Getting Bikini Ready … Fast

Even though all of us knew about the pools opening in Las Vegas, it doesn’t really become a reality until someone asks you to go. With my roommate wanting to go this weekend and having a friend come into town next weekend, I have to face reality that it’s time to slip on my bikini and work on my tan outside rather than inside. Going through my bin of old swimsuits, I realized I need a new one bad and have some areas I need to tighten up before exposing them to the public. I tried the fad diets and refuse to starve myself because all it does is brings back the weight but worse. I work out but not as hard I should be and doing a few reps isn’t going to seal the deal. By no means am I certified nutritionist, but after doing some research and finding out how others are getting pool ready, I thought why not share my knowledge for those who may be stressing as much as me.

The biggest trend right now is the juicing diet. It became popular after the documentary “Fast, Sick and Nearly Dead” aired. Now when I say juice, I’m not referring to high sugary beverages such as orange juice that are highly processed and can be bought in a carton at your local store. The Juice Diet is a vegetable based drink that you make from scratch in a juicing machine. A blender will not cut it. All the recipes are based with a green vegetable such as kale or spinach and low sugar fruits such as apples, strawberries, cranberries or mango. Avoid fruits such as bananas, pineapple or oranges that pack a lot of sweetness. The general rule is 60% dark green leafy vegetables and 40% vegetables and fruits. A great additive is ginger but be careful how much you put in because a small amount can go a long way. Most people do it for ten days to detox their bodies and some do it once a day watching what else they eat the rest of the day. If you chose a cleanse you will need to drink four 16-20 ounces glasses a day. It is better to drink it right away to get a full pack of nutrients and the rest a tightly sealed container in the fridge. The original recipe for the Mean Green is:

• 6 Kale Leaves
• 1 Cucumber
• 4 Celery Stalks
• 2 Green Apples
• ½ Lemon
• 1 piece of ginger

It doesn’t sound that great, but it is actually quite tasty and healthy. If you do it, stick to it or it will be pointless.

Other ways to lose weight fast is changing your habits. Stop eating out and cut out fast food completely. Fast food is so bad for you whether it says it is healthy or not. Fast food has so many preservatives in it and a high level of sodium. Did you know that if you were to buy a cheeseburger from a fast food joint, leave it in the fridge, and come back to it one year later, it will look exactly the same. Think about how your own body has to process that. When you prepare your own meals you know what you are eating. Ingredients should be fresh and organic is always better even though it’s a higher price. Eat more fiber rich foods because it will help your digestive system run smoother and increase your metabolism. Never and I mean never, skip breakfast. Breakfast kick starts your metabolism for the day so if you skip it, your body will go into starvation mode and hold onto more fat when you eat later. Even it is a granola bar or an apple; at least you have something in your body. Also watch your portions; Americans eat the biggest portions out of any country. Eat slower so you won’t eat as much because after 20 minutes your body will automatically feel full. Make sure you also eat protein, if you don’t eat meat, find something that to replace it because protein helps you stay full longer. It is better to eat five small meals a day rather than three big ones because it helps your metabolism burn more fat. Cut out soda completely and drink water instead. I use to drink soda when I bartended to help me stay awake, not realizing how many calories I was consuming. I gave it up for lent one year and lost ten pounds in two weeks.

As much as some people hate to exercise, it is beneficial to help get you a toned and curvy body. Even if you don’t like going to the gym, you can still do little things to help. Every morning I do 500 sit-ups and 100 butt lifts. It only takes ten minutes and makes such a difference. If you are sitting on the couch watching your favorite show, get on the floor and do reps of leg lifts, squats, lunges or sit-ups because every little bit helps. Cardio is important and will help shed fat off the abdominal area. If you burn 300 calories in cardio and do sit-ups immediately after, your stomach will look rocking after a couple of weeks.

Lastly, when you are at the pools, stay hydrated. As much as I love those tasty frozen drinks, they pack a lot of calories and tons of sugar. Stick to a low calorie drink and trade off with water. No one wants to be that person that gets the wheelchair escort out. This information may be common knowledge to some, but it is always good to have a little reminder every now and then. See you at the pools party people!