Getting ready for bikini season

by LORI-ANN MARCHESE

CTFashionMag.com

It’s that time of year again.

Beach season is approaching, and it’s the time to start shopping for your bikinis. Summer is just around the corner.

Don’t fret, you still have time to transform your body into one that you are comfortable with, but most importantly, one that’s bikini ready.

Here are tips to start you journey.

You’ve probably heard this many of times, but I cannot stress this enough. Eat breakfast. Once you wake up, your body is depleted of energy from burning calories all night long. Your metabolism is looking for a source of food once you wake up, and you must trigger your metabolism as soon as you can for constant activation for the day. With that said, eating around five, healthy-balanced small meals throughout the day is ideal for keeping that metabolism working, which results in a higher fat burn rate.

This next tip is one that you must follow exactly. Drinking at least eight glasses of water a day is a must. Water aids in eliminating waste and toxins from your body. Not only is water necessary for hydration, it is also the best natural detox. For a twist, add fresh fruit to your water.

Learn to love being physically active. Working out will give you that toned body that you want. Not only will you feel strong, you will look it too. Along with cardio workouts, weight training is just as important. Weight training allows for muscle gains, which gives you that figure. The other benefit is the more muscle you have, the higher the rate of burning fat.

When creating or choosing what type of workout you want to do, interval training is what you should be looking for. Your body will constantly be challenged which, allows a higher fat burn rate.

It is tough finding time to work out, trust me. But you should prioritize working out by putting it at the top of your list. Devote yourself to exercise at least three times a week. There should be a balance of weight training and cardio workouts.

With that said, nutrition is your biggest focus. Nutrition counts for 80 percent of your results. This means that you should focus on having well balanced meals, along with focusing on your portion sizes. Having everything in moderation is a must. Stray away from those high caloric, sodium, fat, and sugary foods.

Most importantly, spend time focusing on you. It can become quite stressful with balancing all of this on your plate. Taking even just ten minutes to relax your body and mind can make a major difference in regards to staying motivated throughout this journey. Whatever brings happiness to you is your answer. Find that escape every once in a while.

Make sure you do not go overboard with the preparation of getting your bikini body. It is important to remember that progress doesn’t just happen overnight. Your body is constantly fighting against change, so give it time. Do not give up and understand that transformation takes consistent hard work, and patience.

Lori-Ann Marchese is the owner of Body Construct LLC in New Britain. She is a former Mrs. Connecticut America and starred in the Bravo TV series, “Game of Crowns.”

Lori-Ann Marchese remembers to keep hydrated when she exercises. (MIKE CHAIKEN PHOTOS)