Summer holidays are on the horizon and already people are talking about wanting to get bikini body ready… so here’s my top tips for getting a bikini body! You probably assume you need to lose weight, cut out food groups and foods you enjoy, live on salads, do loads of workouts etc…
Nope – it’s a very simple 2 step process to getting your bikini body.
Step 1 – have a body ✅
Step 2 – put a bikini on it !
Ta da!
Now I realise it’s actually not that simple – and that wanting to look a certain way in your swimwear is totally valid. If you want to lose weight to feel more comfortable when you’re on the beach then that’s great – go for it! However whether you prefer a bikini, a swimsuit, a swim dress , a tankini, a sarong, T-shirt and shorts… whatever.. you’re entitled to wear whatever you like however you like. You deserve to enjoy the sunshine regardless of your shape or size. You don’t have to lose weight to do that! Find a style you like and rock it!
Ageing is something we all experience but perhaps we feel like it’s out of our control. In reality up to 80 percent of how we age is directly influenced by your lifestyle choices.
Movement, exercise, good nutrition, and sleep can make significant differences to how you age.
Regular physical activity can significantly slow the aging process in joints. Studies have shown that inactive individuals experience a rapid deterioration of joint health, leading to increased pain, stiffness and reduced mobility.
Regular exercise not only helps maintain muscle mass, but it also plays a crucial role in preventing age-related muscle loss. In contrast, a lack of physical activity is associated with muscle wasting, weakness, and frailty. It also helps with proprioception and balance. Proprioception is the body’s ability to sense movement, action, and location. It’s present in every muscle movement you have. Without proprioception, you wouldn’t be able to move without thinking about your next step. Proprioception allows you to walk without consciously thinking about where to place your foot next. As you age this becomes even more important and helps you to stop yourself falling. Preserving muscle mass also means you can get back up if you do fall. All this enables longer independence
People who regularly do some form of aerobic exercise, experience significant improvements in cognitive function and a decreased risk of age-related cognitive decline. Meanwhile, sedentary individuals have been shown to be prone to memory loss, reduced mental sharpness and at greater risk of neurodegenerative diseases
A diet abundant in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins provides essential vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals that combat oxidative stress, protects against age-related diseases, and promotes cellular health.
Lack of sleep disrupts vital processes, which can lead to some signs of aging, such as fine lines, dull skin, and impaired cognitive function. During deep sleep, the body engages in critical repair and rejuvenation activities, promoting cellular regeneration and optimising brain function.
So take some control back and prioritise some of these habits and prioritise your nutrition, exercise and sleep to ensure you age as well as possible!
Tuesday Tip: Common mistakes that prevent weight loss 🤔
Here are some of the common mistakes I see people make with their diet/nutrition that may be preventing them from losing weight/fat.
#1 Thinking that there is a “perfect” diet.
There Is no ideal diet that you can follow to lose weight. You have to learn about calories and nutrition, go through some trial and error and figure out what works best for you.
#2 Trying to do too much too quickly
Many people try to completely overhaul their diet overnight. Small, simple, step by step changes that can be sustained over time often lead to better long term results.
#3 Eating too little
Now just to clarify – I do not mean that you can ‘hold on to fat’ if you under-eat. If you’re in a calorie deficit you will lose weight/fat (consider the extreme case of some eating disorders etc). But you can hinder your progress by eating too little because most people can only under eat for so long before the mind and body fight back and they binge. A lot of people are stuck in a cycle of bingeing and restricting because they are eating too little instead of properly nourishing themselves. So it’s about finding a sustainable calorie deficit.
#4 Not being willing to make sacrifices.
Sorry but if you aren’t happy at the weight you are, eating and drinking as you are, then you are going to have to make changes and that may mean sacrificing some of the things you currently enjoy consuming.
#5 Too much variety
Finding a few go-to meal options and sticking them consistently helps simplify your nutrition choices and make grocery shopping and food prep easier. Variety is great, but don’t overdo it to the point that eating at home becomes a huge chore.
