Are You Ready For The Summer?
Sun is shining, are you ready for the summer? If you’re like most people, you must be looking forward to that one summer day when you can go to the beach with family and friends, or with your special someone, and wear your sexiest outfit! But if you don’t think your body isn’t at is best shape yet, don’t frown. Here are some tips to prepare for the summer season.
Improve your posture.
Having a good posture is the easiest and quickest way to look better. Not only that. Having a good posture makes you appear thin in your bikini! It also makes you look smarter, more confident and outgoing. On the other hand, slouching takes inches off your height and makes your stomach look rounder. Practising yoga is a great way to improve your posture.
Move, move, move!
Weeks before that final day, make sure to keep yourself moving. Do the house chores, bike instead of commuting, go to the gym, sign up for a belly dancing or Zumba class, learn a new dance step, or walk your dog in the park. If you want to shed excess fats for summer, make sure to engage in physical activities.
Cut down on calories.
Skip the cookies, crisps and chocolates and go for a cup of tea, a slice of whole wheat bread, and a big bowl of vegetable salad. Because no matter how you stretch your muscles and exhaust your bones during exercise, you can’t lose weight effectively if you don’t reduce your calorie intake. For men, the recommended calorie consumption should not be more than 2,500 and for women, no more than 2,000 calories.
Add more protein in your diet.
In any weight loss programme, protein is a must-have. Protein plays a significant role in building muscle tissues. If you have lean, strong muscles, your body can burn fats even though you’re asleep! Increase your protein levels by eating more fruits and vegetables, beans, lentils, and lean meat. Protein-rich foods can make you feel fuller without you needing to eat much.
Skip the fatty salad dressing.
Salads are great snacking options but not all are weight-loss friendly. You need to be picky on the ingredients of salad you order or prepare. Most salad dressings are high in calories, such as mayonnaise. Also, traditional toppings like croutons, bacon bits, meat and cheese won’t help you shed pounds as well. For a low-fat, nutritious and delicious salad, choose green, leafy vegetables like spinach, and lettuce, toss some fruits like berries, cherries, slices of ripe mango, and strawberries, and use olive oil as dressing. Instead of croutons, sprinkle crushed peanuts, almonds or hazelnuts. Yum!
Tone your muscles.
Who doesn’t want a flat stomach? An attractive belly will surely boost your confidence to wear bikinis. There are plenty of toning exercises that you can incorporate in your regular workout regime. These are push-ups, squats, rows, deadlifts, and Pilates.
Go with fibre.
Apart from curbing your appetite, adding fibre to your diet fights constipation and bloating which you don’t want to happen during your bikini day. Eating high-fibre foods aids digestion and speeds up metabolism, which leads to a flat stomach. Just be careful about some fibre-rich foods like beans because they can make bloating worse.
Ditch the salt.
Besides from increasing your high blood pressure, too much salt can aggravate bloating. And you really don’t want that to happen when you’re flaunting your sexy figure in your bikini. And even if you don’t use salt when cooking, you can still take a lot of salt by eating processed foods like canned tunas, ham, bologna, sausages, and more. Eat fresh produce instead.
Stock up on sunscreen.
Sun tanning may sound really cool this summer. But exposing your skin to the sun for long hours can cause premature skin ageing, rashes, and other skin problems, sunburn being the most common. The sun emits UVB and UVA rays which have been shown to increase the risk of skin cancer. If you want to get tan, the best way is to use tanning lotions with SPF or airbrush tanning products. Don’t forget your sunscreen! Use the product with SPF of 30 or higher and apply it generously on your skin as often as possible.
Invest on quality sunglasses.
UVB and UVA rays don’t just damage your skin; it can also irritate your eyes. Too much exposure to this harmful light can increase your risk of developing cataracts overtime. The bright light also makes you squint, which contributes to fine lines around the eyes. Wearing eyeglasses with dark tints is not enough. When shopping for sunglasses, choose the ones that are specifically designed to protect your eyes against UVA and UVB rays.
Exfoliate and detox.
Getting ready for summer does not only include shedding off some pounds. You also want to have a smooth, beautiful skin! To achieve this, you want to exfoliate and keep your skin moisturised. Exfoliation is the process of removing dead skin cells which make it look dry, rough and sallow. After exfoliating, apply moisturising cream so your skin stays glowing and looks plumper.
Don’t strive for perfection.
Lastly, aim for progress, not perfection. Chasing perfection only leads to frustration. It’s okay if you don’t have the best figure this summer. As long as you tried, you don’t have to feel bad. Just keep yourself inspired and motivated. There will be more summers. And even if it’s no longer summertime, continuing these tips and strategies will not just keep you fit and beautiful, but also healthy and disease-free!
Do you know other ways to make the summer more fun and pro-health? We’d love to know your thoughts. Share your comment below.
©Copyright 2013 by http://www.naturaltherapyforall.com Hypnotherapy Bristol All Rights Reserved.