#FitnessGoals2020: Doctor gives tips for summer-ready body 

MANILA, Philippines — As the cooler weather dissipates and makes way for the coming summer months, we will be seeing more swimsuit photos posted on Instagram and other social media sites. 

There will be pressure too as people huff and puff back into shape with that “balik-alindog program” that they promised themselves with the entry of 2020. 

With a few more weeks before the official start of summer, there might not be enough time to achieve Halle Berry’s six-pack abs, but for those who want to undergo a fitness transformation, Dr. Dana Ryan, Herbalife Director for Sports Performance and Education, said that the best time to start is now. 

First, she gives a caveat about the images that are projected on social media sites, saying that not all of these are to be believed. There are ways to manipulate the images through apps and something as simple as angling for the camera, she said, and there are other factors that come into play such as crash dieting or even dehydration. 

In her recent visit to Manila, Ryan talked about how social media has affected how healthy people are around the world. It has led to more people staying inactive by spending several hours online, and it has given rise to body image problems among adolescents and even adults when they see so many photos of “fitspirations” online. 

More hours on the Web also means that people stay up late looking at their screens and being tempted to binge on unhealthy food as a companion to their scrolling or streaming. Add to that, there are so many social media accounts and websites from supposed “experts” who are touting unhealthy eating habits. 

To get your body summer ready, she said that there is no quick-fix. What is important is to jumpstart that journey into being healthy. 

She gave these tips on how to jumpstart your way into fitness. 

Find something you enjoy doing. 

“Not all of us may afford a gym membership, but that doesn’t excuse us from not being physically active on our own,” she noted. “Take up some  physical activity that you love. That way, you won’t see it as a chore, so can do it regularly.” 

If you don’t like solitary fitness activities, find a workout buddy. 

“This would also be helpful as you’ll get to motivate each other. Find a class or program that you can attend together. It also helps to set a goal for yourself. This way, you’ll stay motivated,” she suggested.

Don’t believe everything you see on social media. 

There are so many tips out there about how one diet is better than the other, or how one type of workout will give you faster results. Try to look up helpful tips on how to remain fit from reliable organizations. Look at the celebrity or influencer you admire as an inspiration, but don’t stress yourself into achieving what he or she has.

Eat a balanced diet. 

As a leading expert in sports performance and nutrition, she advised against cutting certain macronutrients from one’s diet. 

“For example, some people believe that they only need protein and cut out carbs from their diet. This is not true. When it comes to keeping healthy, just always remember balance, as the body needs a complex blend of nutrients to remain healthy,” she said. 

“Herbalife Nutrition Philosophy recommends that you get about 40 percent of your calories in the form of beneficial carbohydrates – whole grains, beans, vegetables and fruits; along with 30 percent from proteins, and no more than 30 percent from fats."

Get moving. 

Walking to work, setting reminders to stand up every 30 minutes, standing during breaks, getting up during TV commercials, and using the stairs instead of taking the elevator are also some of the ways one can have a physical activity in a day.

Don’t overdo it. 

In your quest to have a swimsuit-ready body, you might subject yourself to extreme and prolonged workouts. There is such a thing as overdoing it, you need to look more at how healthy you are through your BMI and other fitness goals instead of just focusing on losing weight. The longer you are able to sustain a healthy and balanced lifestyle, the more benefits you will enjoy in the long run.