If David Beckham’s latest H&M campaign has you regretting those second helpings and neglected cardio routines, never fear. We’ve got some helpful tips to get you back on track to your own soccer star body.
The 75/25 Rule
Doctors like to tell us to eat healthier. In our journeys to Beckham bodies, we must first lose the extra pounds around our stomachs in order to reveal the amazing abs hiding underneath.
Your diet should compose about 75 percent of your weight loss plan. Exercise really only results in about 25 percent of your success. Hitting the gym everyday without changing your food intake will net you small fitness gains, but your six pack and toned arms won’t appear nearly as rapidly unless your eating habits change as well.
Use an App
So how do you reel in your eating habits? Many people have found tremendous success counting calories with the help of a myriad of available free and paid apps. MyFitnessPal and Lose It! represent two of the many available apps to help you track everything going into your body.
Simple Substitutions
Don’t like the idea of tracking every single molecule that enters your body? More interested in a simpler, more holistic approach? Try some simple substitutions instead.
Simple substitutions aim to remove your worst dietary offenders and replace them with healthier alternatives. Trade your frappuccino for a iced coffee with splenda and skim milk. Try an apple instead of a bag of chips. Get the grilled chicken instead of the fried. These substitutions may seem small, but they add up to some pretty large calorie deficits.
Everyday Easy Exercises
One recent fitness trend can help you on your journey towards a soccer star’s body. Bodyweight fitness gives the frugal folks a break when it comes to getting that Beckham six pack. If your budget (or frugal mentality) prevents you from buying a gym membership or dropping cash on a home-gym, bodyweight fitness might be for you.
Bodyweight workouts involve little more than you and your floor as you watch your favorite Netflix series after work. Ranging from planks to squats to lunges to pull ups, all of these exercises give your muscles all the resistance they need without ever dropping money (or space) for equipment.
Another Rule: 66 Days
Experts say that it takes about 66 days to form a new habit. Do an activity consistently everyday 66 times in a row, it will almost certainly stick. Don’t we all wish we could instantly have that Beckham bod? Unfortunately for us mere mortals, we do have to put in some serious effort.
Stick with any of the routines or tips above for 66 days and you will certainly see results. More than that, you’ll create habits that will make your waistline shrink, your abs appear, and your confidence soar.
Create Confidence
Speaking of confidence, have you ever seen David Beckham NOT look completely self-assured? Psychologists have told us for years that people find confidence attractive. Never underestimate the power of truly believing in yourself: you’ll suddenly find yourself surrounded by awed admirers. You might be months (or years) away from the physical Beckham body, but you can act the part starting today.
