Okay, do you hear that ominous music in the background? It sounds a lot like “dun dun dunnn.” Oh wait, that’s just the sound of bathing suit season rapidly approaching! Don’t fret—we’ve come up with 7 ways to get you back in that itty-bitty bikini in no time! These aren’t crash diets either. They are just 7 easy and healthy tips to incorporate into your day to lose those extra winter pounds. Here’s to being bathing-suit ready this year!
1. Fill up on vegetables
Waiting to eat until you’re absolutely starving can lead to bad cravings and poor eating choices, so it’s important to eat consistently throughout the day. Recommendation #1: don’t skip meals. Sure, you might not be hungry right then, but that hunger will come back with a vengeance later—and it might be in the form of a pizza. Recommendation #2: fill your plate up with veggies. Vegetables are incredibly filling, and you can pile your plate full of them.
2. Start the day on a healthy note
Yes, you’ve probably been beaten over the head with this one. Why? Because it is SO important. The National Weight Control Registry(opens in a new tab), which monitors people who have been successful at weight loss of 30 pounds or more, reports that eating breakfast is one of the weight loss behaviors that most successful participants share (78%). Starting the day eating something healthy will also help you stay on the right track for the rest of the day. A good rule of thumb is keeping breakfast to 300 calories or less. Try whole grain toast with natural peanut butter. If you’re not usually hungry around breakfast, a fruit smoothie will still stave off snacking later.
3. Get rid of temptations
Are you serious about cutting the calories? Rid your house of temptations. Trash or donate anything in your cabinets and fridge that call your name in moments of weakness. Instead, fill up your kitchen with easy go-to healthy foods. Keep ready-to-grab cut-up fruits and veggies always in hand. Using pre determined serving-size tupperware containers are a great way to prevent over-snacking.
4. Eat less, exercise more
Sure, this one is kind of a no-brainer. But think about it as a math equation. Calories in=calories out. You can’t lose weight if your calorie intake is substantially more than what you work off. Keep track of how many calories you take in throughout the day and compare to how many you’re burning at the gym.
5. Stay away from sodium
Foods and beverages with a large concentration of salt make your body retain water. Skip the margarita and salty snacks, and shoot for something with lower amounts of sodium. Be careful—make sure to check the label; sometimes it’s surprising which foods have a large salt content. In addition, make sure to drink lots of water to flush out impurities in your body.
6. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate
Staying hydrated is the golden rule of weight loss. The Mayo Clinic(opens in a new tab) recommends women drink 2.2 liters and men drink about 3 liters. When you drink plenty of water, your body is able to flush out toxins, and you’re able to stay fuller longer.
7. Burn calories throughout the day
By just making a few changes to your daily routine, you’d be surprised how many calories you can work off! Here are a few recommendations:
- When you wake up in the morning, do a five-minute exercise routine of jumping jacks, squats, and sit-ups.
- Park in the back of parking lots so you can walk a little bit farther.
- Take quick breaks after 45 minutes at work to walk around your building or do some jumping jacks—it’ll help you stay more focused, too!
Join us at the Breast Friends Forever Pink Ribbon Run March 6-7 in Myrtle Beach. Click here for more information...(opens in a new tab)
