Are you ready?? Because it’s coming in hot and before we know it, swimsuits and flip flops will be out of storage and into suitcases
After a long Midwest winter, that first swimsuit try-on can be daunting. So let’s get a Game Plan to rock that swimsuit AND feel FIERCE doing it!
Priority #1: Nutrition
During the winter months, especially in the Midwest, it’s so easy to get caught up in pre-holiday eating, holiday eating, post-holiday eating, just eating in general…then covering it up with a nice fluffy sweater? So getting that swimsuit out of the drawer and trying it on for the first time in the bathroom light is as real life as it gets, isn’t it??
I just pulled mine out this week and no matter how on point I feel that I’ve been, that swimsuit is a reminder of just how important nutrition is every single day. No matter how faithful we’ve been to our workouts, that moment is a gut check for us, pun intended.
Because our results are made in the kitchen. Every choice we make regarding what we put into our bodies either fuels us in a positive way or affects us in a negative way. It really is that simple and actually, I think that’s super empowering. Since we are in complete control of what we eat, knowing our nutrition equals 85% or more of our results – mentally and physically – makes nutrition much more black and white. We’ve all tried numerous “diets”. They don’t work. We’ve all tried gimmicks and quick fixes.They don’t work. What works? A plan backed up by research, science, and results.
The Game Plan:
- If Spring Break is a couple of MONTHS away:
- Dive into 80 Day Obsession. You might not complete the program in its entirety but you WILL absolutely get your nutrition in check AND learn so much about fueling your body correctly.
- If Spring Break is 3 WEEKS away:
- Okay, we need to get on track FAST. That’s 21 Day Fix, 21 Day Fix Extreme or Ultimate Reset. Get on board with the containers as a way of life or completely re-calibrate your system in 3 weeks.
- If Spring Break is 3 DAYS away:
- YIKES! Nothing like waiting til the last minute! We can absolutely decrease bloat by committing to the 3 Day Refresh. Lose the bloat and set yourself up for a fresh start.
Priority #2: Fitness
That incredibly empowering feeling after a workout is EVERYthing, isn’t it? Fitness does so much for our heads, our hearts, and our bodies. Now remember…our physical results come mostly from nutrition but that doesn’t decrease the necessity of fitness.
Feeling strong and confident after kicking serious booty in your workout will absolutely motivate you to make better nutrition choices. The two, fitness and nutrition, go hand-in-hand.
We cannot out-train a bad diet. And we need the training to create lean muscles and shredded abs, so it’s a puzzle where all the pieces are essential.
If you’ve taken a break from fitness for a while, it’s time to make it non-negotiable in your life. I don’t care WHAT you do, as long as it’s something! Walk, ride your bike, go up and down your stairs. START MOVING. The feeling of confidence and general badassery that comes from crushing our workouts affects every other part of our lives. As my friend Shaun T says, it’s not just fitness. It’s our LIFE.
If you’ve been working out pretty regularly and still aren’t feeling like you’re ready to rock a swimsuit, it’s time to up your game. We’re all stronger than we think we are and can absolutely level up.
The Game Plan:
- If it has been a while since you broke a sweat: Your strategy is The Beachbody Yoga Studio on Beachbody on Demand. If you think yoga can’t help you burn calories and tone muscles, then you haven’t tried yoga in awhile. Beachbody Yoga ain’t your Grandma’s yoga. ? The Beachbody Yoga Studio has workouts for all levels. 10-minute workouts up to an hour yoga practice. Whatever your experience and your goal, the Yoga Studio has it all. Want just a bit more? Try PiYo. A little more athletic but still gentle on the joints.
- If you’ve been working out 3-4x / week at a moderate level: Your strategy is to make sure you are adding enough strength training in your established routine. Women tend to gravitate towards cardio-only workouts, mistakenly thinking lifting weights will “bulk them up.” One look at trainer Autumn Calabrese should set your mind at ease that bulking up will NOT happen. That’s old-school thinking and we don’t have time for that! We’ve got a swimsuit to rock!! Time to crush 30 days of CHISEL, available on Beachbody on Demand, in addition to your 3-4 a week workouts. Strength training for the win.
