Summer is creeping around the corner, which means before you know it we’ll be trading in the sweatshirts, jeans, and jackets for those bathing suits and shorts. The thought of this might be making you sweat and although we still have a few months to go, there’s no better time than right now to make sure you feel your absolute best to start showing some skin. The key to feeling and looking your best is to boost your energy and get active. What better way to do that than an easy, effective workout! Grab some music to get you pumped up and try these workouts:

• Cardio: With the weather getting warmer, take full advantage of this by going outside for a jog or walk. When you’re heart gets your blood pumping it will wake up your entire body.
• Be sure to pace yourself, especially if you are a beginner; It’s important to work your way up to your desired time and not jump into it the first day. Maybe on your first day go for a 10-15 minute walk and increase your time every couple of days. If you don’t pace yourself, you’ll be exhausted.
• Legs: Lunges and squats! These are a great, effective way to tone your lower body—it’s often hard to target. You’ll isolate those muscles and really make them feel alive! Do 3 sets of 10-15 reps of both squats and lunges a couple times per week and you will notice a firmer bottom and thighs within a few weeks. Nice buns hun!
• Stomach: Plenty of cardio will help you lose stomach fat. Core exercises rock because everything is connected to the core, so that means all of your muscles will wake up and get energized when you work on your abs. So you’ll feel even better and look even more fit. And if you’re trying to tone your mid section and you’re bored with doing regular sit-ups and crunches, these chair lifts and pelvic thrusts are your solution.

Pelvic thrusts: Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and arms straight beside you. Slowly lift and tilt your pelvis upward as you exhale. As you tilt your pelvis, be sure you keep your lower back on the floor so you get the most out of the movement. Hold the movement for about 5 seconds and inhale as your relax your buttocks back down on the floor. Do about 10 to 15 reps and take a 90 second break between sets. Perform a total of 4 sets.

Chair lifts: Sit upright with your back flat against the back of your chair. Place your hands on the desk in front of you or on the seat of the chair by your legs. Slowly lift your knees up toward your chest and hold for 5 seconds. Then slowly lower them back down, resting your feet on the floor. Exhale when you lift your legs up and inhale when you lower them to the floor.

• Arms: Back to the basics…pushups. They may be old-fashioned but they certainly still work! Talk about the ultimate fatigue fighter! Push ups wake up your entire body since almost all of your muscles are involved! Start today with doing as many as you can and continue doing this amount for the rest of the week. Add 1 or 2 pushups to that number the following week. Each week add a few more until you have reached whatever your goal number is.

What do you do to get your rear in gear (and the rest of your body) revved up and looking energized for summer?