4th of July weekend is over and some of us might be guilty of having had a little too much fun with our eating and drinking (Guilty! but no regrets. :D).  Good thing is it's Monday and perfect time for getting back on track.  

With so much complexity involved in what we should be eating or doing to get fit, it's sometimes overwhelming but not anymore.  I have created a list of 10 easy but effective tips to follow this month to make sure you're as Bikini ready as possible.  Ready?  Let's dive in!

1. DRINK A LOT OF WATER.  Minimum of 8-10 cups a day and more when you're exercising.  This is one that you hear all the time yet most people don't fulfill.  Waiting until you're thirsty to drink water?  Not the smartest option since the moment you feel thirsty, it means you're already deficient by 2 or more cups of water.  Consuming water helps control your appetite, accelerates your weight-loss, helps your body flush out toxins and it's necessary for controlling cellulite since it fights against water retention.  Yes, the more water you drink, the less your body retains. (ironic right?)  Increase your water intake and say bye, bye to your bloating.
2. DON'T ADD SALT TO YOUR FOOD.  Salt is a main factor in bloating and water-retention.  The more salt you consume, the more water your body retains which bloats you up.  Recommended sodium intake per day is 1,500 mg. with 2,300 mg. as the highest safe limit, but did you know average Americans consume approximately 3,400 mg. a day?  Instead of seasoning your foods with salt use natural herbs (oregano, pepper, garlic, onions, lemon juice...).  If you want a good pre-prepped seasoning, Mrs. Dash and McCormick's have some good, tasty and salt-free blends.  
3. REDUCE STARCHY CARBOHYDRATES, INCREASE FATS.  Once again, I am NOT saying carbs. are bad but it's no secret that when trying to lose weight you should reduce your carb intake and increase healthy fats consumption.  Eat less bread, rice and pasta while making sure your reduced amount of carbs is coming from high fiber sources like vegetables, black beans, oatmeal, whole wheat.  Eat more good fats coming from mixed nuts, salmon, avocado, natural peanut butter, coconut oil...  Reducing your carb. intake helps you not only lose weight but when done with exercise, also helps you look more 'defined'.  By reducing your carbohydrate intake, you force your body to burn fat for energy.  It's important to note that this should only be done temporarily (3 months max. with no breaks) to help reach weight-loss goals.  A better long term option would be carb cycling (which I'll explain in a future post).
4. EAT EVERY 2-4 HOURS.  Can't stress this one enough.  To keep your metabolism active, you need to constantly give it something to work with.  Having 5-6 meals a day instead of 2 or 3 will help you see results much faster.
5. INCLUDE PROTEIN IN EVERY MEAL.  30% of the calories consumed from protein are burnt off in the digestion process which means that for every 100 calories of chicken (or any other protein source) your body is only keeping 70 calories.  Protein keeps you feeling fuller for longer, accelerates your metabolism and helps you build more muscle which gives you a more fit physique.
6. NO ADDED SUGAR.  Just say no!  No soda, no juice and no sugar (replace with Splenda or Stevia).  Simple as that.
7. WEIGHT TRAIN.  Yes, even if your goal is to lose weight you NEED to lift weights.  Weight training helps speed up your metabolism, leading you to lose fat faster while building muscle which avoids the sagging skin none of us want.  Lift heavy!  I promise you'll appreciate it later.
8. CARDIO.  This is a given for most of us but 15 minutes of walking on a treadmill will do nothing but bore you.  On the days you lift weights, do a minimum of 30 minutes of intense cardio at a level that makes it difficult to keep up with a conversation.  On days that you don't lift weight, aim for an hour of intense interval cardio (Ex. intervals between jogging and running or speeding up and decreasing level on step master).  Make sure you're really pushing your limits.
9. EAT NATURAL FOODS.  I know it's hard sometimes to know what we should be eating, especially when new at this, so aim for consuming at least 80% of your daily meals from 1 ingredient foods.  Broccoli, eggs, chicken, mixed nuts, oatmeal, tuna, vegetables and fruits are just some of the many options you have.  This is an easy way to keep you on track without having to think so much about what your feeding your body.  Definitely try avoiding all processed foods during this month.
10. BE PATIENT & EMBRACE YOUR MISFIT QUALITIES.  You didn't gain those 20 pounds in a month why do you think you'd lose it that fast?  As I've said before, don't aim for perfection but progression.  Is your clothes fitting better?  Do you feel more energy?  Noticed your belly is flatter?  Focus on that and keep on working! ;)

Good luck lovelies!!