How to Get a Hot Body

Co-authored by Danny Gordon and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: May 14, 2024 Fact Checked

If you’re thinking ahead to the summertime (beaches, pools, and bathing suits), you’re probably getting ready to strut your stuff. Getting toned and fit is a great goal, especially if you focus on building muscle and eating right. With a little work, exercise, and discipline, you can get the body of your dreams. Remember: as long as you’re happy and healthy, every body is a hot body!

Here are 12 effective ways to get a hot body that you love.

1

Maintain a balanced diet.

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Try to eat meals with protein, whole grains, fruits, and veggies. Shoot for 3 to 4 small meals throughout the day, and eat a healthy snack (like nuts or yogurt) in between. Try to stay away from processed foods and foods with a lot of sugar so you can stay healthy.^{[1]
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Danny Gordon
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Expert Interview. 18 October 2019.}
- While eating healthy is always a good idea, try not to restrict yourself. Going hungry can actually hurt your chances of losing weight and gaining muscle since your body goes into starvation mode and your metabolism will slow down.

2

Drink water whenever you’re thirsty.

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It’s the healthiest drink out there (plus, there are no calories). As much as you can, try to avoid juice and soda, which both have a ton of sugar in them. Keep a water bottle nearby so you can sip on it throughout the day.^{[2]
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- Drinking water before a meal can also help keep you full so you don’t eat as much. Try drinking 1 to 2 glasses of water before you sit down to eat to keep your portion sizes smaller.
- Try to avoid alcohol and caffeine, both of which can dehydrate you.

3

Start walking.

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Try heading out for a 15 to 30 minute walk every day. It’s a great way to ease into an exercise routine, especially if you aren’t a fan of the gym. Eventually, you can work up to 45 or even 60 minutes of walking at a time.^{[3]
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- Make sure you warm up and cool down by walking slowly for 5 to 10 minutes before and after your workout.
- Wear good, supportive running shoes with arch support to keep your feet and legs from getting hurt.

4

Do cardio to get your heartrate up.

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Cardio workouts help burn calories and get your body in shape. Start off running or biking for half an hour a day for 2 weeks. If you think you can handle it, jump into an hour a day for better and faster results.^{[4]
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Danny Gordon
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Expert Interview. 18 October 2019.}
- The goal is to get your heart rate going at a healthy clip so that it burns extra energy. If you run out of breath, it is ok to stop and rest for about a minute, but don't stop long enough for your heart rate to slow down.
- When you are ready to stop, take a cool-down walk. Walk at a fast pace first then slow down gradually. Don't forget to stretch after your workouts.

5

Try swimming for a full body workout.

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Swimming takes the weight off your joints as you stay active. Head to your local community center and swim laps for 30 to 45 minutes a few times per week. Or, try joining an underwater workout class for a regulated workout with a professional.^{[5]
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- Swimming is a great option if you have problems with your joints or you have arthritis.
- Make sure you stay hydrated before and after swimming! It’s easy to forget to drink water when you’re swimming in a pool of it.

6

Build muscles with strength training.

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Lifting weights will help you tone your body and accentuate your muscles. Try bicep curls, squats with dumbbells, dumbbell rows, and lunges with dumbbells for a full body workout. When you’re first starting out, focus on your form by meeting with a personal trainer or watching tutorials online.^{[6]
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- Everyone’s strength training routine looks different, but oftentimes, people will vary the workouts they do. For example, you might work your legs on Monday, your arms on Tuesday, your core on Wednesday, your back on Thursday, and then rest on Friday.
- Try weight training 3 to 4 times per week when you first start out.
- Start low and slow when you begin strength training. Picking up a huge, heavy weight can injure you.
EXPERT TIP

Laila Ajani
Fitness Trainer
Laila Ajani is a Fitness Trainer and founder of Push Personal Fitness, a personal training organization based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 13 years as a trainer and exercise specialist, Laila has expertise in competitive athletics (gymnastics, powerlifting, and tennis), personal training, distance running, and Olympic lifting. Laila is certified by the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA), and USA Powerlifting (USAPL), and she is a Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES).

Laila Ajani
Fitness Trainer

Women shouldn't worry that weight training will drastically change their bodies. Female clients sometimes worry that weight training will make their bodies "bulky", or less feminine. However, due to biological factors, it's hard for females to put on the same amount of muscle mass as males. It's unlikely you'll achieve a bulky look unless you're overdoing it at the gym.

7

Try an at-home workout routine.

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Not everyone wants to go to the gym, and that’s okay! There are tons of exercises you can do at home, like pushups, crunches, planks, and lunges.^{[7]
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- Before you start working out, warm up dynamically by moving all the joints, muscles and body parts you'll be working on through their full range of motion.^{[8]
  X
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  Danny Gordon
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  Expert Interview. 18 October 2019.} Get your heartrate up for at least 5 minutes to avoid any injuries during your workout.

