Eating Right to Lose Weight
Get plenty of fruits and vegetables. If you’re trying to lose weight, focusing on fruits and vegetables is a great way to go, since they fill you up on fewer calories. Look in particular for dark leafy greens (kale, spinach), broccoli, beets, berries, apples, and citrus. All of these are full of vitamins and nutrients. Women 19- to 50-years old should eat 2 1/2 cups of vegetables every day, while women over 50 should eat 2 cups. Of course, these vegetables are mostly measured in cups, with some exceptions. For instance, when eating raw, leafy greens, 2 cups count as 1 cup. Also, you can count 1 large tomato as a cup, as well as 1 large sweet potato. You can also count 2 stalks of celery as 1 cup. However, if you're going to overindulge in any category, choosing non-starchy vegetables is a good idea. Starchy vegetables include things like carrots, potatoes, peas, and corn. Women 19- to 30-years old should eat 2 cups of fruit each day, and women over 30-years old should eat 1 1/2 cups of fruit each day. Often, 1 piece of fruit equals a cup, such as a small apple, a medium grapefruit, a large orange, a large peach, or a large banana. When eating dried fruit, half a cup counts as a cup serving.
Consume lean proteins. Lean meats are low in fat, and they provide a good source of protein. Some lean meats are fish, white meat chicken or turkey (without the skin), loin cuts of beef and pork, and game such as venison, rabbit, or elk. However, not all lean proteins are meat. Other lean proteins include beans, tofu, and egg whites. The USDA recommends that women 19- to 30-years old eat 5 1/2 ounce equivalents every day, while those over 30 eat 5 ounce equivalents. An ounce equivalent is 1 ounce of meat, 1 egg, 1/2 an ounce of seeds or nuts, 1 tablespoon of a nut butter, 1/4 cup of cooked beans, or a 1/4 cup of tofu.
Eat a nutritious diet high in whole grains. Whole grains are those that include all of the original kernel, foods like oatmeal, quinoa, barley, and farro. They are naturally low in fat and an excellent source of fiber. Try cooking a new kind of whole grain for yourself, topped with some steamed vegetables and some baked meat for a nutritious and satisfying meal. The United Stated Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that women 19- to 50-years-old eat 6 "ounce equivalents" of grains a day, with at least half of those being whole grains. If you're over 50, the recommendation is 5 ounce equivalents. An "ounce equivalent" means 1 miniature bagel, 1 small biscuit, 1 piece of bread or toast, 1/2 cup of cooked oatmeal, cooked brown rice, or other grain, or 1 small tortilla.
Focus on healthy oils and fats. You don't want to cut fat out of your diet completely. However, you do want to limit fats and focus in on healthy ones. Vegetable-based oils and fats are generally healthier for you, such as canola oil, olive oil, nuts, avocados, and olives, though oily fish is relatively healthy, too. If you're a women, you're allowed 6 tablespoons of oils in the 19- to 30-year-old range, and 5 tablespoons in the 30 and over range. If you're trying to lose weight, you may want to cut back by a tablespoon or two. Remember, you'll be getting some fat from your diet. Fat is in meat, butter, milk, and other dairy, as well as mayonnaise and salad dressings. For instance, here are some equivalents of 1 tablespoon of oil: 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, 1/2 avocado (medium), 2 ounces of Italian dressing, 1 ounce of nuts, and 1 ounce of sunflower seeds.
Skip the sugar and alcohol. Both sugar and alcohol add empty calories to your diet, and you don’t need that. Be careful when figuring out what in your diet might have sugar. Corn syrup appears in many common processed foods, so check what you’re eating thoroughly. Drink water, not fruit juice or soda, which cuts a large amount of sugar from your diet, if you drink these beverages often.
Eat less. If you’re eating right and you're still not getting to the weight you want, eat smaller meals. By consuming fewer calories, your body will typically start shedding the pounds. Be sure to eat enough that you are not feeling faint or unwell. Do not starve yourself because you think it will get you the body size you’re looking for. It’s not worth it. Try a weight loss calculator to figure out what how many calories you should be eating to lose weight. You input information such as your weight, height, and activity level, as well as the goal you want to reach, and it tells you how many calories you should eat a day to reach your goal in a specified amount of time. Make sure you don't consume less than 1200 calories a day, as that can be unhealthy.
Exercising to Tone Your Body and Lose Weight
Try exercises that target your arms, abs, and thighs. Do these kinds of exercises 30-60 minutes a day, every other day. You want to strengthen and tone the muscles that you show off in a bikini. If you want to work out on your own, you can find a number of great workouts online. For an easy exercise you can do at home, try the following workout: With your feet shoulder-width apart, put your arms straight up, hands facing forward. Bring one leg up at a ninety-degree angle, and hold it for at least two seconds. Bring the leg that was in the air down into a lunge, bringing your arms straight out to your sides. Stay in the lunge for at least two seconds. Repeat 10 times for each leg (20 times total), and use 2-pound weights if you want an extra workout.
