Here’s how to construct the perfect summer prep… plus a few pro tips for when things go wrong!
Sure, there are a few people who seem to effortlessly look amazing in a swimsuit every year. But they’re definitely not the norm (and we all suspect they have secrets they’re just not sharing with us!).
For the rest of us, dropping jaws on the beach or in the park only happens with hard work and planning. And with every passing year, both of those get a little more important!
Here’s what we know doesn’t work… and some expert advice to help you stay the course from a trainer who specializes in summer prep!
👎 Thumbs down: Crash diet
👍 Thumbs up: A long lean-out plus a quick tighten-up
“Most summer fitness routines fail because they’re too extreme. Crash dieting for a few weeks might deliver quick physical changes, but the emotional and physical damage it causes — burnout, binge eating, hormonal issues, poor sleep — is far worse,” explains personal trainer and SteelFit athlete Morgan Shapiro.
“Whether it’s myself or my clients, we focus on slow, sustainable fat loss — not extreme restriction. That way, by the time summer hits, we feel energized, not depleted. This way, we’re able to maintain a lean, ‘toned’ physique throughout the season without crashing and burning.”
As she explained in the article 7 Rules to Shred for Summer WITHOUT Losing Muscle, Shapiro takes a months-long buildup to summer. But if you’ve already missed that window, start now and keep a trick or two up your sleeve!
Forgot to lean out for summer? Use these to look great in photos anyway!
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Abs of Steel Fat-Burning Cream: Skin tightening and core muscle definition
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Buns of Steel Cellulite Reduction Cream: Tone legs & reduce cellulite and stretch marks
👎 Thumbs down: Giving up exercising once you’ve lost weight
👍 Thumbs up: Embracing the “summer recomp”
Earning a lean physique by summer time is one thing. Keeping it all summer long? That’s a whole other challenge! But an amazing thing about the human body is that while it takes a lot of effort to make a serious change in how you look, it takes far less to keep what you’ve earned.
Earning a lean physique by summer time is one thing. Keeping it all summer long? That’s a whole other challenge! But an amazing thing about the human body is that while it takes a lot of effort to make a serious change in how you look, it takes far less to keep what you’ve earned.
Here’s how Shapiro maintains her gains during summer, and you should, too:
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Keep lifting regularly (3-4 times per week)
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Change your conditioning from a “cardio focus” to an “activity/fun focus”
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Bump calories up to maintenance level if you’ve been dieting
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Keep protein intake high and take Creatine Monohydrate for muscle preservation
If you nail those big four, you can actually spend your summer staying lean while actually seeing muscle growth, too.
“Right now, I’m the leanest I’ve ever been, eating more food than ever, training hard, and feeling my best,” Morgan says. “It’s not just fat loss — it’s full-body recomposition, where you can lose fat while building muscle. And it’s exactly what I love guiding my clients through as well.”
The best supplements for body recomposition
- Creatine Monohydrate Gummies: Help build & preserve muscle
- Vegan Branched-Chain Amino Acids: Protect against muscle loss when calories are low
- Steel Collagen: Protein for muscle & healthy skin and joints
👎 Thumbs down: Demanding programs that don’t fit your lifestyle
👍 Thumbs up: Flexible programs that you can customize
Almost anyone can use a well-designed program like SteelFit’s 30 Days to Visible Abs and have success. But that success will look very different depending on each person’s body, lifestyle, and recovery needs. That’s why we’ve designed this training and nutrition program to be adaptable for all types of schedules, equipment, and experience levels.
Some people can do a workout almost every day and feel great. Other people can only stick with an every-other-day approach. Some count macros, while some thrive on a more intuitive approach. If it helps you stick with the plan, then go for it!
“I always tailor plans to the individual, because real life isn’t one-size-fits-all,” Shapiro says. “There’s room for balance — social events, rest, AND fun — without losing sight of the goal.”
Ready to See Your Abs this Summer? Here’s your program!
FREE Ebook: 30 Days to Visible Abs
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Complete 4-week program (expandable to 8 weeks or more)
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Adaptable workouts suitable for home or gyms
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Nutritional guidance for lasting fat-loss
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Supplement + topical schedule
