Going on a beach holiday and worried about how confident you’ll feel baring all in a bikini? You’re certainly not alone! Swimwear fear happens to the best of us, and despite following a healthy diet and fitness regime all year round, wearing a bikini in front of lots of other people still fills me with horror. Believe me!
But I firmly believe that body confidence can be built no matter your height, size or shape…. and that life is too short to worry about a bit of cellulite.
Here are my top 5 tips for boosting body confidence this summer to feel like a beach goddess!
Give yourself time to lose weight and tone up if that’s your goal:
I would say around three months, to do it in a safe, sustainable and healthy way through regular exercise and a sensible eating plan designed for their individual goals and requirements. I’m not a fan of crash or faddy diets as they’re simply not a healthy way of losing body fat and dieters often gain the weight straight back as soon as they resume normal eating patterns.
Be realistic about how much you can change your natural body shape:
It’s about being happy in your own skin and placing the focus on health over aesthetics. We come in all shapes and sizes, and that’s something to be celebrated, but we must concentrate on keeping active, making positive and healthy food and lifestyle choices, and feeling confident in who we are. Exercising more regularly and eating healthier foods can definitely help to boost body confidence and motivation.
Be aware of simple carbs:
For weight loss to be most effective, I find cutting down as much as possible on simple carbohydrates is important. These include refined sugar, sweets, biscuits, cakes, chocolate, alcohol, fizzy drinks, many processed foods, sugary breakfast cereals, white bread, pasta and rice. They can really impact on weight loss, and especially the fat stored around your middle. Eating a well-balanced diet packed with whole, fresh, one-ingredient foods is important, as is regular exercise, sufficient sleep, plenty of water and keeping an eye on portion sizes. Eating until you’re three-quarters full and only eating when you’re genuinely hungry are good rules to stick to when trying to lose body fat.
Choose beachwear to suit your shape:
Choosing swimwear to suit your shape and feel comfortable in can make a huge difference to your holiday experience. There are plenty of swimsuits available with clever control panels and in various difference shapes to help make you feel your best. A sarong or kaftan can definitely help, and wearing wedges can help to make you feel taller and more confident.
I love a good self-tan for feeling body confident on the beach, and TanOrganic is a personal favourite as it’s made from natural ingredients, gives you a gorgeous golden glow and fades gently away.
Cellulite:
I have cellulite, like the vast majority of women of all sizes, and it doesn’t especially bother me. If I was concerned about it before a holiday, I would drink more water and focus more on leg exercises, such as squats and lunges as I find strengthening the muscles under the fat on your legs can help their overall appearance. Some women swear by dry body brushing before their shower each day, and losing overall body fat can help the appearance of cellulite too.
Once on holiday, I would forget all about cellulite and concentrate on enjoying the experience! I believe that life is too short to worry about cellulite.
