Thawing temperatures of spring can stir up plans for the soon-to-be warm summer months. Summer plans usually entail most people spending time outside by the water. Looking forward to these plans can also spark swimsuit goals throughout the summer. 

Summer body workouts often promise quick fixes for weight loss. However, a summer body workout plan should go beyond a quick fix solution. 

Instead of focusing on quick weight loss, discover how to implement a summer body workout that is sustainable year-round!

5 Ways to Create a Workout Plan for a Summer Body

These five tips for a summer body workout can help you reach health or fitness goals before full-on summer plans arrive. Also, implement it any time of year and use it as a base for a gym-based or good at-home workout to lose weight or improve fitness.

1. Focus on Muscle Toning Exercises

It is true you cannot spot reduce, i.e. get six-pack abs from doing crunches. However, that does not mean strength training does not help improve fitness or build muscle definition. 

Adding in multiple muscle toning exercises can help firm up muscles so when weight loss happens, there is more noticeable definition. This is what most have in mind for a "summer body."

Strength training can be done at a gym with weights, machines, or even at home with no equipment. For example, Gold's Gym Beach Body Workout is based on equipment-free, full-body exercises like walking lunges, planks, push-ups, squats, and crunches.

Pair a leg workout at home with upper body and core exercises on alternative days for a complete summer body workout that tones all areas of the body. Jugs of water or cans can be used for bicep curls, shoulder raises, or tricep extensions. Core exercises should also be included, not to automatically get six-pack abs but for strengthening core muscles.

Following a Tabata workout or high-intensity interval training (HIIT) exercise program can also efficiently tone muscles, burn calories, and elevate the heart rate. Tabata exercises are done for a short time, 20 seconds, followed by a 10-second break. Tabata workouts can be individualized and accomplished in 20 minutes.

Muscle-toning exercises are often the focus of a summer body goal. But keep in mind getting more aerobic exercise like walking, jogging, swimming, or dancing should also be part of a balanced, sustainable workout plan.

2. Increase Exercise Time and Intensity

As summer gets closer, an important aspect of reaching your summer health goals is gradually increasing your workout time or intensity. 

Remember, it is important to not overdo exercise right away when starting a workout plan to limit the risk of injury. However, as workout technique and strength grow, muscle groups should continue to be challenged throughout your workout plan.

Depending on fitness level and chosen exercises, an example of a gradual increase might be adding 5-10 minutes a day. One could also bump up weights an extra few pounds compared to when you started. 

3. Add in Extra Movement Throughout the Day

Daily exercise is important for strength gains and weight loss. But increasing movement throughout the day further offers health benefits and reaching summer goals. 

Most Americans sit too much throughout the day. Even if exercising, it is important to get up and move - ideally every hour.

Set a reminder on your phone or watch to get up and move every hour. This can be as simple as walking around the room, doing a few squats or lunges by a desk, or going up a flight of stairs.

This extra movement throughout the day can help prevent injuries, boost metabolic rate, and offer many other health benefits.

4. Focus on a Healthful Diet

A summer body workout plan needs to be accompanied by a healthy diet. Skip the extremely low-calorie, unsustainable diets or weight loss supplements. Instead, focus on fueling up with nutrient-dense foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, lean proteins, and healthy fats. 

Fad diets can sound intriguing for quick weight loss for the summer. Despite their appeal, they are not exactly sustainable and often lead right back to unintended weight gain.

Overall, limit sources of added sugar, inflammatory fats, and other innutritious foods. Focus on filling up with foods high in fiber and lean protein to keep you feeling full after eating.

5. Stick with It All Year

Do you find yourself going through a summer body workout program every year? Why not implement aspects of training for summer health goals all year-round? 

Instead of sprucing up exercise and diet before summer every year, focus on how you can maintain these healthy habits year-round. Really, you can feel your best no matter what time of year!

Focus on implementing eating and exercises that can be maintained more than a few months. Often summer body workout plans emphasize they can have results in 30 days. 

But why limit implementing healthy habits to just 30 days before summer?

Summer Workout Plan Final Thought

Getting an ideal "summer body" or feeling your best for the summer months can mean something different to everyone. Likewise, there is no single guaranteed summer body workout plan that is best suited for every body type. 

Rather, the concepts of a sustainable approach to working out all year can be a better alternative than a one size fits all approach to quick weight loss for summer.

A sustainable workout plan should include focusing on muscle toning (i.e. strength training) exercises as well as breaking up periods of sitting throughout the day. Intensity and/or time should progress with the familiarity of exercises to promote strength gains and continued weight loss if desired.

Lastly, diet needs to be targeted with more than just a fad diet approach. A diet that supports looking and feeling your healthiest all year includes one built on a variety of fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, lean proteins, and sources of heart-healthy fats.