8

Do exercises that tone your abs and your booty.

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You can shape both at the same time with a few key exercises. To do the dirty dog, start on your hands and knees with your back flat. Lift one leg out to the side, keeping it bent, kind of like a dog lifting its leg. Hold that position, then slowly lower your leg back down.^{[9]
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- Another great exercise for your abs and booty is the glute bridge. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and pointed toward the ceiling. Engage your core to lift your rear end off the ground, pointing your hips up toward the ceiling. Hold the position for a few seconds, then slowly lower down.^{[10]
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9

Pick up cycling.

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It’s a great way to burn calories while getting outdoors. On its own, cycling probably won’t give you huge muscles or a six pack, but it can boost your stamina and build your leg muscles. Try going for a bike ride 2 to 3 times per week for a fun exercise that you’ll never get bored of.^{[11]
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- If you don’t have a bicycle, consider using a stationary bike at the gym.
- Cycling is also a great cardio workout.

10

Try high intensity interval training.

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It involves doing a high level activity for a short time period. To do high intensity interval training, or HIIT, pick an aerobic exercise, like running or cycling. Warm up for 5 minutes, then do your exercise for 1 minute at the highest intensity level that you can muster. Rest for 2 minutes, then do your exercise for 1 minute again. Keep going until you’ve exercised for about 20 minutes.^{[12]
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- HIIT intervals vary, and you can pick the timing that works well for you.
- Try doing HIIT workouts about twice a week.

11

Get 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night.

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Sleep deprivation actually hurts your ability to lose weight. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body produces more glucose and insulin, which can actually lead to weight gain. So depriving yourself of sleep is a no-no for healthy weight loss. Try to go to bed around the same time and wake up around the same time every day.^{[13]
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- Less sleep also kills your motivation to workout and eat well. We've all been there: It's the end of a stressful day at work, we're tired, and we have no energy to do the things we told ourselves we'd do at the beginning of the day. Getting a good night's rest helps keep you energized and motivated, so that when it comes time to hop on the treadmill, you'll have the willpower to push through.

12

Keep your self esteem intact.

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Having a hot body looks different for everyone. If you’re happy with your appearance and you like your body, then you have a hot body! Try making a list of all the things your body lets you do (walking, running, jogging, sitting, standing) and reading it often to appreciate what you have at any point in time.^{[14]
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- Getting healthy is always a good goal, but try to focus on building muscle and strength rather than losing weight or slimming down. It will help you focus on the positives instead of what you want to change.

Get a Bigger, Sexier Butt with this Expert Series

Have you dreamed of having a bigger, more toned butt? You can make a lot of progress in even a few weeks with this expert series.

1

Get a Bigger Butt in a Week

2

How to Make Your Butt Look Sexy, Perky & Lifted

3

Get a Bubble Butt

4

Exercise for Great Buttocks

5

Lift Your Butt

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Get a Sexy Bikini Body

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Question

Can I get a good body in 3 months?

Danny Gordon
Certified Personal Trainer
Danny Gordon is an American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Certified Personal Trainer and Owner of The Body Studio for Fitness, a fitness studio based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 20 years of physical training and teaching experience, he has focused his studio on semi-private personal training. Danny received his Personal Trainer Certification from the California State University, East Bay and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).

Danny Gordon

Certified Personal Trainer

Expert Answer

It depends on your current level of fitness and what you mean when you say "good body," but you can absolutely improve your overall fitness in 3 months. You may not want to make this your primary goal, though. If you don't picture yourself as attractive and your goal is to make a total 180 in 3 months, you may get discouraged. Focus on little gains and building a regular exercise routine!

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What if I don't want to run or have a problem with running?

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There are other ways you can lose weight while exercising. For example, Yoga and Zumba are both fun ways to lose weight without running. You could also try biking, dancing, or swimming.

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How many hours do I need to sleep?

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Children aged 6-13 need 9-11 hours of sleep. Teenagers aged 14-17 need 8-10 hours. Adults need 7-9 hours. You may find that you feel and function better if you sleep on the lower or higher end of your recommended range, but as long as you're within that range, you're fine.

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Squats and lunges are a great way to build lower body muscles.^{[15]
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Know your limits. An injured body after two days of over-training is going to achieve a lot less in 4 weeks than a less intensely trained body working steadily towards a goal.

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Try doing a few easy exercises while watching your favorite show. Do more complex exercises during the commercials.

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Warnings

Try not to restrict your eating. While focusing on healthy eating is great, cutting calories or starving yourself can be unhealthy in the long run.

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