Get Your Summer Body in 12 Weeks with This Celebrity Trainer's Proven Plan

Welcome to my 12-week "Building a Summer Body" series! Can you achieve a more sculpted, stronger body in 12 weeks? Definitely!

Vanity is a powerful motivator and I fully own mine, which has led me to research the healthiest ways to fuel my body nutritionally and strengthen my body efficiently and effectively to look and feel my best. A positive dose of vanity has led me to health and happiness and can do the same for you!

Besides sculpting and strengthening your body over the next 12 weeks you will also begin to feel more energized, healthy, and happy! I'm confident you'll feel so great that you'll make our 12-week challenge a part of your routine throughout the year!

A Proven Plan for Summer Success

Every program is only as successful as the effort put in. My goal is for you to find achievable ways to improve your strength, mobility, and functionality and give you ways to fuel your body to reach your fitness goals and improve your overall health.

Every two weeks, I'll introduce new exercises and nutrition tips to help you build on the week before. But here are the pillars I want you to focus on daily for the entire program:

Daily Movement

Engage in a minimum of 30 minutes of walking daily, preferably outdoors rain or shine.

Being outside offers several benefits: fresh air improves mood, vitamin D supports the immune system and muscle health, and walking on uneven terrain engages smaller muscles for better balance and fitness.

Stay Hydrated

Hydrate! Make your daily water intake goal half your body weight in ounces.

Drink water or sparkling water without added sugar or other sweeteners. To beat the bloat remember that caffeine and alcohol dehydrate the body. If you choose to indulge in either, follow up with a glass of water.

Clean Eating

When it comes to food, focus on eliminating processed/packaged/added sugar foods.

While I would like you to focus on removing foods that don't fuel your body, I don't have a deprivational philosophy regarding diet. It takes 2-3 weeks to create/break a habit, so stick with the nutrition tips and you will train your taste buds to crave the real foods that keep you healthy.

Track Your Progress

Get accountable with a journal, fitness app, and/or a friend. It's easy to fall off course with the requirements we have in our lives, so start this program off by committing to a method for success. Writing down what you eat and drink each day will help you be more aware of what you may be unnecessarily consuming or where you may need to up your intake of protein, fruits and vegetables. Planning your workouts and meals for the week and putting them in your calendar takes the last minute guesswork out so you can stay on track. When you look back at your progress, give yourself a pat on the back, and remember that you can accomplish more than you ever imagined!

Weeks 1 and 2: Building Your Foundation

Exercise Focus: Core Connection

For the first two weeks we will focus on core connection and core based exercises. You will walk daily for a minimum of 30 minutes in addition to the exercises. Listen to your body throughout and take one rest day each week. Walking is still encouraged but at a more leisurely pace.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

The Core is the foundation of the body and when properly engaged all movement becomes more effective, efficient, and safe. Core engagement refers to the stabilization of the muscles in the torso that support the spine, abdominals, pelvic floor and posture.

How to Core Connect:

To properly engage your core, lie on the floor with knees bent and feet flat. Place your fingers on your lower abdomen and thumbs on your lowest rib. Inhale through your nose, feeling your ribcage expand. Exhale through your mouth, pulling your abdominal muscles toward your spine while keeping your shoulders stable and away from your ears. Engaging your core will flatten your abdomen and strengthen your spine.

Your Daily Workout

Here are the 5 exercises to complete daily with one day of rest each week. Focus on improving your form and increasing the number of repetitions by the end of the first two weeks:

Toe Taps

Lie on your back and core connect. Lift your feet off the floor and bring your knees up over your hips. Open the knees wide, keeping heels and toes together. Hinge at the hip without changing the shape of the leg and tap the Right toe to the floor and bring it back up, then tap the Left toe to the floor and bring it back.

16 reps to feel your abdominal muscles engage.

Round two: keep your heels together and lower both legs at the same time to the floor, tap and bring knees back up.

