Want a sexy, toned bikini body ready for the summer? Then it's time to take action. We've got three key areas you need to focus on to ensure you're looking beach-alicious in time for peak season. So dust off those winter cobwebs and get ready to follow our guide to getting a top bikini body.
Exercise
If you want a great figure, then you're going to need to put in the exercise time so make sure you get up and active first thing. Mornings are one of the best times to work out - getting your fitness fix in early kick-starts your metabolism and frees up the rest of your day.
Running
This is a great workout for you to do alone or with friends, and a great way to shed some excess pounds. Try running three times a week, starting with 10 minute sessions and then building to 30 minutes progressively. You'll see some great results in your weight, the tone of your body and your overall fitness.
Swimming
Swimming is a brilliant overall body workout that works all of your major muscle groups. Again, aim for three times a week and build up your time swimming progressively. Swimming will also help ease any swim suit fear and get you used to donning your bikini in public.
Resistance training
The more muscle you have the more calories you burn; the perfect reason to add weights to your workout. And you don't need to be pumping iron day-in-day-out; just adding a simple resistance workout with some light weights on top of your running or swimming sessions will help tone lean calorie burning muscles.
Eat and drink well
What you eat and drink can vastly affect how your body looks and feels, so take this time to re-assess your diet and make some changes. Here are a few things you should try to include on your mission to a hot bikini body.
Drink more water
Drinking six-eight glasses a day of water has numerous bikini body benefits. Firstly it keeps you hydrated, and so prevents you from snacking; and secondly works wonders on your skin, even preventing the dreaded cellulite.
Get some berries, whole grains and yoghurt
You'll be pleased to know that all of the above are great flat-tummy foods. Combined they are supposed to help burn abdominal fat, improve digestion and keep you feeling fuller for longer. So start your day off with these top foods and be on your way to a nice and flat belly.
Try grapefruit, cinnamon and chilli peppers
These are all great foods to include in your diet that are not just tasty but can also help you lose a few pounds. So make the effort to add them into your daily routine. A few segments of grapefruit here, a dash of cinnamon on your breakfast or chopped up chilli in a stir-fry and you'll be getting their weight-loss benefits
Treat yourself
And last but not least - give your body a treat. Looking after yourself is often an enjoyable task that you may already include in your general lifestyle, but just not realise the benefits that you actually get from it.
Massage
There are a whole heap of benefits that your body reaps from massage, but the ones key to how body's appearance include its ability to increase circulation and how your skin looks. It also helps reduce stress - so you're all ready for a nice and relaxing holiday.
Body brushing
This is a really cheap and cheerful way to get beautiful looking skin that you can do all by yourself. Brushing regularly (twice a day is ideal), using long strokes towards your heart will stimulate circulation, get rid of dead skin cells and helps reduce cellulite.
Tips and toes
Apply finishing touches to your overall look by making sure your hands and feet are in tip top condition. Treat yourself to a manicure and pedicure, to smoothing rough skin and cuticles and opt for a nice bright summery polish to complete the look.
Read more:
The six-minute six-pack
Get the best bum