It’s swimsuit season! Have you been to the beach or pool yet?
Whether you feel pretty good in your body and only want to tone up or you’re looking to drop a significant amount of weight and move down a few swimsuit sizes, we’ve got the tips you need for a killer body at the beach this summer!
1. Get your workouts done in the morning.
Depending on where you live, summer afternoons and even the evenings can be hot! If you like to exercise outside, therefore, your best bet is to do so in the mornings when the temperatures are at their lowest.
2. Eat protein first thing in the morning.
They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and there’s little evidence to contradict this. Like our ancestors before us, breakfast gives us energy to get through the day. Without that necessary energy, we can feel sluggish and tired, and we’ll be more likely to make foolish decisions about what we eat and how we spend our time.
Eating protein first thing in the morning is a good idea because it fuels you without weighing you down. The energy you get from protein also gets doled out throughout the day at a slow, consistent pace. On the other hand, sugars and simple carbohydrates (found in white bread, rice, baked goods, candy, ice cream, etc.) get used up as energy quickly, and then you crash.
A great protein-rich breakfast idea could be something as simple as scrambled eggs with cheese or a low-fat Greek Yogurt with fruit and chia seeds.
3. Get enough sleep.
As stated above, when we get tired throughout the day, we tend to make poor choices. Just think of yourself at 11:30PM when you’re hungry. Are you going to make yourself a small salad or grab that last donut from the cupboard?
Most of us will do the latter because we’re just too tired to think.
Don’t put yourself in this situation. Instead, make sure you’re getting enough sleep every night. Most people need between seven and nine hours of sleep, give or take, each night.
To help yourself sleep better if you tend to have insomnia issues, make sure that your bedroom, bed, and pajamas are calming and comfortable. Make your bedroom a sanctuary where you love to go, and most importantly, don’t use any type of screen for at least an hour before you want your head to hit the pillow.
4. Learn how to manage stress.
Studies show that overstressed people tend to gain weight faster and easier. This means that managing your stress is not just a matter of keeping your sanity, but it’s also something you should consider when you think of your physical health.
Easy tips for managing your stress at home include trying meditation or mindfulness, joining a yoga class, going for a walk, or making a common cup of chamomile tea when you feel your anxiety coming on.
5. Shop around for a flattering bathing suit.
We all know that most bathing suits for women were made to look good on super skinny figures with hardly any curves at all. Even if you’re hoping to tone up your body and possibly drop a few pounds before summer gets into full swing, that doesn’t mean that just any bathing suit is going to feed good on you.
For this reason, make sure you know exactly what you’re looking for before you go bathing suit shopping. Different styles look good on different body types!
Here are a few tips. First, if you have an hourglass shape with more body mass around your chest and hips, bikinis should look great on you. On the other hand, if you have more of an apple shape, where you carry most of your weight in your middle, go with a one piece that cinches at the waist or draws attention to the waist with a pattern or contrasting color.
You can use bathing suits and accessories to camouflage other problem areas as well. For example, if you’re feeling self-conscious about your thighs, consider wearing a swim skirt or a light cover-up out of the water. Alternatively, if you really want to wear a two-piece, but you’re self-conscious about your stomach, consider vintage style bathing suit bottoms where the top of the bottoms’ waist goes up to your bellybutton area and gives the illusion of a smaller waist.
6. Continue going to the beach and having fun … no matter what!
Here’s one final tip for you: Don’t stop going to the beach and pool this summer. Whether you meet your beach body goals or not, you deserve to enjoy a summer filled with white sandy beaches, super cute bathing suits, yummy tropical drinks, and fun with your friends and family.
What you look like on the outside should only matter if YOU want to change it. Have a great summer!
