Spring is on our doorstep and after a winter of hibernation, now is the time to start working on your fitness. New York based personal trainer and former Mr Australia, Gennaro Ferra, shares his top 10 tips for getting in shape for Spring.

1. Set your alarm 30 minutes early each morning and go for a 30- minute power-walk. After the first week, add in a two-minute jog after every four minutes of walking. After the second week, sprint for 30 seconds, jog for two minutes, walk for three minutes and keep alternating.

2. Start the day with a glass of room temperature water with freshly squeezed lemon juice. Then follow with a freshly squeezed carrot, apple and ginger juice. 

3. When waiting for the subway, do some calf raises to keep your calves strong and lean, and walk up and down the subway platform until the train arrives. 

4. Browse through the group exercise list at your local club. If you like cycling, a spin class may be your thing, or if you prefer working with free weights a body-bar class could be ideal. You may even find a workout partner who can motivate you towards achieving your fitness goals. 

5. Perform mirror check assessments every three days because the mirror never lies. At the same time you can perform a 5-10 minute Powerpose® routine to stay toned. My favourite poses are the Butterfly™ - squatting while flexing and extending the arms, and the Overhead Genie™ - squatting while pressing the hands in front of your upper abs to squeeze the chest and then overhead to contract the upper back and lats.

6. To lose body fat, have a very light dinner around 7pm and then go for a power-walk. This will keep your metabolism firing even when you’re asleep. 

7. Hills and stairs get you super lean super fast! Years ago in NJ I set up a circuit using the West New York/Boulevard East high stairs leading down to the Ferry.  I’d sprint up the stairs, jog along Boulevard East sidewalk and then power-walk along the Hudson River. I did this circuit 10 times for about 22 minutes twice a day and was never leaner and fitter!

8. Set yourself concrete short-term goals. Many people make the mistake of setting goals that are so far out of reach they become overwhelming. Remember, consistency and discipline are everything when achieving your goals and small changes in your body every few weeks add up to big changes over a year.

9. Leave home 15-20 minutes early to walk to work, to catch up with friends for dinner, or to meet your trainer for your training session. This allows you to burn more fat, it’s a great warm up and puts you in a positive mindset for your appointment.

10. Carry healthy snacks with you. My favorites are: apples – filling and packed with energy; almonds, walnuts or Brazil nuts – high in protein; an all natural, low-sugar, gluten or wheat-free granola bar; water – a great natural lubricant for joints and muscles that keeps you energized during your workout, and 85 per cent cacao dark chocolate to give you a kickstart.

To learn more about making the most of your health and fitness go to www.gennaroferra.com or call Gennaro Ferra on 917-770-0729

About Gennaro

Gennaro Ferra is a former Mr. Australia, Certified Master Fitness Trainer, Physical Education Teacher. He is best known as being NYC’s premier Body Makeover Specialist. He has over 25 years of experience as a fitness expert and has developed many signature fitness programs. Two of his most popular programs are Powerpose® and Next Level Gen™. He is also a Certified Fitness Chef and offers meal delivery as part of his Intensive 6 Week fitness course.