Bikini Body Ready

We can all feel it… The Holiday’s are over and it’s business time! Your bikini is staring you down as you prep for your winter get-away, and those knits turn into shorts and tank tops. Don’t panic, and please don’t start starving yourself. These quick little tips are going to help you drop that winter coat and have you feeling great.

1) Switch Your Breakfast
Instead of snacking on granola and that yummy peanut butter toast, chose a high-protein and high-fat breakfast to start off your day: a veggie omelet cooked in coconut oil. The protein fills you up, and the amazing fat in coconut oil delivers happy and healthy hormones to your body.

2) Be a Healthy Snacker
I know that especially on the go fruit sounds great, but you don’t need the whole fruit section in your smoothie. Not only are multiple fruit smoothies packed with calories, but they also are loaded with sugar. Yes, fruit is healthy for you but everything needs to be eaten in moderation. Chose a protein shake made with non-dairy milk, protein, and 1 or 2 fruit options. It will lower your calorie consumption and give your digestive track a break. Adding so many options puts stress on our digestive track, and our bodies end up working extra hard to digest our food instead of putting that energy into our activities.

3) Be the Weird Coffee Girl
Whether it’s lattes, chai tea, or fraps—you name your favourite—this area is one of those small things that will make a big difference. First off, stop with the milk! Milk raises our estrogen and causes us to hold belly and butt fat. When men are trying to bulk up in the gym they drink milk. Still wanna drink it? Replace your sweetener with something healthier. Not sure what to put in your coffee? Bring stevia packs with you, use coconut milk creamer, or ask your local Starbucks to start carrying almond milk.

4) Having Problems With Bloating and Gas?
This is probably the last thing you want to be dealing with as you slip on your swimsuit. I cannot stress enough the importance of a healthy gut! When our stomach or gut is not operating at its highest potential, we experience fatigue, gas, bloating, and all sorts of un-fun things. The one-word solution? “Probiotics.”

Probiotics deliver healthy flora to our guts, help fight sickness and fatigue, and help our body detox the junk. My favourite probiotic is E-Flora from Eon Therapeutics. This product will help you hit that bloating and leave your belly feeling slim.

5) Stop Being the Wino
I know everyone hates hearing “put the wine down.” But if you are really wanting to reach your goals, you do need to limit your intake. Now before you go emptying your bottles down the drain, remember moderation. Pick one night a week that you want to relax, enjoy a treat meal, and sip your wine. Enjoy it, love it, drink a few glasses—and then get back on the train! Remember it’s always harder to get back on the road to your goals after a big cheat meal, so have a plan and healthy food ready for the next day.

6) Mix Up Your Workouts
If you have been doing the same thing for weeks, months, or maybe even years, it’s time to switch it up! Your body is feeling as stale as that old workout. One of the best workouts for slimming down is full-body interval training. The downside to this is that many of us do this too many times a week. What would my perfect week look like?

Monday – Bootcamp
Tuesday – Yoga/HIIT Cardio
Wednesday – Bootcamp
Thursday – Yoga/Spin
Friday – Bootcamp
Saturday – Hike outside
Sunday – Rest or light fun activity

7) And Last But Not Least, Drink Your Water!!!!
As the temperatures rise, our bodies use more water up throughout the day. If you want to avoid bloat, water retention, and poor skin this summer, keep that water bottle handy and ready to go. If you’re sick of the same old water, throw in some fruit, cucumbers, or sparkling water to mix things up.

Bring on the summer!

Rachel Doell
dailyroutinefitness.com