#6 Expecting results too quickly
You can’t expect to change your diet and see see changes In a week or a month. It took longer than that to gain the weight and it will take longer to lose it. Changes take time so be patient.
#7 Inconsistency
It may be boring but consistency is key. You can’t expect results if every weekend you have a massive blowout. You need to find a happy medium if you want to reach your goals.
I think many of us struggle to make healthy decisions when we’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed. Heightened emotions can drive you to engage in self-destructive coping strategies which range from eating too much, not eating enough, overthinking, isolating yourself, procrastinating, overworking etc. These are just some ways in we learn to cope, but these strategies often come with a cost. If stress eating is one of your coping strategies then the cost could be that you don’t stick to your plan, and then over eat and feel guilty etc which further adds to the feeling of stress and overwhelm.
So how do you prevent this? The problem is these behaviours are often instinctive. You do them mindlessly. If you want to change them then you have to actually remember that at the time when you’re feeling overwhelmed. It helps to anticipate these situations in advance – identify which situations tend to leave you feeling overwhelmed. Then the key is to take ‘REST’ – relax, evaluate, set an intention, take action – R E S T!
A good indicator that you need a REST is when you feel an intense emotion, or have a desire to act impulsively, even if you don’t know why. These are moments of choice.
You can either do what you normally do – react impulsively and potentially cause more distress for yourself. Or you can relax, evaluate, set an intention, and take action using a healthier coping skill.
RELAX – Pause. Take a breath. Step away from the situation to get a different perspective.
EVALUATE – Observe what is happening for you physically, emotionally, and mentally.
How do I feel? What’s happening? What are the facts?
SET AN INTENTION – Ask yourself, ‘What do I need right now?’ Coping, problem solving, self-soothing, communication.
TAKE ACTION – Put your plan into motion (call a loved one, go for a walk, distract yourself with a hobby etc).
Proceed mindfully, moving ahead slowly and with awareness of what you’re doing.
So instead of the old approach which was to feel stressed, act impulsively and eat, then feel guilty, instead you pause, notice the overwhelm, breathe,use your plan (talk to a loved one etc), feel better hopefully.
This can take some time to put into practice. But it’s a skill well worth learning.
I’m often asked what the ideal body fat percentage should be. You’ll hear various numbers mentioned from anything between 10 -25% for men and 20-30% for women.
A recent study showed that the lowest risk of mortality (from all causes) was associated with a 22% BF in men and 30% in women. So what is the ‘ideal’ body fat?
Firstly it’s important to note that there’s no completely accurate way of determining BF% – all the various methods are essentially estimates of varying quality – be it from hi tech scales, body scans or callipers. Some will vary depending on hydration and food content in the gut too (notably the scales). They just give a relative measure- which is fine if you’re using it to gauge progress and measure change, but isn’t something to get too hung up on in terms of the specific value.
Also importantly genetics controls your fat distribution and level- different people have different numbers of fat cells and a tendency to carry more or less fat. The same BF% can look very different on different people.
Finally fat plays an important role in our metabolism – too much or too little can negatively impact health. A high BF% can increase the risk of chronic disease and cardio- metabolic diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease. A low BF% isn’t a good thing either as it can impair hormone production, suppress your immune system, make you more prone to injury, affect your performance, energy levels and your relationship with food.
Balance is key – you don’t want to carry too much fat but nor should you be trying to be ‘shredded’ all the time either. So the ideal BF% is highly individual. Essentially you want a BF% which allows you to enjoy your lifestyle and remain healthy. So it should be within or close to the healthy ranges for men (I usually suggest <30 % for women and <25% for men as a starting point) but not so low that it’s impossible to maintain without being overly restrictive with your eating. Being lean isn’t a bad thing. But for most people, you can be healthy without a visible six pack and even if you did have a six pack
it doesn’t always equate to being healthier
Regardless of what your BF% is, you should focus on things that actually improve your health, such as exercise, sleeping well, having a diet filled with a range of food types including fruits, vegetables, whole grains and ‘enjoyment’ foods like ‘junk’ food in moderation , etc.
Every Step Fitness 