Spring is around the corner and clothing layers are lightening each day. And honestly, trading in our lockdown looks (leggings, sweatpants, bulky tops) for bikinis and swim trunks may be comparable to a child giving up a pacifier this year. As the realization hits that time is of the essence when it comes to getting swimsuit ready, a lot of the last-ditch efforts are not sustainable. Drastic short-term diet approaches for the warmer months, often have the participant destined for failure. Unsustainable approaches will leave your bikini in storage all summer long. Here at The Swell Score, our team is dedicated to helping you get into that bikini without its brutal diets. Our Anti Bikini-Diet is sustainable and healthy to help you feel confident when shedding fat and clothing layers this spring/summer.
The key to the Anti-Bikini Diet approach is to focus on easy changes that can be sustained long term. Here are some of the best ways to shimmy into that bikini while optimizing your health:
1) Get more sleep: Lack of sleep can alter digestive hormones and make it harder to control portions the day after. Further, studies show that consistent sleep loss can interfere with the ability to lose weight.
2) Eat only 8 hours each day: Time restricted eating has been found to be one of the most effective ways to manage and lose weight, especially if you are unable to make major changes in diet. Limit your eating window to 8 hours a day, for example 10:00 am – 6:00 pm. Coffee, tea, water can be consumed in the “off hours”.
3) Get 5 plant-based colors in daily: Focusing on color means you’ll automatically be getting more plants and more fiber. Fiber helps with moving bulk out of the body (which can help with flattening a bloated tummy) and fill you up quicker, which means eating less.
4) Make your diet 90% food (with only 10% left for “food like” items): Many of my patients have asked me about my opinion on the 80/20 rule. My response is that you can probably go even further and go 90/10. That means eating pretty darn perfect 90% of the time and using 10% for your allotment of foods that would not be considered nutrient dense, clean, or whole. You can still have a doughnut on Sunday morning or French fries at dinner one night.
5) Lose the distractions causing you to overeat: Mindfulness is the greatest gift to eating healthy. Start appreciating food, every chew, texture, and flavor. Chewing more has been associated with greater weight loss. Also consider turning off the TV and keeping the phone out of reach.
