You may be fearing getting into a swimsuit this summer, and it might be because you just got too busy
with work or family and “forgot” about going to the gym. Or maybe you indulged in rich food or sweets a
little too often. Don’t beat yourself up over this—we all prefer to just “let loose” rather than go to
the gym and eat right a lot of the time. The secret to shaping up for summer is finding both eating
plans and exercise that you enjoy—and to put five or ten minutes a day bit towards tightening abs and
legs. We have come up with eight simple and practical ways to get into “swimwear shape”:

Create a simple yet clean diet that includes some “volume foods”
Arguably the worst part of diet is portion control is having to eat small portions. Try to find foods
that you can eat in volume and that satisfy with high nutrition and low calories. Try a new salad with
unusual greens or tomatoes from the local farm stands, or indulge in a healthy fruit that satisfies your
sweet tooth, like cantaloupe or peaches. Cut out anything made with flour or sugar—and only eat healthy
fats like olive oil or those found in avocados or coconut. Make your protein choices white meat poultry,
fish or tofu.

Try new foods to break the routine of “rut dieting”
Exotic fruits and veggies are always fun but make them dessert by creating a yogurt dip sweetened with
stevia. Have a quick go-to snack always in the fridge and even make your own frozen treats by mashing
berries and mangoes and freezing them in ice cube trays.

Step up your aerobic workouts to three times per week
You do not have to even go to the gym. For toned legs and a pre-work or lunchtime energy lift, try an
upbeat walk through the most scenic area of town.Find glute and butt exercises that you can easily do in
correct form just care about quality and not quantity. Commit to doing four sets of 10 lunges and four
sets of 10 crunches when you first get up everyday for three weeks. These old school exercises do not
take a lot of time but create killer results.

Get your kids or friends involved in weekly activities
This can be anything from a family football game to hitting balls against a wall with a tennis racquet.
Sometimes “kid stuff” is the easiest and most spontaneous exercise.

Put green tea into your diet
Five cups a day or more help reduce cravings, boost metabolism and give you energy. Cinnamon is said to
have fat burning quality, so sprinkle liberally in tea or on slices of apple and enjoy!

Pick a bikini that is flattering for your figure type and coloring
We’ve got several here at ifchic.com. For those who are fashion forward and love color, try Mara
Hoffman’s Carla Brushstroke-Print Tie Front Bikini Top and matching bottom sold separately. The front
tie also gives good top support.

Decide that it’s okay to get a one piece instead of a bikini
If you would just feel more comfortable showing less skin, you can still look chic. There are several
choices for timelessly chic one-pieces on ifchic.com, our favorite being the ultimate “little black
suit”—Mara Hoffman’s Desa Lace-Up Front Low Back One-Piece featuring the show-stopping lace-up front
trend.