The hot summer is the perfect time to lose weight.

Men with large bellies hope to burn off excess abdominal fat by doing sit-ups; women with thick legs hope to slim their thighs by kicking. Cui Yupeng, associate professor of physiology and biochemistry at Capital University of Physical Education and Sports, believes that this is actually a misconception about weight loss; targeted weight loss is simply impossible.

Spot reduction is a speculative mentality

"Treat the head when it hurts, and the foot when it hurts."

With this mindset, people often choose methods that supposedly offer "local" relief. Ms. Zhao, now middle-aged, is overweight due to sitting in an office all day; her legs are too thick to wear skirts. She bought a fitness device and plugged it in, wearing it on her thighs for an hour each day while watching TV. However, after more than a month, instead of slimming down, her legs actually gained several pounds.

Summer is a great season for weight loss. The secret to summer weight loss isn't what you do, but what you don't do. To lose weight and look more beautiful, pay attention to the following:

Wake up early. It gets light very early in summer.

Make the most of the early morning by taking a walk, running, cycling, or playing tennis. The best times for exercise are before 9 a.m. and after sunset.

Drink plenty of water. In cool weather, your body needs 7 to 8 glasses of water a day. In the hot summer, you should drink 2 to 3 more. Unfortunately, many people drink sugary soft drinks or beer to replenish lost fluids. Did you know that a 340ml can of beer contains 150 calories? If you drink several cans of beer a day, your body will store a lot of calories that you can't burn off through sweating. Water is the better drink. In summer, drink at least two glasses of water before exercising; don't wait until you're thirsty. Once you feel thirsty, you've already started to dehydrate.

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