Jen Jewell's Summer Countdown: Burn Fat & Build A Bikini Booty

The days are getting longer, the weather is heating up, and swimsuits are on sale everywhere you look! Summer is just around the corner and the countdown to pool parties, weekend BBQ events, and beach getaways is on!

But wait.

Before you roll your eyes about bikini shopping this year, hear me out: there is still time to make some serious changes with your health and fitness!

I want you all to feel your most healthy, fit, and confident this summer and embrace “swimsuit season” like never before. After all - you’ve been squatting your way to some serious results in the gym, so it’s time to rock those hard-earned results at the beach! Plus, I’ve created the workouts below specifically with this summer countdown in mind. I’m also arming you with my top nutrition tips that will help with fat loss while keeping you full of energy in and out of the gym.

I know all of you have been hitting the gym on a regular basis and have probably been doing a good amount of strength training and some cardio, right? Well it’s time to take the intensity of your workouts up a notch!

Most of us are guilty of having fallen into a workout rut a time or two (I know in the early years of my fitness journey I most certainly did!) and I’m here to make sure that doesn’t happen anymore! The workouts I’ve created for you are designed to shock your body, challenge you in a new way, bust out of a workout rut, and get you the results that you deserve!

Both workouts include a combination of strength training exercises paired with cardio bursts. The goal in each workout is to keep your heart rate elevated more so than you are typically accustomed throughout your strength training - you are, after all, getting in a bonus cardio workout with these 30-60 seconds bursts of cardio between your set. You’ll be challenging yourself in a new way while still lifting as heavy as you can during each set and rep range, but with the added bursts of cardio you’ll be burning even more calories than just traditional lifting and resting in between sets. These workouts are all about efficiency and maximizing your time in the gym as the summer countdown is on! Ready, set…work it!

Nutrition Tips For Fat Loss

• Cut back on or eliminate processed foods. This is so simple and can make such a drastic difference in a short amount of time. Instead of premade convenient foods, switch to cooking your own items (cut out items that are frozen, canned, or packaged with extra preservatives and instead opt for whole food items to make yourself at home) and flavoring your meals with herbs and spices. And no, don’t worry - you don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen. Throw some items in a crock pot and you’re good to go!
• Pay attention to food labels and be especially aware of “healthy” buzz words such as “gluten free,” “vegan,” “fat free” and other clever marketing ploys. More often than not, these modified versions of foods actually end up having more sugar (and calories) than the original version.
• Make sure that each meal or snack you have contains some protein.  Anything from chicken breast, plain Greek yogurt, low fat cottage cheese, whey protein powder, fish, lean steak, egg whites, etc. Making sure each meal and snack has protein in it will help keep you full longer AND it’s essential for building lean muscle (and holding onto that lean muscle while you’re attempting to lose body fat).
• Load up on those veggies! Just as I want you to make sure you’re getting enough protein throughout the day, adding in veggies is another simple way to add more nutrients AND fiber. Aside from a number of other health benefits, fibrous veggies will also help keep you full and slow down the digestion process.
• Cut out all soda & juices, and limit alcohol to once a week (if at all) and be very mindful about any “empty” calories in the form of liquid that you may be consuming. This is such a simple fix that can often save us hundreds of calories a day. Not a fan of drinking gallon of plain water a day? Add some flavor to your water by chopping up cucumber, lemon, lime, mint, or other fruits to help naturally sweeten your water.
• Always be prepared! Know where your next meal is going to come from. If you don’t leave the house every day with a cooler in tow, that’s OK. Just make sure you have a few simple healthy options on hand so that you don’t end up famished and stuck without anything but the nearest fast food drive thru as an option. Items that have helped me in a bind include: a protein bar, some protein powder, a piece of fruit, some almonds and even some oats that I’ve whipped up with hot water at a local coffee shop (or in the airport) and added some protein powder to for a quick meal. These items take just a minute to throw in your purse or gym bag to have on hand throughout the day and can seriously help keep you on track. Set yourself up for success - always be prepared!

Jen Jewell's Summer Countdown Workout

This workout consists of 3 components that are designed to maximize fat loss while adding muscle. You'll be working out 3-4 days per week, so be sure to allow a rest day in between workouts. The sequencing of the workouts is up to you!

Cardio & Strength Training Circuit

Perform this circuit 2-3 days/week. Be sure to allow a day of rest between workouts.

Note that you don't need to do additional cardio on this workout day. To make it even more convenient, this workout can be done at home with minimal equipment. All you'll need is a couple of dumbbells, a jump rope, and an open space!

Circuit 1: 3-4 sets

Circuit 2: 3-4 sets

Bikini booty workout

Perform this workout one day each week.

Warm Up: 10 minutes on step mill or stair stepper. 5 minute moderate pace and then 5 minutes of intervals: 30 sec moderate/30 sec higher intensity. Repeat for 5 minutes and then go hit the weights!

Abs

Train your abs 3 days per week. This can be done after the cardio circuit or after the Bikini Booty Workout.

Select 3 exercises from below for each workout. Alternate between the exercises below from one workout to the next. Do 3-4 sets per exercise.