, “right hands go right, then left hands go right…” I then did 20 minutes of HIIT–1:30 at 5 mph, :30 at 7 mph, then 1:30 at 6 mph, :30 at 8 mph–coming out to 1.9 miles. Whew.
great job!!
I loved this workout – did it and 16 minutes of HIIT on the elliptical this morning! Thanks for making one simple enough to remember when I forget my notebook at home…not that that happened…. 😀
I’m a little late to the party but we had a long weekend and a brand new puppy to mess things up – but enough with the excuses, I’m into it! I did my steady state today but since I missed Monday and Tuesday I’ll throw in the workout and HIIT tomorrow and then steady state on Friday…that will work, I’m assuming? 🙂
Also, what does active recovery mean? Just interested since I’m awful at yoga…
that sounds perfect!
just something low-key, like going for a walk
I did this today! I am getting back into shape from a series of injuries and it’s so nice to follow a plan 🙂 Honestly, I couldn’t do the V ups correctly, i could feel myself using momentum and since i had a back injury i am trying not to get again, i just did bicycle crunches instead. The real test is if i am sore tomorrow!
Did the workout today and loved it!
How easy should the recovery parts of the HIIT be? Should you be able to catch your breath completely?
I kinda goofed and did Workout 1 yesterday and the cardio today. Oops. But I did them!
Hi Gina,
I’m sort of a new reader and really wanted to thank you for taking the time to post such awesome workouts! I tried this one today and although I had to do my challenging knee pushups and only had time to do 15 minutes of HIIT, I was still a hot sweaty mess (:
P.S. I’ve noticed that you have a love affair with hot sauce. If you ever see Salsa Encino in AZ, BUY IT! I love it for two reasons: 1. My parent’s are from the city the hot sauce is made (Yahualica) and 2. It’s bueno!! Trust me.
hey girl,
welcome to the blog 🙂 i’m so excited to hear you liked the workout!
i’ll def be on the lookout for that hot sauce!
Okay! It was later but I did it!
Workout 1- check
HIIT – check (I did :30 cardio and 1:30 light jog)
I am extremely looking forward to getting stronger through your workouts.
Specifically upper body. Those pushups we’re brutal for me today.
Summer shapeup, woo!!!
This is my check-in. I did the summer shape up this morning. Loved the weights part of it. Can’t wait for next week. I will do it again on Friday with just cardio on Thursday & Saturday.
Cardio today: StepMill and teaching a spin class. Legs were definitely humming by the end! 🙂
Did this last night before bed. I only did 2 rounds of the circuit but after my HIIT I really felt like I could have done another! Pro tip: don’t smash into the baby’s play piano if at all possible. Luckily she stayed asleep! If things go well we’ll be going on a jog together this afternoon! Squeezing it all in with baby can be really tough but I’m working on it.
So far 2 fruits/veg today (do larabars count? They sure feel like candy) but dinner will be allllll veggies!
THANKS GINA!
Did Workout #1 + HIIT yesterday. I did my HIIT on a 3.2 mile hilly run and of course all of the :30 hi intensity intervals occured right as I was starting up a huge hill. If by biscuits you mean rear, mine were definitely burning 🙂
yes! biscuits = booty 🙂
Did my steady state Monday and Tuesday and did work out one yesterday! It certainly got me sweaty!!
yeahhhhh!
Just did the first workout, loved it! I had never done a HIIT interval before and that totally kicked my butt, but in a good way 🙂 not sure if my balance is terrible, but those toe-touches were iffy. Thanks so much for putting together a great booty-burning workout!!
How do you find workout #1, workout #2 ect?
I started the Summer Shape Up and have gotten three of the workouts in. I’m a bit off in the schedule and did a steady workout today. I think I need to up the weights or do another time through for the circuit. I also need to get to work on the food part. I love having something to use as a plan when I go to the gym so I feel that i actually accomplish something. Thanks!
I’ve always been a big fan of your blog. My favorite are the workouts, they always make me sweat!
whoops, put this under the wrong post… 😛
Hi Gina! I’m Laura, I’m from Spain but I live in France… I am following your workouts but one day later because of the time difference…
I love France and everything french, but since living here and having a job where I sit for 8 hours on the computer, I’ve been putting some weight… plus there are croissants EVERYWERE!
Anyway, I wanted to thank you for these workouts, they are great! I’ll try and tell you about the progress. Thank you!
Hi! I’m new to your site too. I’ve been stuck in a workout rut, pretty bored. So i started you summer shapeup…is it bad I didn’t rest today bit did lite cardiovascular and pilates/yoga?
What a great program! Thank you so much for putting this together! 🙂
I am a little off on the schedule but I am following this summer shape up! I am a teacher and summers off= plenty of time to get my butt back into shape! I agree with all the other ladies, I was sweating like a mad woman after the first workout but loved it! Any way to make the walking plank/mountain climbers more challenging? More reps?
