There are numerous celebrity exercise plans available for the average consumer, and summer is when most of these get-fit plans become the most popular.
With bikini season fast approaching, and with average people looking to get a buff summer beach bod, celebrity exercise plans seem like the most appropriate solution for people to turn to.
“In the media, there is often a big push for celebrity exercise plans right before summer,” says Dr. Sean Wells, a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and the fitness expert at BistroMD. “Some of these celebrity exercise plans are great, but some can be dangerous if you don’t gradually train your body to cope with these intense bouts of physical activity. Eating the right kind of diet is also important.”
To help you get fit for the summer, BistroMD’s fitness expert, Sean, is taking a look at some of the most popular celebrity exercise plans being advertised today. He will tell you how to take some of these same techniques, and how to transform them into a celebrity exercise plan you can call your own.
Cardio and Aerobics Are Key, but Only If You're Ready
For this summer season, many of your favorite celebs are doing “trendy” exercises and training techniques like Crossfit and P90X.
Crossfit is essentially a fitness plan that is a combination of function, and basic movement patterns that are done at high intensities.
Many celebrities use Crossfit to train for specific movie roles. The Crossfit celebrity fan club includes big names like Sylvester Stallone, Jessica Biel, and Matt Damon.
“Crossfit is great, but many of the activities in this plan require periods of high intensity in order to be the most effective,” says Sean. “Before you dive right into the training techniques used in Crossfit, it’s important that you start with basic activities, and work your way up gradually to more intense exercises.”
Start out with basic activities like walking and jogging for about 30 minutes each day, 5 days per week. You can then start incorporating new exercises and techniques week after week. Before you know it, your celebrity exercise plan will be in tip-top form.
“Once you can do these basic exercises with ease, you can start incorporating more training techniques into your workout, like the methods used in Crossfit,” says Sean. “To start out, incorporate 10 minute bouts of activities like kickboxing and running into your workout. Once you feel comfortable at this pace, you can start adding in 10 minute bouts of either push-ups, double-unders, or squats. As the weeks progress, your goal is to work your way up to at least 50 minutes of exercise each day, 5 days per week.”
Eat a Well-Balanced Diet, High in Protein
Protein itself won’t make you stronger, but it is certainly an essential nutrient that you need to include in a well-balanced diet.
“Today, more and more celebrities are starting to follow the dietary model of meal plans like BistroMD,” says Sean. “Recently, studies have shown that a well-balanced diet with three meals a day with snacks in between promotes a steady and healthy metabolism.”
Stars today are focusing more on diets like these, because of the nutritional benefits. For the summer, many of your favorite celebrities incorporate this type of diet into their summer exercise plan for optimal results.
“Now, stars prefer diet plans that focus on lean protein, and satisfying portions," says Sean. "This is because rapid diet plans have proven to be so dangerous.”
Many of these rapid diets like "The Master Cleanse" will cause you to lose water weight and needed muscle tissue, rather than body fat. Diets like these are too calorie deficient, and they deprive your body of essential nutrients like calcium, vitamins, carbohydrates, and fats.
Celebrities like Beyonce and Jessica Alba follow well-balanced diets, like BistroMD, to keep their bodies healthy, but to maintain their toned and curvy figures. Rather than starve themselves to fit into a bathing suit, they eat nutritious foods such as eggs for breakfast, green leafy salads for lunch, and lean protein for dinner to ensure their bodies are getting adequate nutrition.
“An effective diet balanced with protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats will also give you the energy you need to power through your workout,” says Sean.
Practice Relaxation Methods and Techniques
To promote balance, endurance, and to just relax, many celebrities also incorporate various relaxation methods and techniques into their weekly workout regimens.
“Stars like Beyonce, Demi Moore, Jessica Alba and Gwyneth Paltrow all practice yoga, Pilates, or Tai Chi to help them relax,” says Sean. “Yoga is great for relaxation and flexibility, while activities like Tai Chi promote balance and a calm mood and demeanor.”
At the end of your daily exercise plan, incorporating these techniques into the last 10 minutes of your workout can do wonders for both your health and mental state.
“There are so many relaxation techniques and endurance training activities that have proven to be very effective at reducing stress levels, and improving mood,“ says Sean. “Not only do they help you maintain a healthy mental state, but they also help reduce your risk of certain health conditions as you age, like heart disease and osteoporosis.”
By sticking with these methods recommended by our fitness expert, you will be on your way to developing your own successful workout for a healthy summer season.