- You’ve been working out 5-6x/ week but want to up your game: Your strategy is Two-A-Days. Yep. Keep doing what you are doing and add a second workout to your day. My suggestions? Phase 1 from 80 Day Obsession OR Insanity Max30 Month 1. Double up to get SERIOUS results. If your “normal” workout is in the morning, add workout 2 in the evening. And vice versa. Don’t do them back to back. Instead split them up for double the calorie-torching benefits.
Priority #3: Find Swimsuit that makes you feel FIERCE
The Game Plan:
- Athleta — www.athleta.com
Athleta has long been my go-to resource for swimsuits. From bra-sized tops to 1 pieces to tankinis to sporty swim shorts, this company has really great choices. And while researching their site for this article, I may or may not have just purchased a new swimsuit. In a fabulous blue color that I love. INVEST in a suit that makes you feel fierce.
- Land’s End – www.landsend.com
Also a long time favorite, this company makes well-crafted swimsuits, in a variety of styles, at great price points. These suits LAST. Their suit mantra is “We fit EVERYbody.” and I believe with their amazing selection, that’s absolutely true.
- Nordstrom – www.nordstrom.com
I’m not a huge fan of purchasing a suit at a large department store, but I do love Nordstrom’s.
I love the variety and service. Everything from coverups to one-piece to bikinis to choosing a suit according to body type to filtering by price…the options are endless. Nordstrom’s also has a fabulous return policy so if you’d prefer to try on your new suit in the privacy of your home (keeping all tags and protectors in place of course), you can do that and still be able to return it as necessary.
Priority #4: Protect your skin
So, do we really have to talk about the importance of sunscreen?? It’s 2018…we KNOW that we need SPF and we know that we need to reapply right? We also know that if our skin has been covered up by layers of sweaters for a few months, we’re going to need that protection even more. This is not an area where we can get lazy. Just like nutrition and fitness, consistency counts. And since none of us wants to pass skin cancer on to our children, we have to model healthy skin practices ourselves.
The Game Plan
- Two of my favorite favorite favorite year-round products are Estee Lauder DayWear Anti-Oxidant Beauty Benefit BB Creme SPF 35 and Trish McEvoy Beauty Booster® Cream SPF 30 (either tinted or untinted). I alternate between these 2 just because I love them both so much and I wear them 365 days a year. Sun protection on the daily, not JUST when we hit the beach.
- A couple of overall sunscreens that are fantastic are Drunk Elephant Umbra Sheer Physical Daily Defense SPF 30($34) {It contains skin-soothing ingredients such as aloe vera leaf and grape juice extract} and Sunbum SPF 30 Original Sunscreen Lotion {a small company in Cocoa Beach, Florida whose products smell delicious and work! Their outreach events are fantastic too!}
- Make sure to throw in some SPF specifically for lips, a hat and ALWAYS sunglasses.
Priority #5: Let Spring Break be a BREAK
Let’s really get down to what Spring Break is all about….and that is, taking a BREAK. Hey, in the Midwest, winter feels FORever. Gray skies are the norm and by the time the end of March rolls around, we’re all stir-crazy and cranky. We need sun, we need warmth, and we need it NOW.
Spring Break should be all about fun and family. Focus on creating memories that you will talk about long after the social media post fades. Place zero energy on cramming a gazillion activities into 5 days, going where “everyone else is going”, and what you look like in a bikini. (Note: I said, “look”. How you FEEL is completely different than how you look…and it is FAR more important!)
When you take care of your body AND your mind, spring break can truly be a BREAK from the daily routine, a trip that refreshes you, helps you recalibrate. If you feel less than fierce, good news!! You have the power to DO something about it. It’s YOUR body. YOU control your nutrition, your fitness, your mindset.
That means no matter what the scale says, you can rock a bikini all day long if you feel confident and FIERCE. I think a PLAN and a TRIBE help us find our fierce, help us uncover that confidence within us. When we nourish our bodies properly, when we move our bodies with intention, when we surround ourselves with people who lift us up, when we control the controllable, we DO feel FIERCE…and that makes ANY Spring Break memorable.
