Summer Shape Up 2014 Intro Post + Week 1
Summer Shape Up is finally here!
I’ve been doing Summer Shape Up since the early blog days, and it’s been so much fun to watch it evolve and grow each year. I’m so excited that you’ll be joining in with Anne and myself for the next 4 weeks to shake up your routine, share motivation with some seriously awesome ladies (and dudes!), enter fantastic giveaways, and potentially enjoy fantastic results from your hard work.
What is Summer Shape Up?
Summer Shape Up is 4 weeks of workouts and meal plans, provided for you for free from myself (a certified personal trainer and weight loss specialist) and Anne (a Registered Dietitian). The workouts are designed to be completed anywhere at any time with your own body weight and a pair of dumbbells. They contain a variety of high intensity intervals, steady state, strength training, rest and flexibility. The meal plans include whole, healthy ingredients, are easy to make ahead to enjoy during the week and are totally delicious 🙂
Here’s what Summer Shape Up is NOT: a weight loss plan.
As many of you may know, weight is not a sufficient indication of body composition. As muscle as more dense than fat, you could essentially gain weight and shrink at the same time! This is another reason why you should throw your scale in the trash can. Instead of focusing on weight, Summer Shape Up is a plan to increase strength, fitness performance, promote lean muscle growth and fat loss, and increase energy levels. The best part about a new routine and the satisfaction of achieving your goals cannot be calibrated by any scale.
Some ways to measure change:
-Photos. Take some “before” pictures. Bonus points for bad lighting and a grumbly look on your face 🙂
-Measurements. Take some measurements before getting started and take them again at the end of the challenge. (That’s right; you need to wait 4 whole weeks to do it again! There’s no point in doing it more than that.)
-Energy levels throughout the day. Hopefully you feel invigorated from your new workout routine and healthy eats! I’ve found that when I make an effort to get daily exercise and balanced eats, I tend to evade the afternoon slump.
How do you get each week’s workouts and meal plans?
The workouts will be posted here on the blog each week, and the meal plans will be on Anne’s blog. We’ll also have at least one giveaway running on each of our sites for the weeks during the challenge.
How to enter giveaways:
Make sure to check in EVERY day with your workout and meals. Check in on my blog for your fitness and on Anne’s blog for clean eats to be entered in each weekly giveaway. The more you check in, the higher your chances of winning a sweet prize! You can also check in on our Facebook group, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (#summershapeup @fitnessista @fannetasticfood)
Speaking of giveaways, let’s send some love to the amazing sponsors of Summer Shape Up:
Sabra (makers of my favorite hummus ever!)
Cherry Marketing Institute (the fruit staple of the summer)
Chex Gluten-free Oatmeal (a hearty and healthy breakfast option)
Reebok (my fave fitness apparel)
White Plum (gorgeous and affordable fashion for women + kids)
Sizzlefish (sustainable fish already portioned and delivered to your door, so you can easily cook and enjoy)
Thank you to all of our sponsors for their support with this challenge, and for supplying the amazing prizes you’ll be entered to win along to way 🙂
Time to get started!
-Get your tools together: a notebook (jot down your eats, workout, water intake and how you feel each day), a large water bottle (to tote around with your for the next four weeks), get yourself access to a pair of dumbbells and cardio of choice (running, jump rope, spinning, rowing, stairs, your choice) and join our Facebook group
-Snap some “before” pics or take measurements (right bicep, chest, narrowest part of waist, widest part of waist, right thigh, right calf)
–Join our Facebook group! It’s a great place to ask questions, share motivation, and overall, a very fun place to be 😉
-Here’s a badge to share on your blog if you’d like, too.
Summer Shape Up
Keep this post in a safe spot because it will be your home page for everything Summer Shape Up-related. I’ll update it each week with the weekly workout and meal plans. Pin in or bookmark it so you can easily check back.
Check out your Week 1 workout here. I hope you love it! The meal plan is up on Anne’s page, too!
Stay tuned for the details on our first fitness giveaway from Reebok. It will be up in the am 🙂
Are you joining in the Shape Up?
Have you done a Shape Up on the blog before or is it the first one?
What is your goal? Shout it out in the comments!
Sending lots of love and wishes for a successful 4 weeks. I’m cheering for you <3
xoxo
Gina
292 Comments
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This is my fourth shape up! Can’t wait to participate. I loved the combo of Anne’s recipes and the weekly workouts. I’m a planner so I need me schedule. 😉 Looking to tone up and lose those last few pounds. Thank you for all your hard work Gina. Its so hard to find an amazing free workout.
I did workout #1 tonight with 20 minutes HIIT after. It was great! I was so sweaty by the end. Thank you, Gina!
Just finished workout 1 and HIIT! I’m super sweaty and feeling great!
