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Fit, Firm, Fun

By Chad Cannon

Summer is coming! Time to spend more time in the beautiful outdoors. Time to get to the beach to show off your hot body! Are you ready to shed the cover-up?

Have your workouts been as dormant as your sod this winter? With spring here and summer hot on our heels, it's time to get back to being FIT, and FIRM while having FUN.

The ladder is the key to it all. Having fun. If you don't enjoy your workouts, it might be time to try something else. Not only that, if you're not feeling the way you want to feel, that's another sign to move on. This time of year brings out the best in most of us. We feel good because the weather is more inviting with the sun shining and the warm breezes. With extra hours of sunlight and new found energy there's no excuse not to get moving.

The three F's are the words to remember when gearing up for summer. FIT, FIRM, and FUN. Being fit means moving your body. Nike's got 'Just do it'. My phrase is 'Just move it'. Being FIT means you are in good cardiovascular shape. You don't have to spend hours on a treadmill. Go outside, take a walk, ride a bike, play frisbee, or shoot some hoops. Get the heart pumping. With summer coming, take a 'routine' vacation and mix it up a bit. Tennis one day and a power beach walk the next. This warm weather also makes us stop and smell the roses. That's a great idea! Stopping and going while changing speeds is a great way to include intervals in your workout. Just keep 'moving it' and you'll be fit.

With all this cardio, FIRM muscles will be gained. Don't forget the strength-conditioning! Perhaps when you stop to smell those roses, you can drop and do 20 push-ups. Remember all functional exercises can be performed anywhere, not just in the gym. Firmer muscles and a firmer you will make you feel and look better which makes you all the more confident.

The only thing left is FUN! Once you mix up your workout with doing the activities you like to do, then you'll be having fun. Whether it is playing three straight sets of tennis, shopping for a smaller clothes size, or training your 'beach bod', the FUN and FIT is up to you. Now take a stand! Be FIRM and enjoy your summer shape-up!

About the Author:

Chad Cannon is a certified personal trainer, weight loss expert, author, speaker, and director of Shaing Concepts in Hilton Head, South Carolina. His website is www.shapingconcepts.com