The countdown is on!

With less than five weeks left until spring and 15 weeks until summer, the countdown for a healthy, toned and beautiful beach body is well and truly on. But fear not, my hibernating friend, for there are some tactics you can put in place right now that’ll have you looking and feeling amazing in time for bikini and boardies season.

Tip 1. Skip the snooze

The winter months are notorious for their ability to tempt us away from our regular morning workouts. Instead, we snuggle into our covers and sleepily bash our alarm clock a few times. But isn’t that what winter is about?

Well, sort of. True, there’s nothing better than feeling warm and cozy. But this doesn’t mean you should skip your morning work out in favour of a cuddle session with your doona. Rather, you should acknowledge that while this sensation is awesome, it doesn’t last. And you’re better off hopping out of bed at your regular time instead of disturbing your sleep patterns and neglecting physical activity.

And yes, it’ll be cold. Some days, almost freezing. But if you rug up, wear appropriate clothing and keep moving, the chill will be gone in no time!

Tip 2. Make it a habit

What’s the one major difference between an athlete and a couch potato? Easy: their daily rituals and habits. This might seem like an overly simplistic way of viewing things, because it is.

In large part, who we are today is a bi-product of the daily rituals and habits we have abided by for the last week, month, year or decade. We are fit, healthy and thriving because we have rituals that nurture, nourish and inspire our bodies. Or alternatively, we are sick, tired and grumpy because we have daily rituals that encourage neglect, abuse and mistreatment of our bodies.

It’s all in the ritual. So choose rituals that allow you to take care of your body and nourish both your immediate health and your long-term health.

Here are some of our favourite rituals:

–       Daily meditation

–       Yoga and Pilates at sunrise

–       A cup of warm water and lemon juice at breakfast

–       A regular sleep routine that favours an early to bed, early to rise approach

–       A green tea and piece of dark chocolate each afternoon

–       30 minutes of physical activity each day

–       Ensuring you get a mix of cardiovascular, strength and flexibility training each week

–       Spending time outside in nature daily

Tip 3. Listen to your body

A lot of the time, our bodies let us know how they feel and what they need. For instance, after a big, heavy dinner we can often feel well, big and heavy. And after a nourishing lunch that consists of protein, carbs and loads of greens, we feel energetic and satisfied.

Spend more time listening to your body and giving it what it wants. And no, this doesn’t mean you should give in to those 3pm junk food cravings. Instead it means you should think about what will make your body (not just your taste buds) happy.

Choose Health Retreat in Sydney for fitness and stay in routine to be healthy and fit.

Give it a try for just a week and you’ll feel what a huge difference it makes!

And finally, remember that health and fitness is a life-long journey, not just a quick 12-week fad. Invest in your body to best wight loss camps  and it will repay you with strong fitness, happiness and long-term health.