The summer has officially started, and that means it’s time to start focus on looking your best! Shaping up for summer is a pretty common goal, as we all like to try our hardest to look toned, thin, healthy and happy when it’s warm and sunny outside. However, preparing for the season isn’t enough – it’s also important to keep up your fitness efforts as the summer progresses! Whether your summer consists of hanging out at home, taking trips to a great beach, or even a vacation at a high-class destination like the ARIA in Las Vegas, you’ll want to keep looking your fittest and healthiest. So here are 5 good tips for keeping extra weight and flab off.

1. Eat Breakfast

Alright, so you’ve probably heard this one before in more than one fitness tips article. The reason? It works! Breakfast helps you to keep extra pounds off in a few different ways. To begin with, a small nutritional breakfast keeps you from being inordinately hungry come lunchtime, and helps you to avoid large portions and unhealthy snacks. Additionally, breakfast gives you an energy boost, which can make you more inclined to stay active. Finally, putting something in your stomach early also helps to boost your metabolism, meaning you’ll burn calories more efficiently.

2. Implement Resistance Training

Staying in shape isn’t just about cardio exercise – resistance training is crucial as well. Lifting weights not only helps to keep your muscles toned and shapely, but also fires up your metabolism like nothing else. In the 48 hours following a weight training session, your body is a calorie-burning machine.

3. Vary Your Cardio

Increasingly, trainers and fitness professionals caution against constant distance running for exercise. Running is an efficient way to burn calories, but try to vary your cardio routines. Keep your body guessing by working in cycling and swimming, or even activities like jumping jacks or jump rope. Try running in short, speedy bursts some days, instead of always in methodical long-distance stretches.

4. Find Fun Exercise

The best way to keep those extra pounds off during the summer is to find fun ways to get exercise. It might mean playing a sport outside with friends, or even riding the waves at the beach. Whatever the case, summer begs for outdoor activity, and staying active outside keeps you from needing boring ordinary exercise.

5. Stay Hydrated

Finally, try to drink a bit more water than usual this summer. It’s easier to get dehydrated in warm or dry summer climates, and dehydration keeps you inactive and lazy. Keeping yourself properly hydrated is essentially like keeping yourself fueled – happy, active, and comfortable.