For me the beach is my favorite place to go for vacation. Any beach. I just love to be near the water, near the waves – play in the water, sit and read on the beach, take long walks on the beach – it’s rejuvenating to me.
This summer it is proving very hard to get there. My daughters and I were even willing to make the 5 1/2 hour trip over two days. We thought we we would leave in the very early am in order to be on the beach by 11 AM or so and stay put all day. Dinner somewhere for crabs, a walk on the boardwalk, and maybe a drink since they are both 21 now. Next day is beach all day and then drive home in the evening.
Now this trip would only be executed if we checked the weather and both days looked like great beach days. The problem is that so far we have not been available to go at the same time except for one weekend, and of course it was not a good weather weekend. Time is running out and it will be disappointing if I don’t get that beach experience this year. A solution would be to move closer to a beach, and that is actually a dream of mine.
Earlier this spring I tackled the losing weight for the beach part, and have maintained my 12 lb weight loss. At least that part of the beach/beach body plan was accomplished.
Did You Plan For The Beach Body You Want?
If you are worried about other people seeing your thighs or belly, you shouldn’t. What works better is making a plan to get the belly and thighs where you want them so you are OK with putting on that bikini (or whatever suit you choose).
Check out some quick and easy ways to get your beach body:
1. Exercise. Realize this is not a revolutionary idea. You really can target the problem areas by doing exercises specifically for your belly, thighs, upper arms, love handles (or wherever your challenge is).
- 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
More Exercise:
- 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. Eating healthy. Again, this isn’t news. You’ve heard it before.
- 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, you need to eat healthy foods like more vegetables and fruits, lean meats, and whole grain breads.
- A healthy diet helps your body function properly and also helps you feel full and satisfied throughout the day.
3. Eat less. Portion control, or lack thereof, is probably the biggest reason why so many people today are over weight or obese. How did we get to the point where we think that we’re supposed to eat enormous amounts of food in order to feel satisfied? It’s really just the opposite.
- Either eat slower so that you give yourself a chance to realize you are full.
- Experiment, and if it works for you, eat six small meals a day, as opposed to the 3 larger meals.
- When you eat smaller, more frequent meals, you keep your metabolism going.
4. Get active. Add regular exercise into your daily routines and also:
- 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. Track your progress. Record how often you exercise and how much you eat so that you can see how well you are doing (and hopefully not the opposite!). This can help motivate you as well.
- Keep it simple – any notebook will do, or use a program on your computer.
- Maybe you want to take it to another level: create a beach body weight loss blog. The public component can help you stay on track and motivated.
Planning your beach body diet and fitness plan doesn’t have to take all your time time, but you do have to organize it. The planning – and DOING – pays off and you will be happy with the results.
