Spring Break Slim-Down

They say March comes in like a lamb and out like a lion – and maybe that’s because for many of us, the month of March means the beginning of Spring Break and swimsuit season!

If the thought of putting on a bathing suit after hibernating all winter makes you cringe, there is still time to slim down for spring break and look fabulous on the beach!

Here are some of my favorite strategies to help you slim down for spring break, so you can feel confident and rock that swimsuit!

Start TODAY.

Whether you’re leaving in two weeks for sunny Florida, or still have until summer to slim down, the time to start is today! But let me be clear, I’m not talking about starting a trendy diet or drastically cutting carbs. I am advocating that you make a commitment today to make lifestyle changes that will serve your mind and body now and in the future. There is no time like the present, so let’s get started!

Small Changes, Big Impact.

When I think about the lifestyle changes that I made which lead to my weight loss journey, what strikes me the most is that very small changes had a big impact on my weight loss goals. You don’t have to give up all of your favorite foods and drinks, but you do have to make better, smarter choices.

For example, look at your condiments, salad dressings and coffee creamers. These seemingly harmless foods can be the culprits of big calories, sugar and fat! I was a huge ketchup girl until I joined Weight Watchers and realized how many points a table spoon of ketchup was because it is loaded with sugar! S

So, here are a few of my favorite lightend-up Weight Watcher friendly product swaps:

Instead of Ranch try: Skinnygirl Salad Dressings

Instead of Coffee Creamer try: Premium Protein Shakes in Cafe Latte or Chocolate Peanut butter for Coffee Creamer

Instead of Mayo try; Plain Greek Yogurt

Instead of Ketchup try: Salsa or Dijon Mustard

Be Prepared.

If I’ve learned anything on my weight loss journey, it’s the importance of planning ahead – and yes, that means meal prepping. Like it or not, the reality is that you aren’t going to make the best food choices when you are tired and hangry after a long work day or if you’re running late for a meeting and need to grab a quick lunch on the go. We are all busy, so planning your snacks and meals in advance is essential for success. I do my meal prepping on Sunday, and although it is a time commitment, it gets me set up for success all week!

Increase your H20

I know this isn’t new to you and you’ve heard it a million times before – but there’s a reason for that! Increasing your daily water intake is essential for weight loss and your overall health. So fill up those Stanleys, ladies and sip away!

Get Creative.

Last night my daughter had a bowl of chocolate chip ice cream. It looked delicious! I’m not going to tell you never to dive into a bowl of ice cream – life is just too short for that kind of negativity- BUT I am getting ready to hit the beach in a few weeks. So I opted for a bowl of plain fat free greek yogurt topped with berries and one heaping table spoon of hershey’s chocolate syrup. It was a high protein snack that only set me back 3 Weight Watcher points and totally satisfied my sweet tooth!

Move Your Body. Change Your Mindset.

People often ask me about my workout routine and whether or not I had to increase my workouts to lose weight. I personally have always been consistent with my workouts, typically working out 5-6 days a week regularly. While that is extremely important to my overall health and physical fitness, what I had to change in order to lose the weight ultimately was my mindset.

You CANNOT out-exercise a poor diet.

This is a mantra worth repeating, and one that it took a really long time for me to wrap my brain completely around. In fact, I still struggle with it. But the truth is, if you think you deserve to eat pizza and drink a bottle of wine because you went to hot yoga or bootcamp, think again. Unfortunately, exercise doesn’t work that way -especially for us women over 40 (sorry girls).

The Weight Watchers point system really helped me visualize this truth, though, because you can “earn” extra weekly points from your daily activity. However, for one bootcamp class I typically only “earn” 5-7 daily points, which is hardly a pizza and a bottle of wine! It’s more like ONE small glass of wine or ONE small piece of thin crust pizza.

As depressing as this news may sound, once I finally changed my mindset and wrapped my brain around the fact that my daily workouts weren’t a license to eat and drink whatever the hell I wanted, my body started to change.

And guess what- I felt a lot better too! So, move your body. Change your mindset!

If You Can’t Tone it, Tan it.

I have found one mantra to be true when it comes to swimsuit season, no matter how much work we put in to look our best: If you can’t tone it, tan it! A little self-tanning cream goes a loooong way toward feeling more confident trying on that bathing suit in the middle of March! My favorite is Jergens Natural Glo in Shower Wet Skin lotion in medium to deep – you put it on after your shower before you dry yourself, and it goes on smooth and evenly. A few applications and you will look like a golden bronze goddess!

With all of these tips, you’ll be bikini-ready in time to hit the beach!

And remember, the sexiest thing a woman can wear is confidence. Let’s change the narrative of beach bodies and instead put our best selves forward with confidence, strength and compassion.

Now, it’s time for a drink on the beach!

Happy Spring Break!

If you like this post, check out more tips to Slim Down for Summer here.

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