Summer is synonymous with barbeques, beaches, and beer. But summer is also synonymous with something else: “cutting.” As weight trainers and bodybuilders refer to it, cutting is when you tone up your physique in order to get a really ripped looking physique – hence the term looking “cut up.” So how do you this? It’s easy, really. There’s just a few steps you have to follow in order to know how to tone up in time for those sunny summer months.

Eat Small, Frequent Meals

Toning up is all about making sure that your muscles are not hidden by layers of body fat. Almost everyone wants to lose fat, but not everyone knows how to go about it. One of the simplest ways I can think of to do this is to spread your meals out throughout your day. Instead of the traditional three meals a day, try for five to seven smaller meals. Eating sparse meals every two to three hours will keep your metabolism at a steady pace, and will prevent bouts of overeating.

Limit Time Between Reps In the Gym

In order to burn the maximum amount of fat while still building muscle, you need to keep a steady eye on the amount of time you choose to put between reps. When your rest periods between reps become excessive (above two minutes), your heart rate begins to gradually return to normal. In order to burn the maximum amount of fat per exercise, your heart rate needs to be kept at a steady increase. By keeping your rest time between reps under a minute and a half, you’ll be able to burn more fat.

Do Some Cardio, But Do It Right

Ever wonder why sprinters are so ridiculously cut up and know how to tone up better than most? It’s no coincidence that all the short bursts of intense energy have made such an impact in their overall muscularity. Sprinting, believe it or not, is a total body workout that promotes metabolism, enhances muscular body composition, and decreases accumulated body fat. Any activity where your heart rate is pushed to its maximum limits for short periods of time will allow you to lose fat. You can even do this by walking! Walking at your absolute fastest, and sprinting at your absolute fastest are quite comparable. As long as you’re winded, you’ve done something right!

Eat the Right Types of Foods at the Right Times

I stressed the importance of meal frequency earlier, but choosing which foods to eat, and when, is extremely important in getting ripped and looking toned. Rule one: don’t eliminate carbs! Contrary to popular belief, carbs are important, for they supply the body with necessary energy. Eat low GI (glycemic index) carbohydrates. These are slow burning and supply the body with energy throughout the day. These carbohydrates come in the form of whole grain breads and pastas, leafy vegetables, oatmeal, lentils, etc. Eat them either right in the morning (when your metabolism is very high), before you work out, and directly after you work out. Rule two: eat a lot of protein! Protein is the building block of muscle, and should be included in every small meal you have each day. Eat protein right when you wake up in order to supply your muscles with much needed fuel after a long night’s sleep. On the other side of the spectrum, make sure you don’t go to sleep hungry. Eat low-fat cottage cheese or skim milk before bed in order to supply your muscles with slow digestive proteins all night long. Rule three: understand that extra calories get stored as body fat. No, fat doesn’t make you fat, but too much of it will. In fact, too much of any macronutrient will. If you eat more calories than you work off during the day, they will turn to body fat.

Watch the Alcohol Intake!

Alcohol not only reverses protein synthesis, but it also becomes first priority in the body in regards to fuel. This means that when you consume alcohol, your body uses those calories as energy before burning off carbohydrates, fat, and even protein. Drinking too much in one night may also deter you from wanting to work out the next day due to how dehydrated you are, and from how sluggish you feel.

It may seem like summer is against you in the struggle to maintain that sleek, lean physique. However, if you follow this crash course in how to tone up, you’ll have your peak physique ready for summer, and beyond!