Christina is a mom, registered nurse, and blogger. She fully admits to both a love of too much food and a love of the couch, two vices she struggles to overcome on a daily basis. In the past two years, she’s lost nearly 50 pounds through diet and exercise, some of it chronicled on her blog, Losing My Hind.
Bathing suit. *shudder*
In the past, just the words made me want to hide under my bed until the back-to-school sales started. I’d specifically avoid any events labeled “pool party” just to protect myself from being seen in a bathing suit. When I did need a suit, I’d agonize over shopping for one. After gaining a lot of weight post-baby, I purchased bathing suits with an eye on coverage, not fashion. Which of course meant I always went right for the skirted suits. The bigger the skirt, the better.
Let’s be honest, though: if you actually want to swim, bathing suit dresses are not comfortable. The fabric floats oddly in the pool, and when you get out the cold, wet fabric sticks and clings to your legs.
This year, I’ve already strutted in my bathing suit, and while it wasn’t a bikini, it had no hint of a skirt. I’ve lost over 10 pounds since the beginning of the year and I’m proud of how I look in my new bathing suit.
Want to get bathing suit ready? Here are a few of my tips:
Track your food. I use the Lose It! app for my iPhone to log every morsel of food that I eat, but even a simple pen-and-paper food journal would do the trick. You can use your log to keep from going over a specific calorie limit, track water and nutrient intake, or just get an idea of how much you eat on a daily basis. Seeing it all on paper can help you eat less and make better choices when planning your meals.
Skip the treadmill and grab the weights. Sure, you may want to burn off that extra layer of winter fat, but without the muscle tone beneath it, you still may not like the way you look in that bathing suit. If you can add an extra workout in, choose strength training over cardio to develop some shapely muscles. Bonus: the more muscle mass you have, the more calories your body burns around the clock, even when lounging by the pool!
Stay hydrated. Bathing suits show off a lot of skin. Start drinking plenty of water each day so that when you do step out into the sun, your skin will be healthy and glowing.
Find a suit that flatters your shape. OK, so you’ve put in the work and you still don’t like that your belly sticks out too far. Don’t throw in the towel – find a suit that addresses your weak spots and accents your best features. There are plenty of ways to distract the eye away from areas you don’t like and place the emphasis on your strongest assets.
And finally: remember that confidence can cover up a lot of flaws. Appreciate the efforts you’re making to keep your body healthy, buy a bathing suit you feel comfortable in, and enjoy your day in the sun!
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