I can’t wait to start the shape up… Next week:) I’m finishing up another 8week series so I’ll join next weeks workouts!! I am going to start with the summer shape up ears tho! Stocked up at trader joes today with all the goods!! So excited for this year!
My husband reminded me to bring my “prop” (water bottle) to work today and my girls made scrambled egg cups per Fannetastic Foods’ recipe! Whole family on board!!! ?
Today no workout but I was on my feet a lot doing a super thorough house cleaning.
I won’t be following the meal prep but I plan on getting in some exercise following the plan at least 5 days a week
Workout 1 + 20 minutes HIIT kickboxing. Holy moly was the inchworm hard!
Great workout 1.
Lookin’ forward to new workouts! Thanks for all your ideas!
Last night I walked/ran 2.5 miles with a friend of mine after work. She worked harder than I did as she was pushing a running stroller with a 4 year old and almost 2 year old in it!!
did 1 round of workout one last night during the world cup and 1 more round this am! (too hot without the a/c on in our house to do 2 rounds in a row haha) that counts right?! also walked 2 miles!
Excited to join in the fun! I’ll be modifying a lot since I’m trying to find a good, consistent routine I can maintain; so my goal is to do everything I can, but most importantly, to do it!!! I was curious how you keep track of your meals and water in your Erin Condren planner? I adore my Erin Condren planner, but struggle to find space to record everything!
Workout 1 + HIIT…whew!
Finished workout 1 and hiit and WOW, was it good!!
So proud that I got up this AM and did the HIIT workout! I feel great all day now and am so happy it is already done!
I’m so in!!! Workout 1 is today.
Just went running and then did the first Summer Shape Up workout. Man, my legs are jello and my heart rate was up up up!! Thank you!!!
Just went running and then did the first Summer Shape Up workout. Man, my legs are jello and my heart rate was up up up!! Thank you!!!
Day 2 check in – HIIT was killer! 4 min warm up and 20 mins of sprints = almost 3 miles – crazy!
I was on vaca and am just catching up. This sounds so fun and I love that you have a badge now – too cute!
Day two done!!! Even added a few more ab workouts, gotta get a flat tummy
Wow!!! Had to move a rest day to today… those jumping lunges got to my gluteus and inner thighs!!
Day 2 done! 45 minutes of Yoga today. Felt great after doing workout #1 yesterday!
Rest day for me over here
Did Insanity today (love getting fitness dvds from the library!) and then went to hot yoga.
Week 1 WO in the books and it was a doozy! Gina you keep surprising me!
Today I only needed to do 5 miles today, and did a few rounds of a Wonder Woman workout in addition. The moves are pretty simple and don’t require any weights, but it will definitely get your blood going and make you sweaty!
I did my FAVORITE step aerobics class for tonights work out. That class always leaves me feeling accomplished and super happy. Love it.
Workout 1 and HIIT complete! What a lovely workout!
60 minutes of Shred415 today!
Workout 1 done! Helloooo jello legs
Today was rest day but managed to get in a 45 brisk walk with the pups !
Today I did a 3 mile easy run and workout 1!
So far so good – yesterday managed to do the first workout and the 20 minutes of HIIT. Woke up feeling it this morning, but will get in my steady state this afternoon!
Workout 1 plus a 3 mile run for me today.
Walked the dogs this morning
Peaceful 30 minute walk around the neighborhood this morning for m steady state.
Did a 30 minute power walk around my neighborhood this morning. It was very peaceful and a great way to start the day!
This is my first summer shape up! A friend and I are joining together. Yesterday we did workout #1 and some steady state cardio. The inchworms were INTENSE!
Today’s an “active recovery” day for me, so hour-long yoga class later is my exercise. I’m saving workout 1 for Saturday morning after my run!
This is my first summer shape up and I’m so excited! My goal is to get more fit and get my body where I want it to be before I start having kids so it won’t be as hard to get fit afterwards!
Last night was 75 minutes of Power Yoga.
Today’s workout (Wednesday!) was a reformers pilates class with jump board! 🙂
Easy 3 mile run then yoga for me today!
Did workout 1 yesterday and I am feeling it today! My booty is sore in all the right places. Thanks for the great workout!
I love your Summer Shape Up series! This is my 2nd one, and I was impressed with my results. Your workouts are always so fun and challenging, so I’m definitely looking forward to this! Completed a 20-min HIIT on the elliptical, and then W/O #1 last night……feeling it today!
I’ve got a date with bodypump at 5:30! 🙂
Did a nice 20 mile bike ride yesterday evening. Was so happy to be back on my bike.
30 mins steady state on the calendar for this evening! Running if the weather accommodates (humid and looking like thunderstorms today) spin bike if not.
PS – Inchworms were 100x harder than I anticipated!