By SUSIE BRAGG
Ready for Summer?
The weather is turning warmer and the sun will be out in full force soon enough. It’s time to start preparing for swimsuit season! We know that it’s not always easy to lose weight, but with our helpful tips, you’ll be able to get your body ready in no time at all. Follow these 6 steps and we’ll have you looking great by Memorial Day weekend:
- Pick the Right Portions to Fuel Your Body
- Kill Crash Dieting
- Choose the Right Foods to Give You an Edge
- Consume Liquids Before Eating to Increase Satiety
- Journal Your Eating Habits – Even without Calorie Tracking
- Try Interval Training – Wanna Tabata?
Positive Portion Control
The best way to make sure you’re getting the right portions is to use a measuring cup and a food journal. 
Most people don’t know when they are full, which is why using these two things will help give your body what it needs without overdoing it.
People also tend to overestimate how much they’ve eaten in order to feel better about themselves when in fact they may be consuming the right amount.
Kill the Urge for Crash Dieting
Give up the crash diets. Crash dieting is never a good idea for the long term. Your body needs to be able to process nutrients in order to function properly and crash dieting can cause deficiencies. A better way would be by eating smaller portions throughout the day instead of larger ones that could lead you into binge eating later on or not giving your full caloric intake what it needs.
If you are set on a diet, you may want to consider intermittent fasting because it has been proven to promote weight loss and improving blood sugar levels.
Give yourself at least three weeks for the changes to take effect and then assess how they are working out for you. Ditch the scale so you don’t get discouraged. Giving yourself a bit more time and consistency almost always delivers results.
Talk with your doctor or a registered dietician if you have any questions or if you are local, come see us!
In order to make sure that we are eating the right foods, tracking our intake can be very helpful. Foods such as avocados and almonds are high in healthy fats which is essential for weight loss and keeping skin hydrated while vegetables keep us full.
Choose the Right Foods (most of the time).
When you think about it food is fuel and when you select the right foods to lose weight, you will be ahead of the game.
Foods that promote weight loss are:
Avocados
Almonds
Vegetables
Lean Meats
Avocados are great because they are rich in healthy fats such as omega-three and six. Omega-six is essential for weight loss because it promotes a sense of satiety which helps us to avoid overindulging while omega-three has been proven to promote cardiovascular health.
Almonds are another great food choice that can help with weight loss because they provide healthy fats, fiber.
Vegetables are typically lower in carbohydrates and can help you feel full.
Lean meats are a great source of protein without carbs which can help with weight loss. Protein is essential for muscle recovery and overall health so it’s important to include some in your diet on a regular basis, but try not to overdo it because some meats can also be high in calories. Balance out proteins by choosing lean sources like chicken and fish.
Consume Liquids Before Eating to Increase Satiety
When you eat soup or have a big glass of water before you eat, it helps keep you full for longer and decreases the number of calories consumed.
One of the biggest problems that keep people from losing weight is dealing with the sense of being hungry. 
It’s really tough to eat when you’re hungry and it can be very easy to overeat.
A good way to avoid this is by eating small meals and snacks so that your body never gets too hungry.
Losing weight also has a lot of mental benefits besides the physical ones – many people feel more confident, less stressed out, and happier that they have made a change for the positive. With the appropriate mindset and the right foods, it’s easy to get a swimsuit ready in just ten days or less.
Journal Your Eating Habits
It’s important to keep track of your eating habits because little slip ups can be the difference between weight loss and weight gain.
There are a lot of different ways to track your calories, but even if you just keep a notepad of what you’re eating, you’ll be able to see patterns (and mistakes) in your diet.
Be mindful of what’s going into your mouth and make sure that it’s a healthy choice by tracking how many calories are coming from each food group if possible.
Download an app, keep a note file in your smart phone or write it down in a notepad – whatever works for you.
If this is too tedious, or feels like too much work, try something simpler.
Try cutting 250 calories from your diet by switching to low-fat milk the next time you order coffee at Starbucks with an extra shot of espresso on top and skipping that nightly cocktail before bedtime.
Consider HIIT or Tabata Training to Get Your Exercise
If you only have time for a day of exercise, then HIIT or Tabata can
provide the most bang for your buck in terms of calories burned and fitness gains accomplished.
HIIT involves alternating between periods of high intensity work followed by lower intensity work; this is done over several rounds.
Of course check with your doctor before you begin any exercise regimen.
We hope that this short guide will get you on track to get swimsuit ready, and put you on the right path to a healthy summer.
In summary, make sure that you are paying attention to your caloric intake and portion sizes, not trying to crash diet or starve yourself.
This is important because when you are hungry your body will want more food even if it’s unhealthy.
It may be worth it to explore interval training as well- this can provide the most bang for your buck in terms of calories burned and fitness gains.