We all want to look our best for the summer time! With family vacations, trips with our girlfriends and beach days on the horizon, we're all feeling the pressure to look our best. So, what's a girl to do in order to lose weight quickly and most importantly, in a HEALTHY way before the dog days are upon us?
These 5 easy steps below will get your mind and body on the right track to the bikini body you want!
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1) Cut Out Refined Sugar: Opt for honey or agave as your sweetener. You will be surprised how much weight you lose just by cutting out products with sugar in it. This means no candies, cookies, brownies, ice cream, donuts, granola bars, protein bars, cake or sodas. Every once in awhile, having dessert is fine, but make your decisions wisely.
2) Get your Priorities Straight: Losing weight is 90% mental and 10% physical. When you make weight loss your top priority, healthy eating and working out becomes easier. It is going to be hard, there is no question about it. But your desire to fit into that bikini has to be even stronger. Don't give up. It's just fat. It's meant to burn up when you put in the work.
3) Limit Carbohydrates: Say goodbye to toast, cereal, rice and pasta. According to Eric Westman, MD, to lose weight you can only have less that 20 grams of "net' carb each day. You will also want to avoid starchy foods like potato and corn. You will not only feel lighter, but also less bloated.
4) WORK OUT! Doing cardio and weights at least 3-4 times a week can boost your weight loss efforts. It can give you toned arms, shoulders, stomach and legs. It can also help with chin fat. The best part is that working out keeps burning fat long after you are done with the session. This is not something that diet alone can do for you. If you have decided to embark on a weight loss journey, go hard!
5) Get Drunk On Water: 7-8 glasses of water a day not only keeps you hydrated, but it also curbs your snack cravings. Research has shown that drinking water before eating results in greater fat loss, because it will decrease your chances of overeating. To take this up a notch, include foods with high water content in your diet. This includes zucchini, celery, broccoli, red cabbage and spinach.
This post was originally published on April 17, 2014.
