Get Bikini Body Ready
It is that time of year again: bikini season. Everyone wants a beautiful body for those relaxing, sunshine days on the beach. With a fresh diet and healthy exercise, you will be well on your way to achieving a perfect bikini body for that beach getaway.
Bikini Body Recipes
Who says that healthy can’t be delicious? Diet is the most important aspect when it comes to achieving a beautiful bikini body. But restraining yourself to only eating vegetables and steamed chicken is unhealthy and irrational. Instead, a well-rounded diet with fresh ingredients and delicious meals will leave you wondering how you ever ate differently.
Hint: Overall, portion control is most important. Don’t refuse yourself the occasional indulgence of fries and a milkshake. Instead, simply eat these things in moderation, keeping in mind the 80-20 rule: 80% healthy, 20% indulgence.
BREAKFAST: Magic Morning Smoothie (Time: 5 minutes. Servings: 2)
Fresh fruit and juice makes this quick, easy breakfast a great option when you’re in a hurry. This creamy smoothie will fill you up in the mornings. The recipe makes two servings, so you can even save one for the next morning. Who doesn’t want a smoothie for breakfast?
MAGIC MORNING SMOOTHIE
Ingredients:
1 Mango sliced
2 Banana, sliced
1 cup Orange Juice
1 cup Vanilla yogurt (optional: Greek yogurt)
Directions: In a blender, combine the mango, banana, orange juice and vanilla yogurt. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve. Optional: top with extra mango or banana.
LUNCH: Avocado Egg-Salad Sandwiches (Time: 20min. Servings: 4 sandwiches)
Egg-salad sandwiches are usually known for their unhealthy ingredients. This version makes the indulgence worthwhile. Tasty avocado substitutions imitate caloric mayonnaise, while spices and onion create flavour. Serve with a side of fresh veggies or crisp apple slices to complete your lunch. You won’t even realise how healthy you are being with this new twist on a lunchtime classic.
AVOCADO EGG-SALAD SANDWHICHES
Ingredients:
8 Eggs
1 Avocado
1/4 Chopped onion
1 tsp. Mustard
8 Slices of whole wheat bread
Seasonings to taste (recommended: salt, pepper, paprika and rosemary)
Directions: Fill a pot with water and bring to a boil on the stove. Place the eggs in the water and remove from stove. Leave for 15 minutes. Remove eggs and run them under cold water before peeling. Chop the eggs and place in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mash the avocado and then add mustard and onion. Combine the egg and avocado mixture until fully mixed. Season the sandwiches with salt, pepper, paprika and rosemary to taste. Spread on sandwiches and serve. Sandwiches can be prepared in advance and refrigerated.
Dinner: Honey BBQ Chicken and Fresh Salad (Time: 40 minutes. Servings: 2)
Prepare yourself for a new family favourite. This honey barbeque chicken is delicious, flavourful and healthy. You will feel like a professional chef after preparing this meal. Pair with a fresh side salad (recipe suggestion below) to complement this family meal.
HONEY BBQ CHICKEN
Ingredients:
2 Skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup barbeque sauce
1/4 cup honey
1/8 cup ketchup
Seasonings to taste (recommended: salt, pepper, paprika and rosemary)
DIRECTIONS: Heat a pan over medium heat on the stove and pour olive oil to coat the bottom. Wash the chicken breasts. Season with salt, pepper, paprika and rosemary. Cook chicken until done (about 6 minutes per side). In a bowl, combine barbeque sauce, honey, and ketchup (note: measurements may be changed based on taste preference). Sauté the onions in the same pan that was used for the chicken breasts. Add these to the sauce. Microwave the sauce to heat it up (about 2 minutes). Generously pour the sauce over the chicken breasts. Serve hot with a fresh side salad.
FRESH SALAD
2-3 cups chopped lettuce
1/2 Bell pepper
1/2 Chopped avocado
1/4 cup cubed cherry tomatoes (sliced in half)
1/8 cup sunflower seeds (vinaigrette dressing and seasonings to taste)
DIRECTIONS: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix. Add vinaigrette dressing and seasonings to taste.
BIKINI BODY FITNESS
Just an hour a day can help you build a sexy, summer bikini body. The word “workout” is not something that we like to hear. But making exercising fun, along with a strong bikini body goal, can make an hour fly by. Setting aside just a little bit of time everyday can yield the beautifully toned beach body that you have been dreaming of.
Hint: Exercise 5-6 days of the week. Allow yourself at least one day of rest – you deserve it! This also gives muscles the necessary time to repair themselves and gain strength, which is absolutely essential for building a bikini body.
LEGS
Leg lifts help to sculpt beautiful, healthy legs for the beach. Along with some daily skipping, you may just find yourself having fun while exercising.
Leg Lifts:
(Optional: Can be performed with a resistance band around the ankles) Lie down on your side. Slowly lift your leg straight out from the side, focusing on using the outer thigh muscles. Slowly let your leg down. Repeat this 10-12 times, and then switch to the other leg. Build to 2-3 repetitions per leg.
Inner Thigh:
Lie down on your side. Cross the top leg over the other so that it forms a 90-degree angle. Raise the lower leg a few inches off of the ground, focusing on working the inner thigh muscles. Lower back down, but do not allow your leg to touch the ground. Repeat this 20 times and then switch sides. Perform 2-3 reps for effective, toned results.
ABS
As much as we hate to hear it, basic crunches are your best friend for a flat stomach. Pair this with abs twists, and you are well on your way to a slim bikini body.
Abs Crunches:
Start out by lying on your back. Place your hands behind your head and lie flat on the floor with your knees bent. Slowly raise yourself up using your abs while pressing your lower back to the floor. As you reach the top of the crunch, slowly exhale, then slowly lower your back down to the floor as you inhale. Repeat this process 20 to 25 times and rest for about 90 seconds. Start with one set, and slowly build to 2-3 sets of crunches per day, with 90 second rests in between.
Abs Twists:
Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor and your hands behind your head. Lift your shoulder blades off the floor. When you get halfway up, start to rotate your body so that your left elbow moves towards your right knee. Hold at the top for 1 second and slowly lower to the starting position. Alternate going from the right side to the left side. Start with eight repetitions and slowly build from there.
ARMS
Toned results come with dedicated hard work. Get your arms ready with the popularly known basic, effective arm exercise: push-ups! (Note: If you are unable to perform push-ups, try doing them while on your knees. This will reduce pressure placed on the arms and wrists.)
Push-ups:
With your body parallel to the floor, raise yourself up with arms spread shoulder-width apart. Slowly lower your body until your arms form 90-degree angles. Keep your body straight and parallel to the floor. Focus on using upper arm strength and core muscles. Repeat this 10 times, and slowly increase repetitions.
