So summer’s getting close. And like many, you may be concerned with getting your body perfectly swimsuit ready.
Honestly, summer is my number one favorite time of the year. And my happy place is lying in a hammock somewhere near the beach with a Pina Colada in hand. Mmmmm. I can imagine being there right now.So how do your get your body perfectly swimsuit ready?
Well, I could tell you to reduce your sugar consumption. Or I could talk about the importance of a good breakfast in weight loss. Or maybe about how to stop yourself from stress eating. But this week, I want to delve deeper. Because while these tips might help you feel good in a bikini this summer, I want you to be extraordinarily amazing.
Being radiant in a bikini means more than living up to some impossible ideal. It means feeling great, both inside and out, exuding confidence and actually enjoying being in your body. It means letting go of being picture perfect and embracing yourself for all your gloriousness.
Just follow these simple steps to be truly swimsuit ready for summer.
Buy a bathing suit that makes you feel great – Finding the perfect bathing suit shouldn’t involve hours of harshly criticizing every crevice of your body in a dressing room mirror. Find a swimsuit that makes your eyes light up when you see it. Pick one that feels great against your skin. Choose one that makes you smile. The swimsuit should make YOU feel good. It simply doesn’t matter what anybody else thinks.
Eat foods to make yourself feel vibrant – I talk a lot about nourishing the body. And some of the great side effects of nutrient rich eating is that your skin will start to glow, your mood will elevate, you’ll become more energetic and you will radiate health and vitality. So eat for vibrancy with lots of fruit and vegetables, and some good quality fish for omega-3s. That way you won’t just walk out onto the beach swimsuit ready. You’ll shine.
Drink lots and lots of water – I always say this, but you should drink half your body weight in ounces of water daily. Dehydration can cause inflammation that will not just make you feel horrible. It can make your body puffy, your skin dull and you’ll just feel sluggish. Water is a natural healer. You can slather on all the fake tanner that you want, but you won’t glow unless you stock up on H2O.
Get moving again – Hibernating all winter might have given you a case of the blahs. And if you abandoned your exercise routine, you don’t have to workout to exhaustion to be strong again.
Try this more gentle routine to help you feel confident in your body:
- 2 sets of 20 lunges on each side
- 2 sets of 15 push-ups
- 50 crunches
And as the weather warms up, go outside and walk (or run) for 30 minutes at least 3 times a week. Moving will unburden your mind, will help with detoxification and will help you FEEL confident in your body. And that confidence is more important that what size swimsuit you happen to be wearing.
Reduce your alcohol intake – A glass of wine with dinner, or a cocktail on a night out is fine. But if you’ve been drinking to excess then you’re probably not feeling your best. Excess alcohol intake can lead to problems like malnutrition, poor coordination, insomnia, depression as well as more serious side effects. And you won’t shine this summer if you’re feeling dragged out and groggy.
Surround yourself with loving people – You shouldn’t need to worry what those you spend time with think. Choose people in your life who think you’re beautiful regardless of what you look like on the outside. The people who are worth your time are the ones who see you for the multi-dimensional, vibrant and talented person you really are.
The point is that you don’t need a “perfect body” to be swimsuit ready. The person who feels nourished and strong, who radiates an inner happy light, who oozes confidence and who is at peace with themselves will draw the RIGHT type of attention. And this should be your true aspiration for your fabulous, fun filled summer!
Erica, what you write is spot on for people who don’t keep in shape all year round, drink too much or are unhealthy in other ways. And, not to forget, people who, for some reason are not content with themselves and drink too much, or worse, to make them feel better. And who, apart from gorgeous teenagers would look good in a bikini if they are not mentally and physically in shape?
The funny thing is that I feel more confident in a bikini than when I was a teenager. It just comes down to treating yourself with self-love. That helps you treat your body better and be more content with yourself as well.
Nice post, Erica. We really have to remind ourselves that it’s OK, not to have a perfect body. The key is to follow the steps you have laid out, and to get advice on how to best dress the shape that is natural to our body. Every body can look good if dressed in clothes (or a swimsuit!) that complements our natural shape.
Yes, dressing for your body will make you feel so much more confident in what you are wearing.
Good advice. You don’t need to have a perfect body to be “swimsuit ready”. I like the advice about finding a swimsuit you feel good in.
Yes, we worry too much about what others think. It’s how we feel that is so important.
Erica – great post. A lot of my friends who are 70 and older refuse to go to Aqua-fit because of the way they look in a bathing suit. (Never mind that everyone there is also a senior and none of us look the way we did when we were teenagers). A lot of what you mention would also work for them – Buy a bathing suit that compliments, eat and drink the right stuff, and go with a friend. The Aqua-fit would be the exercise.
I have a friend who teaches water yoga and that is such great exercise. So sad that your friends would miss out on that opportunity for feeling so self-conscious. We should never have to feel self-conscious when we are bettering ourselves.
Thanks for sharing Erica. I actually embrace the idea of getting bikini-ready shape because with a positive attitude it comes down to adopting healthier lifestyle habits. You make a good point too about finding a swimsuit that fits your body. Regardless of shape, the right option will highlight assets and minimize insecurities. Feeling comfortable makes such a difference!
Another great post. I have stated that I am on a restrictive diet now, and a vigorous exercise program. Posts like yours help me achieve my goals, thanks for sharing it with you.
I’m so glad you find this helpful William. And again, congrats on making such positive changes in your health.
Erica – an enriching blog post, especially at a time when the world is body obsessed.
No matter how great you look on the outside, you will not radiate beauty unless you actually feel good about yourself. Often women assume being thin will radically change their life. It does have it’s advantages but a good self image should accompany it.
Thank you, Phoenicia. Yes, being thin isn’t the end all to being happy or being beautiful. Happiness and beauty really come from within.
We have summer year round where I live, but it’s always nice to have reminders. I especially needed the one about drinking water. I do pretty well for awhile and then get busy and wonder why I end up with cotton mouth by the end of the day. I’m headed to the fridge right now for some water!
Marquita, we pretty much have summer year round here too. I think our absolute coldest day this year was about a high of 58 degrees (and I was FREEZING). You are right though that you will eventually start to really feel it when you’re dehydrated. Glad you got that glass of water.
A motivating post! We really shouldn’t have to wait until spring to think about staying in shape, and I, for one, always try to keep moving and drink TONS of water. But our society places way too much emphasis on being thin – I lost over 20 pounds last winter due to health issues, and had so many people tell me I looked great. As if I’d been trying to lose weight, when nothing could be further from the truth. Confession – I did enjoy putting the weight back on!
Erica, I am not looking to fit into any particular size bathing suit this summer (am not thin but am not fat either), but I will say that I took up your 7 day no sugar challenge last week. Except for 1/2 piece of bread I was completely successful. Now I need to get better in the exercise department! Thanks for all the encouragement you provide.