How Ronnie is Getting Her Legs in Summer Shape

Summer is just around the corner. I don't know about you, but I'm starting to feel super motivated to get my body ready for shorts, tank tops and bikinis. We're also heading to Arizona for a little vacation next month, so time is of the essence for me!

Below are the things I'm doing to get my legs ready for summer. Now, you cannot spot train fat. Everyone's body holds and burns fat in different areas at different times. But, I've found, if I lift super heavy and do a couple things (like stair running), it helps me reach my leg goals faster. I'm also trying a couple new things, like dry brushing. 

Let's dig in…

Dry Brushing: Dry brushing for 3-5 minutes before you get in the shower is proven to help reduce the appearance of cellulite. Dry brushing also has amazing detoxing effects. I purchased this set from Amazon, and I'll keep you all posted on the results! PS: They say to do it in the AM because it gives you energy and might keep you up at night. 

Running Stairs & Spin Class: We have a couple sets of outdoor stairs on the east side in the Seattle area. The past couple summers, I've run them and saw big improvements in my legs. I'm going to try to run the stairs for about 30 minutes one time per week. It's also so nice to get outdoors for your training. 

I’m also adding more spin classes to my week. If I really focus on keeping my weight in my hamstrings rather than my quads throughout the ride, I can really feel the burn on the back of my legs. 

Lift Heavy: In the gym, I'm going to lift the heaviest weights I can. Never be afraid of lifting heavy. The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolic rate and the more toned you look. My favorite leg moves are the leg press, weighted squats, jump squats, calf raises, clockwork lunges and weighted glute bridges. I'm also going to increase my leg days to twice per week since that is typically my problem area.

Meal Plan: The phrase, "you can't out train a bad diet" is super, duper true. I've been counting macros and planning my meals for the week on Sundays to make sure I stay on track. Diet is the most important element of getting any body part in summer shape. You can read more about macro based eating on the blog here.

Drink More Water: I have a super tough time drinking water. This is a huge problem because dehydration causes you to overeat. It also makes your workouts feel tougher and can make you feel tiered and irritable. Not good things! I'm going to add strawberries and mint to my water this week to see if it helps me get it down.

Put Workouts On the Calendar: Each Sunday, I am putting my workouts for the week on my work calendar. For the ones on ClassPass, I'm booking them ahead of time. I've found, if I have a plan for the week going into it, I'm far less likely to skip a workout.

I'll check in with you in about a month to let you know how it's going, and if I'm seeing the progress I want. In the meantime, enjoy the tips and let me know if they're helpful to you!

XO,

Ronnie