Whether we’re ready or not, summer has officially arrived and millions of people have already started trading in their t-shirts for their swimwear. For some, the warmer months mean hitting the gym more to shave off some unwanted winter weight hiding under those oversized coats. But don’t worry, because celebrity trainer Massy Arias has you covered with an eight-week summer body plan that focuses on nutrition while prioritizing fitness every day for a set amount of time that’s delicious, nutritious, and even stylish.
“If your nutrition isn’t a priority in conjunction with the workouts you decide to do, then those results we’re looking for aren’t going to be great,” says Arias while working with Athleta to promote them. Find Your Movement campaign.
The Latina-born fitness guru loves mixing up her cardio workouts like jumping rope, running, biking, and hiking while mixing in lower-intensity activities to help her clients target those pesky spots on their bodies that are harder to stress.
“I train in a hybrid way which means I prioritize strength training,” he says. “I add mobility training through yoga poses and cardiovascular work. For example, if I do a lower body strength workout on Monday, the next day I do a yoga flow with 20-30 minutes of my favorite cardio workout. The next day, I do an upper body and core workout from my schedule, and the next day might look like the same cardio work followed by mobility work that I do when I get home.”
Solid results come with consistency
With a celebrity roster that includes the likes of Kelly Rowland, SZA and Gabrielle Union to name a few, the mother of one knows how hard it can be to find the time to prepare a workout, so it’s important to find a workout that works with your lifestyle. .
“I feel like the majority of the population thinks they have to exercise really hard to reach a goal and don’t consider the whole body as a whole,” shares Arias. “Smart programming that takes into account functional patterns, strength, endurance, mobility, tendon health and core stability as the basis of these workouts is what I advise one to look for when choosing to exercise. There should be a variety of exercise options to help you be more functional outside of the gym and not hurt you in the process. I’m lucky that I live in LA and can go out all year round. I love hiking or going to the beach to relax and spend time with my family, even if we use those opportunities to be active and exercise together.”
Women especially strive to be long, lean and toned, and Arias says that when it comes to achieving that look, it’s all about balance.
“Toning is just getting enough muscle mass and reducing body fat to see that well-earned muscle,” says Arias. “If you want to tone a specific area of your body, the focus should be strength training and eating to facilitate the recovery of that muscle to achieve hypertrophy. If you’re not eating enough protein to maintain the muscle you’re trying to build and maintain, that toned body will be difficult to achieve. Most women think they are in a calorie deficit, when the focus should be on choosing the right foods to reduce hunger and fuel our needs for lean muscle.”
He adds: “When you perform strength training, despite the choice of exercise movements, you create tears in the muscle fibers and with proper recovery and meeting your protein needs, you will see hypertrophy or muscle growth. If you want to tone, you have to lift and you have to meet your protein needs on a daily basis to see that and maintain it.”
Summer body anytime
Although we’re already into summer, Massy Arias, who just started her own Summer Shape Up challenge with her millions of social media followers, shares eight weeks is more than enough time to see results and feel good.
“Our challenges vary in terms of time and commitment, but I believe that any time you can spend getting fit and focusing on your physicality improves your well-being,” says Arias. “Our summer challenge will last 45 days, but that’s not a hard and fast rule. The principles you learn in our programming will be sustainable and you will continue to see progress on your own. I believe that everyone moves at their own pace. More than anything, I want people to have the education they need to create change on their own and be able to fit into their lifestyle or better yet, improve their current lifestyle. I want them to feel strong, functional, while equally motivated and enthusiastic about their movement.”
When it comes to fueling your body, Arias says it’s important to focus on unprocessed, low-sugar foods to complement the hard work you put in during training to see results.
“I would cut out processed foods,” Arias said. “And that includes fast food. And start including all Whole Foods in your diet. If the food you eat has been so processed that it no longer looks like what it was to begin with, remove it. Soft drinks and juices, [too]. Look at the sugar in most sodas and juices, including Starbucks drinks that have so much sugar.”
Summer Body Essentials starts with water, according to Massy Arias
Proper hydration is just as important as exfoliating, and Massy Arias even has tips for people who need to sweeten things up.
“Start drinking water on your own even if you decide to infuse the water with fruit, mint, lemon, cucumber for flavor,” shares Arias. “When you eliminate added sugars, even if it’s fruit juice, you’ll maintain better levels of insulin in the body that will crave your hunger. Instead, stick to infused water or just water. Also, eat the fruit instead of drinking a glass of the juice of that fruit. When you do this, you’re actually consuming the fiber that will curb your hunger and keep you fuller for longer.”
Arias also notes that carbohydrates are an important part of your diet, but recommends choosing wisely.
“When the carbs you choose are refined and processed, they probably don’t have any of the fiber that’s responsible for keeping your insulin in check and keeping you full,” says Arias. “Start looking at the nutritional content of those carbs and choose the one with the most fiber. Each serving provides you with more than 2g of fiber per serving. Women need about 25 grams of fiber a day, and you’ll hit those numbers with fiber-packed fruits, vegetables, and carbs. [like] oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, amaranth [and] wholegrain.”
And if you feel good, you want to look good, so Massy Arias teamed up with Athleta to make her workouts look as stylish and practical as possible all summer long.
“You’ll find me wearing mine Greetings High Rise 7 Shorts and Elation Ultra High Rise 7 Shorts because they fit perfectly and I don’t have to worry about them moving while I work out,” explains Arias. “I’m lucky to live in LA and I can go out all year round. I love hiking or going to the beach to relax and spend time with my family, even if we use these opportunities to be active and exercise together. Whenever I go, I have mine Athleta All About Tote Bag carrying everything from my workout essentials to snacks for my daughter.”
