Spring has sprung and for many of us that means the harrowing realization that very soon, we’re going to have to slip back into swimwear.
I love the warmer weather and being lucky enough to have a beach house, the thought of long Summer days spent beachside finished off with a glass of Champagne watching the sunset makes me giddy with anticipation. Balmy nights, night time swims, kaftans and bejeweled sandals, summer dresses, Sunday sessions, outdoor training, BBQ’s, Summer salads and seafood… I love the mental picture this paints. Until that pretty picture has me wearing a bikini in it!
It never seems to matter how much work I do on my fitness over Winter, the joyous comfort food served during the colder months is just too hard to resist. Damn you slow cooked lamb shanks!
Let’s be honest, when you’re all covered up in roll neck knits and trench coats the reality of being half naked, in front of your family and friends come Christmas holidays at the beach, is the last thing on your mind.
We’ve all been there countless times, so starting now I’m focusing on that bikini. In the same boat?
Here’s my Top 10 bikini prep tips to kick us off:
- Step away from the slow cooker and put it back in its box until next Winter. Stat!
- Check back in. Hello? Engage your brain when eating. It’s way too easy to tune out and go into autopilot. Focus on what you are eating and allow guilt to check you when you veer off track. Be present, chances are you’ll enjoy it more.
- Get real. Ditch the processed foods and replace them with unprocessed foods.
- The vending machine is not your friend. How many times have you ventured off to the vending machine at the office to get biscuits and cheese and come back with a chocolate bar? Snack on fruit instead.
- Learn to love the F word. Get some good quality fiber into your diet. Fiber, water and weight loss go hand in hand.
- Focus. Yes, that rich curry does taste fabulous but does it taste as good as looking fitter in swimwear feels?
- Just add water. I covered it early this week but you might not be hungry, you might be dehydrated. Drink more water, starting tomorrow!
- Be honest. Keeping a diary of what you eat daily means there’s no way to hide what you consumed. Write it down or use an App like My Fitness Pal if you want to track calories.
- Have a friendly fridge. If you don’t want to tempt yourself, don’t keep it in the fridge. It’s hard to binge on the wrong thing if you don’t keep it in the house.
- Keep moving! Walking is fine as long as you’re pushing yourself, work up a sweat.
Most importantly, be kind to yourself. Speak as nicely to yourself as you do to others. If negative self-talk creeps in, banish it quickly and replace it with something positive.
When you’re done, get a well-earned pedicure and hit the sand!
Have you got any swimwear ready tips? Comment below and share them?
Need some Summer recipe motivation? Click here.