By Peter Minkoff

Don’t Photoshop your Instagram pics, nobody likes that dude (dudette). Instead, why no work for it? Imagine if you could sculpt an Instagram-worthy bod for the summer without the help of popular editing tools the most famous Instagrammers readily use on a daily basis.

Yes, March is almost over, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t have enough time to transform your physique, sculpt a six-pack (also sexy on a female body, ladies) and fill out that gorgeous bathing suit just in time for an amazing beach day somewhere in July. With that in mind, here is your definitive guide to building an Instagram-worthy body for the summer.

No brain, no gain

First things first, we need to set up a realistic schedule and a realistic set of tasks and expectations. You will constantly hear gym bros preaching the “no pain, no gain” rule, meaning that all it takes is bust your ass in the gym and the results will come. Obviously, no brains were used in support of this claim. Losing fat and toning out your muscle bellies takes time and dedication, yes, but it also requires careful planning.

Now, if you count your calories, allocate your macronutrients, and stay in a caloric deficit throughout your summer prep, you can expect to lose up to 2lbs (1kg) on a weekly basis. However, losing fat takes significantly less time than building muscle. Gaining a kilo of lean muscle takes about a month, so you need to be realistic about how much you can gain, and how much fat you can lose.

To cut or to bulk?

Different people want different results, and while getting ready for the summer usually means cutting weight, some people just want to bulk up and put some size on their frame, usually guys. This is why your daily routine from now on needs to be geared towards your goals.

It’s also important to remember that muscle is sexy no matter what, so you should strive to keep or gain as much of it as you can. If you do decide to cut fat, you need to keep training hard in order to preserve precious muscle, which will further aid you in the fat-burning process. This brings us to the next crucial point. When buying boys swimwear, you must first consider its purpose, whether it's for sunbathing, swimming, or both.

Take your fitness routine to the next level

The time has come to train like a pro and force your body change, fast. No matter if you have been slacking off during the winter, or if you have been training religiously, you need to up the intensity, the frequency, and probably, the volume of work too.

If you can’t squeeze all of your sets and reps in a single gym session, it’s a great idea to supplement your training routine with short home training sessions. Another good idea is to look at what Australians do to get beach-ready quickly, as they always have several key pieces of exercise equipment at home they can use at a moment’s notice. Nothing fancy though, just a couple of dumbbells, some resistance bands, and perhaps a flat bench to be able to do a variety of exercises whenever you find some spare time.

One product we recommend is the Gear Sport by Samsung. For those looking for a sleek and stylish wearable to receive notifications on things like emails, read text messages and, track fitness goals and make phone calls (accompanied by a phone), the Gear Sport brings versatility and production to your wrist.

It’s a process, so don’t screw it up

There is a reason you’re starting your summer prep this early – it’s so you have enough time to ditch the bad habits and adopt healthy ones. Developing healthy is not something you can do overnight, so start slowly by eliminating all unhealthy food sources from your home, and stock the pantry with their nutritious counterparts.

Another crucial element of the beach bod puzzle is longevity and staying injury-free. You can’t simply up the training intensity without increasing your mobility and flexibility work, or wearing compression clothing to keep your joints and muscles safe during strenuous exercise. God forbid you were to twist an ankle half-way through your prep and lose precious time you could be spending making gains on recovery.

Hydrate and supplement like a bodybuilder

Finally, hydration and supplementation become all the more important as the beach day draws closer. Water is essential for a myriad of bodily processes, including regulating metabolic processes such as your appetite, helping you feel sated and your body looking lean and full.

A water we recommend is Phocus, a brand new naturally caffeinated, naturally flavored, calorie & sweetener free sparkling water that gets its caffeine from green tea leaves and is completely free of any of the “bad stuff” typically found in sodas energy drinks, and coffee. Our favorite is the cucumber version.

For those who still want to sip on a delicious cocktail our go to is Batiste Rhum Egoist, a cleaner, versatile, delightfully pleasing rum currently celebrated by cocktail connoisseurs at home and restaurants nationwide. All Natural & Organic, Non GMO, Gluten Free, Fair Trade and is made from 100% Fresh Caribbean Island Grown Sugar Cane Juice (Most rum is made from molasses. Batiste has zero grams of sugar.) 

On hott Summer days, we simply mix Batiste with flavored sparkling water (LaCroix) for a low-calorie (65 calories in a 1 oz serving) tasty cocktail. Or you can visit Batiste’s menu of recommended drink recipes.

On the other hand, supplements aren’t mandatory, but they can help you reach your goals faster if you’re in a bind. You can take vitamins and minerals on a daily basis, including whey protein to speed up the muscle-building process. If you're interested in trying supplements like these, then you could visit the power life website. Don’t reach for fat burners, though, unless you are certain that you won’t be able to hit your target weight before the summer comes.

While one of the hardest things to cut out while on a diet is a fun alcoholic beverage we recommend Truly Spiked & Sparkling. Being only 100 calories, 1 gram of sugars, 2 grams of carbs, is the perfect summer drink for people who are still looking to enjoy the season, without derailing their wellness routine.

Building an Instagram–worthy body is not as difficult as it seems, you only need to follow the right steps and stay devoted and persistent. Also, there is no cutting corners or a cookie-cutter solution that will get you the desired results right now, so take these steps to heart and you will have no problem dazzling everyone at the beach.

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