Ever find yourself a few weeks before vacation wondering what you can do to push your body goals across the finish line and feel bikini ready? I’ve got some tried and true advice that can help you get there…
I should preface this post with a disclaimer not included in my list of 5 things to do right before vacation to get bikini ready: the hottest chick on the beach is the most confident chick on the beach. These tips aren’t meant to say that you shouldn’t feel good in your skin, they’re meant to help maximize your potential after you’ve already committed to a healthy, balanced lifestyle. I’m also not recommending these tips for long-term health & wellness – it’s a little kick in the tush!
I am getting ready over here for a HOT HOT Bahamas yacht trip in 2 weeks and I want to push myself in these last two weeks to reduce the bloat and tone up so that i’m feeling at the top of my game and in a head space that I can kick-back and enjoy the beautiful sites rather than worrying about what I look like in my suit… who’s with me?!
Here are the 5 things I do to feel bikini ready a few weeks before vacation:
1. Cut the Bloat.
This can be done a few ways, MOSTLY it depends on the foods we chose (and do NOT chose…).
Don’ts: In these last 2 weeks leading up to vacation, I cut dairy completely. It doesn’t really agree in the first place so it’s not hard for me to do this – even for those who aren’t sensitive to dairy, it can cause gas and bloating. I reduce sodium which causes our bodies to retain water and hold on to extra water weight. I DO NOT EAT PROCESSED FOOD – it’s shit in the first place but also will cause bloat because it’s difficult for our body to digest. If it’s in a package, take a close look at what you’re about to eat because there’s a good chance it’s processed. Finally, I try to only eat natural carb-dense foods before working out (fruit, sweet potatoes, brown rice, etc.) or early in the day (not for dinner). When you eat matters a lot. I feel like I am always hungry! But, in an attempt to drop weight, you can not snack all day. You have to let your body go about 4 hours between eating so it can tap into your fat bank rather than constantly burning the food that you have in your stomach. Waiting 4 hours means you can eat about 4x thought the day (breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner)
Do’s: I allow my body 12 hours between dinner & breakfast so that it can tap into the deep fat burn and natural detox while I sleep (ex: if i finish dinner at 7:00pm I don’t eat breakfast until 7:00am). I chose foods that’ll help keep my blood sugar level throughout the day including good fats (coconut oil in my coffee, whole eggs, lean proteins, avocados, seeds, nut butters, etc). Penn State University researchers say consuming about three tablespoons of an oleic acid-rich fat—like avocado oil—can burn abdominal flab, fast.* Eating Potassium (bananas, oranges, spinach, sweet potatoes, salmon) throughout the day helps the body flush out water and sodium – two major offenders of “the bloat.” Turmeric is one of the magical nutrients that’s been shown to work directly on our fat genes, turning off the specific genetic mechanism that’s responsible for inflammation and obesity (it is always a good idea) – you can add it to milks, it’s great with sweet potatoes, rice, chicken, LOTs. Getting really close to the vacation, 2-3 days before, I like to keep as much of my food raw as possible. Eating raw veggies reduces inflammation and they’re packed with fibre to help keep you full and keep you poopin’ regularly. I like to blend a batch of veggies, add water, ice, and blend until the mixture almost drinks like a juice (but without straining out the fiber). Add berries which are packed with antioxidants that will help burn fat—and prevent it from forming—as well as boost your workout benefits by improving blood flow to your muscles. At the end of the day, dinner should include vegetables and lean protein. Avoid carbs and sugars late in the day which store the energy as fat when you’re not using the energy to workout or move around throughout the day.
2. Alcohol… OH shit
Alcohol = bloat. There’s no way around it… just before going on vaca. Eliminate it. Not to mention, if you’re anything like me, alcohol = massive hangover = hangover eating & no exercise & laziness.
When you get on vacation, do us all a favor and indulge. Be fun and present or none of this was worth it.
3. Poop!
You have got to make sure you’re gut is moving regularly in order to feel energized and tight for the vacation. Eating the way you do in the recommendations above should assist in your regularity but if not, I have a few more tricks up my sleeve. Drink water before doing anything in the morning – 2/3 glasses before coffee or food. Our bodies naturally detox while we sleep and adding that early kick of water helps to eliminate those toxins. Add a daily probiotic to your daily vitamin regimen. I add Sunpotions Triphala adaptogen to my morning coffee (it’s bitter to take any other way) which really does the trick. One other trick you can do daily or supplement when needed is taking a magnesium supplement.
If you’re stuck (literally ;)) in a place where you feel like you’re doing everything right and you need help on a one off basis, Milk of Magnesia has been the best solution i’ve come across… and i’ve tried a lot. Although, I AM INTERESTED if anyone has other ideas here.
4. Hydrate
If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a million times that often times we mistake hunger for thirst. When we are dehydrated our bodies send us signals that are commonly mistaken for hunger. I have to get creative with this one because chugging gallons of water isn’t my greatest strength – I get bored of it. Here are some ways I get around that: add a cup of green tea (BIG fan of matcha) to your daily regimen can help fire your fat furnace by controlling blood sugar and quashing hunger, add lemon to the water adds detox be, fits + hydration, add apple cider vinegar to water with lemon which increases satiety (feeling of fullness), packed with probiotics and healthy enzymes that aid in digestion.
5. Plan to Sweat
I plan for a workout 7 days a week with the expectation that things come up or sleep may become more important to my overall wellbeing 2-3 of those days. No matter what I look at my planner and plan around as much of my schedule as I know. This sets me up for success and I try not to get down on myself if other things take priority. It’s all about the PLAN. At this time, cardio is king to shed weight and break a detoxifying sweat but I like to incorporate low-impact light weight toning exercises like barre to tighten up my core. During my desk job this week, I will walk everyday at lunch or do some in-office exercises if I can to minimize the impact of sitting all day longgg.
On vacation, I do morning strength exercises with my body weight like planks, situps, leg lifts, tricep dips with whatever resources I have around me and try to stay super active doing fun local things so that I can sustain good health and tone up those muscles for the day of bikin-ing.
That’s it!! I hope this helps…. and I hope i’m posting hot bikini pics in 2 weeks that I can stick into this post.
xx,
Jess
Sources:
http://sustainability.psu.edu/external-spotlight/8-reasons-avocado-perfect-weight-loss-food