Try working with an exercise ball. These balls can be great for sculpting and toning muscles. You can find a number of exercises that feature the balls online, but one good one for getting in shape for a bikini is the following exercise: With your back to the ball, take one step away. Stretch your right foot behind you and put the top of your foot and shin on top of the ball. Bend your left knee at a ninety-degree angle and hold for two seconds, then straighten for two seconds. Switch legs and repeat. Use weights or a medicine ball for even more of a stretch.
Consider a pilates or barre class. Both kinds of classes target the areas that are going to show in your bikini. You'll do lots of leg lifts, lunges, and squats and get your upper arms in positions that will challenge your muscles. Many studios and gyms also have classes under titles like “Body Sculpt” that will target these same areas with similar exercises. Swimming and running can create quicker results.
Talk to a personal trainer. If you are already going to a gym, you might schedule a consultation with a personal trainer. Explain to him or her that your goal is to look good in a bikini and that you need suggestions of particular exercises or machines that will help you achieve your goal.
Don’t neglect cardio. Try short, high-energy intervals on the days when you’re not doing a sculpting or toning routine. For many people, the seven-minute workout has been an effective and time-efficient way to get in some great cardiovascular exercise.
Preparing Your Body
Shave unwanted hair. For many of us, shaving is the easiest way to deal with any unwanted hair issues, including the bikini area. It is quick and easy, but it does require more upkeep than waxing. It all comes down to your personal preference for removing unwanted hair.
Consider waxing at home. Most bikinis are cut so that you have to do a lot of depilation. For the bikini area, wax is probably the easiest way to remove the hair. You can find products in places like drug stores, salons, and big box stores that can help you clean up the area that will show when you’re wearing a bikini. Some products have wax strips already made up to attach wear you want to remove hair. Others include wax that you heat, apply, and then attach with a fabric piece.
Explore getting a bikini wax at a salon. If you’ve never done it before, it might be a good time to go to a professional. It’s also difficult to see some of the parts of your own body you’re trying to wax, and another person can do it more easily.
Exfoliate your skin. Exfoliating just means getting rid of dead skin through either chemical or physical abrasion. One easy way to exfoliate is to use a washcloth or exfoliating glove in the shower. You can also try a body scrub that has a physical exfoliant added. Just rub it in, using circular motions, and then wash it off.
Use alcohol-free lotion after you remove hair. Since many of us don’t regularly remove the hair in our bikini region, the skin can become sensitive or rough. If you’re waxing, chances are you'll find some oils or lotions in an at-home wax kit that you can use after you wax. Similarly, a professional will work to moisturize your skin at the salon. If you’re shaving yourself, be sure to use lotion to soothe your skin. As the hair starts to grow back in, keep using lotion to help your skin.
Think about healthy tanning solutions. Many people want to have tan arms and legs when they're in a bikini. If you're one of them, consider choosing an option that doesn't expose you to skin cancer. One of the best options if you're going to be in the water is an extender, also called a sunless tanner. These products work with the proteins in your skin, producing a darker layer of skin, rather than simply staining it. The best tanners of this type to use are ones with dihydroxyacetone (DHA). This additive has been given a thumbs up by the FDA. You can apply this tanner at home yourself, or go to a salon that uses a full-body spray. The full-body spray will be more expensive, but it will give you a more even tan. This type of tan, like the kind you get from the sun, will wear off in a few days.
Building Confidence
Act confident. Confidence is a sexy trait, so one of the easiest ways to get a sexy bikini body is to simply act confident. It doesn't matter if you feel the confidence, as long as you're showing it through your body language, though showing confidence often leads to you feeling more confident, too. For instance, make sure to stand up straight with your shoulders back. Don't slouch over. Also, put on your best, flashy smile.
Practice ahead of time. If you're not used to being in a bikini, it can help to try it on a couple of times before you go out in public. If you're comfortable wearing it around your own place, you'll be more comfortable going out in public. While you've got your bikini on, spend some time in front of the mirror, and force yourself to give yourself a compliment. Find something good to focus on, such as saying, "Look at those amazing hips!" If you can't find something good to say about the way you look, say something about what your body does for you, such as, "I may not like the way my thighs look, but they've always gotten me where I need to go. Thanks, thighs!"
Don't just stick to one style. You may think there's only one type of bikini, and if you don't look perfect in it, you can't wear it. However, you'll find there's a wide variety of bikini types, and you may find one that you love and feel comfortable wearing just as you are. For instance, you may prefer a halter top or a bikini with tiny shorts instead of a typical bikini.
Swear off the haters. Some people may tell you your body doesn't belong in a bikini, no matter what your size. It's not their place to tell you what you can and can't put on your body. Let any comments roll off your back, or tell them, "Only I get to decide what I think looks good on my body, and I think I look amazing in this bikini. So go away."
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