Make These 7 Life Changes to Quickly Achieve a Bikini Body

By: Erica Villafranca on July 19, 2016.

Now that we are well into summer, you might have the mentality that it is far too late to achieve a bikini body. Before you assume that reaching your goal weight is going to take months, and before you utter the words, “I’ll start my diet next week,” be mindful that there are healthy ways to lose weight quickly! We’re revealing the seven healthy life changes that you can make to get that bikini body before the summer ends. It’s okay if you begin working on your New Year’s resolution a little late this year; there’s still time and we know the ways to make the most of it by leading a healthier lifestyle!

1. Avoid Drinking Cold Water

I always knew that it was important to drink at least eight glasses of water a day to stay hydrated, but it came as a complete shock to me when I found out that the temperature of the water is important, too. The liquid in your stomach is supposed to match your natural body temperature, so energy that is supposed to be used towards your food’s digestion is being used up to warm the cold water that you drink. Thus, your digestive system fails to extract all of the nutrients from the food you ingest. Drinking cold water also gets in the way of losing weight because the cold temperature solidifies the unwanted fats from the foods you ingest.

2. Stay Asleep Longer

Sleeping for at least eight hours every night truly has its benefits. Researchers have found that when you are sleep deprived, appetite-regulating hormones build up in your body, thus making you more likely to eat larger portions and snack more often. Sleep deprivation also plays a part in making poorer food choices. When I find myself hungry late at night, I always try to sleep it off rather than giving in to my hungry stomach. I feel so much better in the morning when I wake up with a flat stomach rather than one that is still full of Oreos and chips from the night before.

3. Build Muscle

A typical image of a gym is one in which cardio machines are filled up with females while the weight room is full of testosterone. While this is often the case, you are doing yourself a disservice by giving in to this stereotype. By lifting weights, you build up lean muscle in your body. This will help you lose weight, burn calories and keep your metabolism going, even when you are just sitting on your butt!

4. Interval Training

Interval training is incredibly effective when it comes to losing weight fast. Want to see results quickly? Switch up your workout routine with burst training. This consists of ‘bursts’ of short, high-intensity exercises and low-intensity recovery phases. These brief high-intensity exercises burn fat and calories super fast and your metabolism has the potential to keep going for up to 48 hours following your workout.

5. Metabolism Boosting Foods

Your metabolism helps you burn more calories, and the food you put into your body greatly impacts it. Some foods that help do this job are lean meats, egg whites, chili peppers, and lentils. My two favorite metabolism boosting foods that I incorporate into my daily diet are grapefruit and green tea. Grapefruit is packed with vitamin C and can help you lose weight fast. Plus, it is so versatile – just add it to your favorite summer salad or blend it into your morning smoothie! I also try and drink at least 1-3 cups of green tea every day. However, I often substitute my daily dose of green tea with one cup of matcha tea, which is equivalent to TEN cups of brewed green tea.

6. Before You Eat…

You must determine if your stomach is truly hungry or if boredom is the real reason that you want to intake food. When you start distinguishing the difference between these situations, you will find yourself having more self-control when it comes to snacking or indulging in a big meal. Many times when we think we are hungry, our bodies are really just begging for water. Try downing one or two glasses before you eat; this will make you feel full before you even intake any calories.

7. Avoid Eating Fruit After 2 PM

It is best to intake fruits during the beginning portion of the day in order to give your body time to burn off the consumed carbohydrates and sugars before you go to bed. The fruits that you eat in the beginning of the day will convert into energy that you can use throughout the rest of the day. By eating fruits and other sugar-packed foods after 2 PM, your body might not have enough time to burn off all of the carbs, which will then turn into fat.

Experts have found that losing weight at a quicker rate rather than over a long period of time actually helps keep off the weight longer! When people actually see improvements to their body, it helps reinforce modified eating and consistent exercise. Once you make these simple, yet effective, life changes, you will be able to see a quick transformation of your physique into a bikini body. These tangible results will not only help you better understand your body, but it will also motivate you to continue this healthy lifestyle way past the summer season.