Ahhh, that dreaded bikini season has finally arrived.

You’ve spent the last few months hiding under oversized sweaters and parkas but now you have nowhere to hide. Here are a few tips to get you in to bikini season... First and foremost, it’s simple as pie, calories in – calories expended = weight loss. There is no way around it. That’s just the way it goes.

The most common mistake that people make is that they wait until May or June to get “bikini fit”. By procrastinating, chances are you are looking for a “get skinny quick” regimen. I promise you that the weight you lose with this method you will most likely double when it comes back on.

I’m not a big fan of diets…just eat properly. That said, have a balanced diet, I am a big fan of 40-30-30 (40% Carbohydrates, 30% Protein, 30% Fat). It’s easy and I don’t consider this a diet, I consider this a lifestyle change. However, if you work hard, you get to play hard. Going back to my original statement of calories in- calories expended = weight loss. If you know you’ve burned 1000 calories during a particular day’s workout, you may be able to, as they say, “cheat” but only in moderation…everything in moderation.

Here are a few tips I recommend for either the person who is only a few pounds from “bikini fit” or the person who “took the winter off”.

Exercise, exercise, exercise.

As a certified Group Exercise Instructor and Personal Trainer, there is one tool I highly recommend if you’re serious about weight loss, a heart rate monitor. It does just that, it monitors your heartrate. This is how you determine if you are in your training zone and obviously if you’re in your training zone you’re burning calories. Some monitors actually calculate calories burned. Personally I think this is a neat option as I am big into instant gratification. For weight loss, 3 days at 30 minutes a day is long gone. Studies show for weight loss you should average 300 minutes a week for cardio. Ouch! Who has the time? Guess what, it doesn’t have to be a straight hour in one day, you can break it up…15 minutes here, 30 minutes there and another 15 minutes here. Oh and guess what? You’re not bored that way.

Strength training is also key to weight loss. A big misconception is that people believe that it is cardio for weight loss and strength training for building muscle. Yeah, no. Guess what? Every pound of muscle burns 1 calorie a day! Wow, just by typing this article I’m burning calories (not enough to get you into your bikini but you get the idea). If you’re not looking to build, try high repetitions not just 3 sets of 8-10. Try maybe 3 sets of 15-20 and limit your breaks.

Also, to keep your body moving in the right direction focus on “muscle confusion”. This is a proven method of training that has been around for years (studies from the National Strength and Conditioning Association, NSCA) but somehow it’s the trend because of the PXblah, blah. I totally stand behind this type of training but because of it’s recent popularity it can end up in the “fad” category and a fad this is not. At the risk of telling you something you already know…Muscle confusion is the principle that in order to continue achieving results you must change up your routine regularly. Currently the belief is that your body adapts to what it is doing after 4-6 weeks, this is why you typically plateau after performing the same routine for months on end. All it takes is one variable to make it a different exercise.

Finally, don’t forget the reason why we like to flaunt our bikini’s or surf shorts…Abs! Just so you know, it’s not about crunches anymore…it’s core, yes, core! Upper, middle, lower abdominals; Obliques; and guess what? Lower back.

A few exercises I recommend for strengthening the core

Plank or modified plank position (advanced version of this, one leg or one hand behind the back)
Bicycle
V-Sits
Ball Pass
Pike

It is not necessary to do abs everyday, 2-3 times a week should suffice.

Bottom line, fad diets and get skinny quick routines are going to get you nowhere fast. If you stick with a reasonable diet and exercise (in your zone) you will be happy with your bikini fit season!

Keep up the good work
Read me next month,
Desiree