Often times, it can feel like the dark, cold winter months put us in a bit of a hibernation period. We want to curl up with a blanket and a cup of hot chocolate while watching movies or binging on a TV series. Before you know it, summer is right around the corner, and we actually have to go out in public! So while you might be thinking about how you can achieve the perfect "beach bod," it’s really just about getting healthy, doing what feels good for your body and becoming the best possible version of yourself you can be. Check out these 4 workouts that can help you get healthy and leave you feeling great for summer!

1. Stretch it Out & Try Hot Yoga

First and foremost, always remember how important it is for your body to stretch your muscles before doing any physical activity, especially running. It’s not very likely that if you get injured while working out that you’ll be able to keep exercising – so make sure you stretch before and after! Overuse can lead to aches and pains so be sure to target your stretches toward the areas of the body you work the most.

You can even take this a step further by substituting your gym routine for hot yoga every once in a while. Many believe yoga is just stretching – and it can focus on that if that’s the type of class you take – but in a hot class, you’re working your strength through opening up the muscles and relying on the weight of your own body. If you take a hot power flow class or something similar, you’ll be working your endurance as well.

2. Diamonds are Your Best Friend

Lie on your side with your knees bent. Create a half-diamond shape between your hips, knees and heels. Squeeze your legs together and slightly lift your shins and feet off the earth, keeping your bottom knee on the ground. Keep your heels together as you lift your top knee toward the sky. Slowly lower your top knee halfway back down and repeat. Start with reps of 40 on each side and work your way up to 75.

3. HIIT It Hard

High-intensity interval training is quick, efficient and challenging. Intense bursts of activity paired with fixed periods of less intense activity are considered HIIT workouts. This can be as simple as sprinting as fast as you can for 1 minute and walking for 2 minutes. Repeat that five times and you have 15 minutes of burning fat. 30 minutes of HIIT has even been proven to burn more fat than an hour of steady jogging. Because it keeps your metabolic rate high, you burn more calories in the 24 hours after the workout in addition to what you’re burning while you sweat.

4. Go for the Big Muscles

The bigger the muscle group you work, the more calories you’ll burn. Arms, legs and shoulders are great groups to work. Try bench presses for your arms and chest. You can further utilize the bar for a little added weight during squats.

Safety Note: Make sure you check the equipment before using it. Personal injury attorney in NYC, David Resnick & Associates, says that each year hundreds of thousands of people are injured because of something preventable. Faulty gym equipment can lead to serious injuries, so be careful when using it so you can continue working toward a healthy body this summer!