If you want to get in shape before summer, you don't have much time.
Here's what I'd start doing today if I wanted to lose 8-15 lbs of fat before the summer:
1. Eliminate alcohol. These are negative calories because your body burns the alcohol before it burns fat, while increasing appetite and hunger. Removing it will automatically be a net positive.
2. Lift weights using progressive overload three days a week, bare minimum.
3. When lifting weights, focus on full-body workouts so you can hit your muscles more frequently.
4. Aim to lift your weights until you get to one or two reps before failure. This will help you give you a chance at building muscle if you are in a calorie deficit.
Fitness cheat codes I know at 45 that I wish I knew at 25:
1. Take 5 grams of creatine for the muscles. Take 10-15 grams of creatine for the brain.
2. The best type of cardio to increase V02 max live longer is the Norwegian 4x4. It's been shown to reduce the age of the heart by 20 years and increase lifespan.
3. A good signal of living longer is the ability to carry your bodyweight for a 1 minute and hang for 2 minutes.
4. Before a workout, do a short 6-minute mobility routine to improve movement capacity, joint health, and prep your body for the workout ahead.
5. You can become stronger by watching something "arousing" before a lift. It's been shown to increase strength by 2% to 8%.