8 reps moving slow and steady.

It's very important to keep your abdominal muscles pulling down toward the mat or floor and your low back pressing down. You can modify it by not lowering the toes all the way to the floor or you can place your hands below your low back/tailbone for support.

Plank

Flip over and place hands under shoulders. Walk knees back keeping legs together to form a straight line from head to hips to knees. Tuck toes and straighten legs to hold a full plank. Keep a nice, long neutral spine with your arms actively pressing the mat away, the core remaining tight, and the legs squeezing together and lifting up. If you feel your back, place knees back down on the mat. This can be done on the forearms as well for any issues or pain in the elbows, shoulders or neck.

Record how long you can hold your plank each day. Every day hold for at least 10 seconds longer. A two-minute daily plank is the goal by the end of 2 weeks.

Pushups

From a plank position, move arms slightly wider than your shoulders with elbows angled back 45 degrees. Bend your elbows and lower your chest to elbow level. Exhale and press your body back to its starting plank position. This can be done just as effectively on the knees. Keep the neck safe by keeping your gaze just past your fingertips and focus on keeping your body in a straight line.

Record how many pushups you can complete on your first try. Every day do one more pushup. The goal is to complete as many pushups as your age by the end of 12 weeks. As you practice you can break up the pushups at different times of day, but the goal is to complete as many as you can in a row as you progress.

Wall Sit

Stand against a solid wall. Slowly slide down the wall and walk your feet forward until your hips are in line with your knees and your knees are over your ankles making a 90 degree angle. Focus on keeping a strong posture and core with your chin parallel to the floor.

Record how many seconds you can hold the wall sit and hold for a few seconds longer each day. The goal is to hold for a minute by the end of 2 weeks.

Lunges

Standing upright with your core engaged, step your Right foot forward. Keep your front foot flat and your back heel lifted. Place your hands on your hips and drive your Left knee straight down to the floor. Make sure your Right knee stays stacked over your ankle and that you are not pressing your weight forward. This is an up/down like an elevator movement. Press into your R foot to drive the body back up to straight legs for 1 rep.

Start with 10 lunges on each leg and add 2 each day. Record your reps. To add-on, raise your hands over your head. Over the coming weeks, we will add resistance to the lunges.

Nutrition Focus: Protein Power

I've been drinking my Hilliard Studio Method Smoothie for years along with a crunchy apple and tea or coffee first thing in the morning. Our HSM smoothie delivers 27 grams of protein, 23 grams of fiber, nutrient-rich greens, healthy fats and omega-3's. It will be the "jet fuel" that sets you up for success and keeps you satisfied and energized.

Another great protein source is ¾-1 cup of Greek yogurt mixed with a scoop of collagen peptide powder, chia seeds, and blueberries for at least 25 grams of protein.

Protein Sources to Include:

Stick to lean sources of protein including:

• Chicken breasts
• Turkey breasts
• Pork loins
• Lean Beef
• Fish
• Tofu
• Eggs
• Lentils
• Beans

Bake or cook your proteins with organic olive oil and use fresh or dried herbs and a little bit of salt pepper to season. Lemons and other citrus provide great flavor. Keep your portion sizes to the suggested serving size and fill up the rest of your plate with vegetables like:

• Broccoli
• Brussels Sprouts
• Asparagus
• Bell Peppers
• Mushrooms
• Green Beans
• Kale
• Spinach
• Bok Choy
• Cauliflower
• Cabbage
• Carrots

Smart Carb Choices:

And complex carbohydrates like:

• Sweet potatoes
• Chickpeas
• Brown Rice
• Squash
• Quinoa

Roasting everything on one sheet pan is an easy way to cook, clean and feel great about your meal.

Sweet tooth tip is to end your meal with apple slices or berries.

About the Author:  Liz Hilliard is an author, motivational speaker, podcast co-host, and the founder & CEO of Hilliard Studio Method (HSM).