Summer Shape Up 2013: Intro post
Welcome to Summer Shape Up 2013! I’m so excited that you’re joining in the party -there are at least 3500 of you!- and that you’re committed to making some healthy changes during this season. Thank you so much for letting me be your cheerleader along the way. Now let me find those pink sparkly pom-pons…. 😉
For the next four weeks, here’s what you can expect on this page:
This post will serve as “the hub” for EVERYTHING SSU 2013 related. Bookmark it, pin it, make it your homepage, do whatever you need to do to make all of the info accessible to you <3 For even more fun, spread the word with friends and make it a group challenge!
For the next four weeks, I’ll update this page with weekly fitness plans and meal ideas. Please keep in mind that these are general recommendations, based on healthy (injury-free), gym-going girls, experienced with basic strength training form and a baseline cardio program. Nothing I post should substitute doctors’ recommendations, and always check with a doc before making any fitness or nutrition changes. If something doesn’t feel right, DON’T do it! You know your body best.
Summer Shape Up is NOT about weight loss. It’s about decreasing body fat (adding lean muscle), feeling more energized and changing up your current routine. Even though the scale could go up during the next four weeks, you could technically “shrink” and weigh more. Muscle is more dense than fat. If anything, focus on how you FEEL! I hope that my ideas will help you find some new strength moves you love (or love to hate?) and develop the best fitness program for you.
What you’ll need:
-A huge water bottle (fill with H20 and keep with you at all times)
-A notebook (to track your water intake, workouts and meals for each day. If you have an online method you prefer, you can use that instead. I love the My Fitness Pal app)
-Access to cardio of choice whether it’s through classes, running outdoors, or an at-home cardio machine
-Set of dumbbells
-Stability ball
-Jump rope
-Sturdy chair or bench
If you’re able to get your body fat checked at the beginning of the challenge, I highly recommend it. Many gyms offer body fat calculations at a low cost, or if you have a trainer friend, ask them to pinch you with some calipers. If you’re military, many bases offer bod pod body fat testing for FREE- check it out!
If you’re not able to test your body fat, take some basic measurements and jot them down in your Summer Shape Up notebook:
-Calves (max circumference)
-Thighs (10 inches above the patella)
-Hips (keep feet together and measure the widest part across the middle of your booty)
-Stomach (the widest part of your stomach)
-Waist (the narrowest part of your waist)
-Chest
-Biceps
And snap a few pictures facing forwards, sideways, and to the back, wearing a swimsuit or sports bra and tight-fitting shorts. This way, you’ll have a clear method to track your progress over the four weeks. Check your measurements again halfway through the challenge and again at the end.
Prep for SUCCESS!
Before each week begins, take a second to jot down your goals for the week. Grocery shop for staple foods, making sure to emphasize clean, whole choices.
Here are some staples I always have on hand:
Bread and grains (whole-grain, brown rice tortillas, quinoa, brown rice)
Eggs (2 dozen)
Salad supplies (greens, fresh fruit and veggies, nuts, balsamic vinegar, fresh herbs, protein)
Protein (chicken, fish and tempeh)
Fruits (berries and bananas are my fave!)
Nuts, nut butter and seeds (we always have almonds and chia seeds on hand)
Milk (whatever milk you love. We enjoy almond milk)
Green veggies
Frozen berries and veggies (for smoothies or quick stir fries)
Healthy treats/ snacks (I love TJ’s hummus, edamame crackers and dark chocolate bars)
Remember to “EAT LIKE A PRO” throughout the challenge, making sure that each meal/snack has a protein and produce component.
Prep as many clean eats as you can in advance and put your workout calendar in an easily visible spot. This way you’ll be more likely to stick to your goals.
Here are the links for all of your workouts and meal ideas for the next four weeks:
(all password protected. The password is in your newsletter and will change for each week. After the challenge, I’ll remove the passwords)
Cardio guidelines:
HIIT (20 min): Alternate easy periods of cardio with extremely hard cardio intervals. For workout 1 HIIT, try to do 45 seconds easy, 45 seconds HARD for the 20 minutes
Steady state: Pick a steady pace that’s challenge but one you can maintain for the entire duration. You can also take a spin class or another cardio class instead
Hill challenge: Pick a steady pace and aim to maintain your pace as you increase the resistance every 30 seconds. When you hit you max, hold it for 1 minute, lower incline back down to 4.0% and start again until the 20 minutes have passed. Avoid holding onto the hand rails (you’ll burn 30% LESS calories), and if you need to slightly decrease your speed to allow the higher incline, that’s ok
Steady state tempo blast: For the last 5 minutes of your steady state workout, increase your speed. Make it HARD and keep it for the last 5 minutes. You can do it!
HIIT (25 min): Do 1 minute easy, 1 minute hard for the 25 minutes
Steady state: Pick a steady pace that’s challenge but one you can maintain for the entire duration. You can also take a spin class or another cardio class instead
HIIT and steady: Warm up for 5 minutes and then start your HIIT training (20 minutes), alternating between 30 seconds HARD and 30 seconds easy. Follow your HIIT with super easy (50% max heart rate) steady state.
HIIT (20 min): 30 seconds easy, 30 seconds hard for 20 minutes.
Cardio wild card: Take your favorite cardio class or do a fun DVD. Your choice!
Speed surge: go for 20 minutes starting at a moderate pace. Every 5 minutes, increase your speed. You should be sprinting to the finish line!
Scenic steady state: Take it outside for 30-45 min
Leg burner: Try this barre burner!
HIIT: HARD for 45 seconds, easy for 45 seconds, repeating for 25 minutes
HIIT Challenge: Try to do 1 minute easy, 1 minute hard for the entire 30 minutes.
