Getting the Beach Body You Deserve

With summer here, most of us are thinking about the sandy beaches, the warm sun and how we're going to look in our swimsuits.

Is the thought of other people seeing your thighs or belly a little scary? Well here are some quick and easy ways to get your body ready for swimsuit season this year.

1. Start a regular exercise program. This isn't a revolutionary idea, but you can target the problem areas by doing exercises specifically for your belly, thighs, upper arms and love handles:

* Crunches for your abs
* Arm rolls and pushups for your upper arms
* Leg lifts and squats for your thighs
* Bending at the side while standing for love handles

Those are just a few suggestions of exercises you can do at home that target those specific areas. Other exercises you can do to get your body in swimsuit shape are:

* Swimming at your local community center or public pool
* Jogging 
* Walking around your neighborhood with a friend or relative
* Biking 
* Hiking on trails or in other naturally scenic areas
* Inline skating at a local arena or in your neighborhood
* Nintendo Wii fitness games

2. Start eating smarter and healthier. Choosing the proper foods is not only important for your looks, but it also affects how you feel. To burn fat off healthily and easily, begin eating a diet of plenty of green leafy vegetables, wholesome fruits, lean meats, and whole grain breads. A well-balanced diet helps your body function properly and helps you feel full and satisfied throughout the day.

3. Reduce your portions and eat less. Portion control, or lack thereof, is probably the biggest factor in weight gain in today's society. For some reason the majority of the population has come to think that we're supposed to eat enormous amounts of food in order to feel satisfied, but the opposite is true.

* When you reduce the amount of food you eat in one sitting and wait a few minutes, you'll notice you more full than you think. This is because it takes your body 20 minutes to tell your brain that you're full. 
* Here's another tip: Eat six small meals a day, as opposed to the 3 larger meals that you're accustomed to, and you're more likely to lose weight. By eating smaller, more frequent meals, you're keeping your metabolism going. It doesn't slow down or stop then have to work so hard to restart itself.

4. Stay active by incorporating regular exercise into your daily routines. 

* Whenever you can, take the stairs.
* Park farther out when going to the store or appointments.
* Walk wherever you can instead of driving.
* If you sit behind a desk all day, get up and move around every hour for 5 - 10 minutes.

5. Keep a diet and exercise journal. Keeping track of how often you exercise and how much you eat will really help you see the big picture. Journaling will also help you see your progress, which can do tremendous efforts in keeping you motivated. 

* A simple notebook will do, or you can use a spreadsheet program on the computer. Another alternative would be to create a weight loss blog. Having your progress available for the public eye to see is a great way to stay on track and motivated.

Getting your body ready for the beach doesn't have to be difficult or take up extra time that you don't have, but it can be done. By taking action with the suggestions above, you'll begin to see the results you want and have the beach body you deserve!
