How to Build a Bikini Body

Beauty, Home & Family
on January 15, 2012

When is the best time to build a bikini body? Right now. Start getting into shape, and the rewards of a fitter, healthier, beach-ready you are appreciated any time of year.

Bikini-ready skin. Good skin is very important when you plan on showing so much of it. Be sure you’re ready to bare all that skin with confidence.

  • Eat right. Your diet is one of the most important aspects of skin care. The Mayo Clinic touts eating a healthy, well-rounded diet as a surefire step toward glowing, youthful looking skin and overall good health. Focus on variety and choose lots of veggies, berries and healthy oils like salmon, walnuts and canola oil.
  • Prevent dry skin. Take cool to warm showers. Hot showers dry out the skin, causing it to look older than it is and less healthy. Another way to keep skin moisturized is by using rich emollient lotions. Fragrance-free and hypoallergenic choices are best, as many people are allergic to unnecessary additives. Lock in the moisture by applying lotion right after a shower.
  • Always wear sunscreen. Sun is skin damaging and aging. There’s no way around it. If you want healthy looking skin forever, you must limit sun exposure. If you’re not a fan of sunscreen, block the sun with protective clothing and cute hats.

Maintain a healthy weight. If you’ve talked with your doctor and you are already an appropriate weight for your height, skip the diet for weight loss and continue healthy eating for maintenance.

  • If you’re like so many others, you may need to drop a few pounds to join that category.
  • Find out your BMI with one of the many calculators on the web and shoot for fewer calories in than your burn naturally.
  • Exercise and weight lifting can boost your metabolism and get you there faster.

Toning. Even if you’re at an ideal weight, a good bikini body is built best with exercise.

  • Start with a reasonable goal. Any amount and kind of movement is better than no exercise at all, but if you set your sights too high, you may burn out. Do what you know you’ll be comfortable with each day. Consistency is key.
  • Do weight bearing and resistance exercises. Aerobic exercise is wonderful for burning up the calories, but without challenging your muscles with weight training, you won’t get the firmed tone look you want. Be at your bikini best by picking up some small weights and doing more repetitions with lighter weights. You will not build muscle, but you will firm up.
  • Rotate your workout. Nothing is more boring than the same 30-minute exercise video every single day. If you want to stick with it, you have to mix it up. Walk one day; ride a bike the next. Throw in a yoga class, and that workout tape and you’ll stay motivated longer.

This article was originally published as How to Build a Bikini Body on DailyParent.com.