Flexibility: Yoga or a lovely stretch sesh
Speedy hills: Start with a steady pace and incline at 2.5 %. For 30 second rounds, increase your speed and incline to run up the hill. Recover for 1 minute before repeating.
Last, but not least, make sure to check in each day with your workouts and clean eats! I want to be drowning in #summershapeup tweets, Instagram pics and comments, mmm k?? Each morning, I’ll put the call out in the am blog post for you to leave a comment with your workout. Be sure to check in often, because you never know when I’ll have a random giveaway 😉
Speaking of giveaways, we have lots of those to come, too!
Thank you again for participating this year! Let’s make it the BEST one yet 🙂
xoxo
Gina
Are you joining in the fun?! Set yourself up for success by planning and prepping today. Tweet me a pic of your grocery haul or leave a comment with this week’s meal plan. I’d love to hear what you’re cooking this week!
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Checking in for yesterday and today. Did WO 1 + Hills yesterday and WO 1+ 30 minute steady state/tempo challenge today. Taking tomorrow as a rest day since I’m running a race on Saturday!
Checking in for SSU yesterday and today! I did CrossFit workouts instead of Workout 1 because I can’t seem to stay away from them!
Yesterday was turkish get ups, single hand kettlebell swings, double unders, deadlifts, and ring rows.
Today was purely strength – back squats, straight leg deadlifts, and rows using the pull up bars to work on my lat strength for chest to bar pull ups (and eventually muscle ups!).
I think you should have a reminder on this page on how to sign up for ssu, I had to go back to your Memorial Day post to see that I actually had to leave a comment. Thanks!
Took yesterday as my rest day, and just knocked out w#1, hills, and a 2 min plank today. Felt great!! Have an awesome day Gina!
Every part of me is sore! I love it!
Checking in for summer shape up. Changed the schedule a bit but did spinning today.
sign me up!!!! 🙂
Sign me up please 🙂
I just saw this! Excited 🙂 Please sign me up for the newsletter so I can join in on the fun!
Checking in for day one! I had a rocky exercise week due to traveling but I rocked out workout 1 and 20 minutes of HIIT today and it was TOUGH! Do you have any suggestions for modifying the knee tucks/tricep dips combo for wrist pain? I don’t normally have issues with it but the combination was really putting stress on my wrists by the end.
Thank you so much for these workouts!!!
Sign me up please!
Please sign me up for Summer Shape Up! Thank you!
I switched wed. and today’s workouts, so I did workout 1 a second time today, and it was amazing! I can already feel improvement!
Better late than never! Gina, can I also sign up for SSU? Looking forward to it! Thanks!!
Just found your blog through pinterest! will def be starting this plan monday! 🙂
Signing up!
I could not figure out how to sign up! Please sign me up!
Signing up! Yeah!!
Please sign me up for SSU, Gina 🙂
Please excuse my question: what does “Your comment is awaiting moderation” mean? Shall I do anything?
sign me up pls!
Please sign me up! Thank you!!
I got it! Thank you so much! Ready to get started! 🙂
Just did my steady state tempo outside on a run. Felt so good!
Please sign me up Thanks!!!!
In the week 2 email I could not find the password?
It is still early for me, I could just be missing it!
Help 🙂
yep it is early. I found it at the bottom, sorry!
I can’t wait for week 2. I already feel so different and energized from week 1 🙂
Sign me up for the newsletter!
I’m a little late in seeing this! Sign me up please :))
I am loving that you are posting these so far in advance. For WSU I had to do it a day late in order to stay on my morning workouts in (on the east coast). This makes it way easier to keep up (as if it wasn’t easy enough to have a ready made plan to follow)!
I did workout 1 early this morning and hope to fit in 25 minutes of HIIT tonight (Switched Fri and Sat around). I feel strong and in control.
Thanks Gina!
Checking in today! I did 45 minute steady state cardio blast on the elliptical, finishing hard on the stairs! Afterward I enjoyed a hot vinyasa yoga practice <3
Happy Birthday to my twins today!!!!!! 🙂
I’m a little late to the party but sign me up!
Hey Gina! A little late to the party but I would like to sign up for the SSU!
Just found your site through pinterest – sign me up! 🙂
Better late then never! Signing up!
So excited for the Cardio Wildcard! I have been doing PlyoJam (a new dance fitness class that incorporates plyometrics), and I LOVE IT. It is high intensity and a great, fun workout! 🙂
I’d love to sign up! Can I still do so and how? Thanks
Can’t wait for week 2… and haven’t even finished week 1! Woohoo!
Finished my Steady State Cardio Blast on the elliptical and added in the Barre Burner – my legs are definitely mad at me, but I could not be happier.
Great to hear how everyone else is keeping the energy going – good for you all! 🙂
Please sign me up for SSU! Thanks!
Hi Gina,
Sign me up please??!!! Can’t wait to get started!
Today is my rest day. Enjoying EVERY second. (Other than battling a nasty sinus infection!)
Today’s a rest day for me but I’m doing great with food this week – listening to my body to see when I’m hungry/full, drinking lots of water, and sticking with real, whole foods (for the most part)!
I would like to join in Summer Shape Up!!!
Excited!
Sign me up too please!
This sounds great! Need a plan to help me get into a routine after baby 🙂 Sign me up!
please sign me up!
Please sign me up 🙂
Completed the 45 minute cardio blast this morning along with the barre burner. Felt energized! Barre burner was a nice quickie workout
Sign me up please!!
Sign me up please!
Sign me up please – I know I’m a little late 🙂 Thanks!