The beach often conjures thoughts of sand, sun, and fun times! For most people, there's no better place for kicking back and relaxing with a cool drink during the months of summer, but there are more reasons to spend time at the beach than you might think!

It turns out that the beach isn't just a great place to get fit and slender for, it's also a fantastic location to work on your fitness at! Sea and sand represent an ideal solution for many workout challenges, and you also get to enjoy the benefits of fresh air, ocean scent, and the soft warmth of the sun against your skin. If you're sick of the gym, we've put together a range of fantastic calorie-burning exercises to do on the beach that could improve your routine for good!

All you need is plenty of water, and a tummy trimmer belt to focus your weight loss efforts.

1.    Soft Sand Running

One of the most obvious, and best calorie-burning exercises to do on the beach - soft sand running is a perfect option for those with a tummy trimmer belt. Studies have shown that running on sand that can easily move and shift with your weight can be enough to help you expend 1.5 times as much energy as you would running on road or pavement. In other words, you get a tougher workout, and better results.

Remember to listen to your body as you move, and try not to push yourself to run too fast. Your aim should be to maximize balance and go as far as possible without causing an injury. Consider moving between slow and fast paces on both soft and hard sand to help amp up the intensity of your workout and burn away more calories.

2.    Surfing with your tummy trimmer belt

You're probably going to need a little training to be good at this, and you may need to choose a waterproof weight loss belt, but surfing can be one of the most exciting calorie-burning exercises to do on the beach. When's the last time that you saw a fat surfer, after all?

Surfing requires you to have, or develop plenty of upper body strength to move you through the waves, and it can also improve your balance as you adjust to the movement of the water. As a standard workout, surfing is a lot like interval training because you push your body further to get into the waves than you do to move back into the shore.

3.    Beach Volleyball

Once again, volleyball is a sport that's brimming with slim and attractive athletes. It only makes sense that it would be a great exercise for burning calories at the beach. Volleyball is fun, fast-paced, and a great way to make new friends during the summer, while you're achieving your tummy trimmer belt fitness goals. Basically, it has all of the elements of a brilliant workout - filled with jumping, dives, and sprints, mixed with the excitement of a game.

Beach volleyball can be a perfect way to not only improve your endurance and fitness, but also enhance your agility, and co-ordination too. It's pretty cheap to buy your own net and a ball, so you can always create your own team with some friends, or join a local game.

4.    Ocean Swimming

The ocean is a beautiful place, and depending on where you are in the world, it can also be one of the best ways to get some water-based exercise. Just make sure that the water is warm enough for you to swim in comfort, and preferably has a life-guard standing by just in case.

Since ocean swimming can be incredibly tough at times - thanks to rough waters and waves, this is not something that should be considered by anyone who isn't a strong and confident swimmer. You're going to need to use most of the muscles in your body, and this will mean burning plenty of calories, however, you also need to be careful to keep yourself safe. Start off slowly, and go at a pace that you know you can manage before you attempt to ramp up the challenge.

5.    Touch Football

While some people may think of football as a sport that is mostly designed for large, burly men, the truth is that touch football is more about agility, speed, and knowing how to move against the sand. If you have bad balance you should use your weight loss belt for support, or thinking carefully about how you can protect yourself while you are playing in this sport.

As a game for running and passing with friends, this activity will help to burn excess fat around your legs, enhance your heart rate, and improve your overall fitness. What's more, the start-stop nature of touch football means that it can be a great form of beach-based interval training.

6.    Frisbee

Finally, it's worth remembering that Frisbees aren't just something that you can play with when you're young and care-free, they can also be a fantastic way to have fun and lose weight with friends at the beach. As a running and passing sport that can be played with a team, ultimate Frisbee allows players to pass the Frisbee throughout the pitch (beach), and try to score goals on the opponent - just like soccer.

Though there are leagues out there and groups in your local area that you can probably consider joining, it's important to note that Frisbee doesn't necessarily have to be a formal affair. All you need to do is invite a few of your friends or family members down to the beach and set out an area where you're going to play. Make sure that you've designated goals, and get ready to have some fun. The chances are that after an hour or two of running around in the sand, you will have burned plenty of unwanted calories.