Loving this workout! It couldn’t have come at a better time, I was starting to slack. I got an awesome burn and definitely felt it the next day! 😉 I’m with some of the others in that I felt a little uncoordinated but it was crazy fun.
I did workout 1 again yesterday with hiit, and thought I was going to die afterwards. Ha not really, but I was sweating so much! I’m back on schedule now 🙂 Glad today was a rest day because I worked 12 hours and have noooo energy left in me to get in a workout. I ate pretty well today but did have a slice of pizza and some chocolate covered peanuts 😉 didn’t really have a choice, but I love pizza so I ain’t complainin!
Love summer shape up!! Needed something to motivate me again! Super cute workout clothes in week 1!! Where are the shorts from??
thank you! lululemon
Question: did you eat Sun Warrior while you were pregnant? I am pregnant and eat a quasitarian diet. Of course I’m concentrating on healthy weight *gain* not loss. I like your recipes!
i did, but not as much as i do non-pregnant. i only had it one or two times a week
Off to do steady state cardio today during my lunch break…can’t fit in the Workout 2 + HIIT today because of a 12 hour workday! Workday from hell will not stop me! I’ll fit in today’s workout tomorrow.
Yea to nasty, sweaty ponytail at work for the rest of the day! 🙂
Are you going to put up a tabata workout or do we find one? just curious because I don’t think I’ve done one before! lol
yep it will be up thursday am 🙂
Hey. I’m joining a little late. Instead of jumping in during the middle of the week, I thought I would just start a week behind. I did 45 minutes of running on the treadmill today. It felt really good. I hadn’t done a long run in a long time. Thanks for putting these workouts up. I’m going to try and follow them each day, as well as the food plan. I’m really looking forward to the next 4 weeks! Thank you again!
Fell off the wagon on eats last night, craving carbs! I had 2 1/2 pieces of french toast, but not to worry. I have biking today and then I have a 65 mile bike ride on Saturday called the Tour de Corn in Missouri. Should be a hot one too!
Yay! I’m modifying a little for my scheduled but I did workout One yesterday, (modified)but no HIIT, and ran 4 miles for the steady state today. I am having fun reading about everybody’s experiences! But what I really want to do is come to your Zumba class! 😉
I switched up the order of the schedule a bit to fit in my usual yoga classes. I did WO #2 yesterday before volleyball, and holy crap!!!!! It doesn’t help that it’s 90* with about 90% humidity in Minnesota right now, but that kicked my butt!!! Thanks again for the motivation and inspiration. 🙂 Hot yoga tonight with an 8 mile bike ride (to and from the bar/restaurant for drinks with a friend). Crossing my fingers that the humidity falls between now and then…
I am still sore from all the squats from Workout #2!! Last night, I used the rainbow chard that finally round and stuffed it with cauliflower rice, avacado, mushrooms and carrots. I rolled them up and placed sliced tomatoes on top. I sliced a chicken breast and placed that on top too. When I got home from my hour bike ride, I made a small protein smoothie (spinach, almond milk, blueberries, protein powder) as my appetizer. It was a very good dinner. My husband enjoyed three wraps then began eating the left over rice with a spoon. Guess he is a fan too.
I just did workout #2 and i’m wiped out! What is the plank combo suppose to work out? I had a hard time doing them, so I did them with my knee down. I could really feel it in my butt. Also I was feeling sick afterwards (my stomach). Is that bad? It was a great workout, thanks!!!
40 mins of Yoga with Bob Haper, modified, since it was an hour long DVD
My rest day included 60 minutes of Hot Yoga…that completely anhilated my poor (already sore) booty! Looking forward to the Tabata workout today…or maybe dreading is a better description. 🙂
Hi Gina! I am just jumping in with the Summer Shape-up now! I am very active, but took the last two weeks “off” after my wedding on June 2nd just to rest up and veg out. But I am ready to get back in gear! Since I am starting SSU late, do you recommend starting at week one and being a little behind, or starting in at week two? I started on Tuesday this week, with Workout 1 + HIIT, steady state yesterday, and active rest today – according to week one on the calendar. But if I should catch up to the rest of the crew I can start week two/three on time. Whatever is best! Thanks for posting these they are great!! –sara
nope, you can definitely be a week behind- quite a few girls started with you!
I switched the calendar around to work with my schedule and did some cardio (running) today after doing workout 2 + HIIT yesterday and wow was I sore. I also couldn’t even lift my arms to shower after the gym yesterday, awesome workouts Gina!
Tabata Thursday was awesome!!!
I have to do active rest today, so I’ll do workout 2 again tomorrow. I love this so much that I think I might just repeat the SSU all summer! Also, I’ve gained 1 lb in two weeks (still on the lower end of my range) and I really think it’s muscle. Thanks!