Palm trees, warm tropical breezes, toes in the sand – doesn’t it sound lovely? If the future holds a relaxing, beach-filled, Spring getaway, lucky you, lazy days and flip flops ahead!
Oh, wait. This vacay requires a swimsuit. (:-0 Cue the horror-film scream.) A quick cleanse, detox or juice fast should do the trick to get the winter bod lean and in shape, right? Right???
With a beach trip looming, it’s easy to be tempted by dramatic before and after photos, celebrity endorsements and outrageous claims of the cleanse industry. Instead, let’s use this bikini wake-up call to talk healthy ways to get beach-ready, and check-in on your well-being.
For insight and an expert opinion regarding cleanses, detoxes and juice fasts, I consulted Houston-based registered, licensed dietician, wellness coach, and speaker Catherine Kruppa. Her clients include endurance and Olympic athletes, diabetics, Former President George H. W. Bush and the regular guy and gal desiring guidance to drop a few pounds. (Check out her website http://www.AdviceForEating.com.) As you might guess, Kruppa is not a fan of cleansing for weight loss reasons.
First of all, there is no need to “cleanse” the body. Cleansing aims to detox, or rid our bodies of impurities from overindulging in food and drink by consuming juices or powdered beverages. Truth be told, “Our livers and kidneys do a fine job of removing waste from our bodies without the help of a forced cleanse,” Kruppa says.
She explains that cleansing encourages weight loss because calorie consumption is dramatically reduced. But minimal calorie intake leads to hunger which can lead to overeating. All it takes is a strong craving in a weak moment and suddenly a sleeve of Thin Mints has disappeared.
Kruppa understands the concept of administering a short day-long cleanse or detox as motivation and a hard restart to healthy eating. (I’ve rebooted in January with this whole food detox.) But cleanses and juice fasts are not sustainable long term.
What does work to get swimsuit-ready? It’s simple. Kruppa elaborates, “Eat whole foods like vegetables, fruits, lean proteins and whole grains. Cut back on processed carbohydrates, anything packaged or in a box and fast food. Reign in the sugar intake, which includes alcohol.” Finally, drink plenty of water.
Kruppa’s formula is to consume half of your body weight in ounces of water. So a 120 lb. person should drink 60 ounces of water. Water will help flush the fat cells out of the system and you’ll feel less bloated, she says.
Newsflash: there are no quick fixes, no magic pills or overnight weight loss tricks, just practicing lifelong healthy habits by eating right and drinking plenty of water. Add moderate portions and exercise to the mix and you’ll never battle weight issues again.
Now let’s circle back to your well-being. Sure you want feel good and be confident at the beach, but more importantly are you taking care of yourself and functioning at peak performance? In addition to clean eating, exercise, sleep and mental state play a huge role in total well-being.
Let’s probe. Are you exercising 30 minutes per day for stress relief and to stay strong? Are you sleeping at least 7 hours per night? Are you clearing your mind daily with meditation, reflection or spending time in prayer? Are you laughing and enjoying time with family, friends and people who positively impact in your life? Whatever your body type, are you grateful and respectful of it?
You know the goal is much bigger and deeper than dropping a few pounds to fit into a bikini. When you are eating right, drinking plenty of water, exercising, and sleeping the beach body will follow. After all, the true reward of these habits is good health and optimum well-being to positively engage with the spouse, partner, kids, family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, strangers, etc. and handle what life throws your way. You got this!
Now for a few more fun tips for getting beach-ready:
Don’t underestimate the power of a flattering, well-fitting swimsuit, cute cover up, big sunglasses, glamorous hat and perfect bag. (I mean, this is a fashion blog after all!) Allow yourself time to get beach fabulous.
If your peaches and cream complexion resembles Lady Mary’s on Downton Abbey, skip this next tip. For the rest of us, consider the slimming powers of a subtle spray tan. And always, always protect your skin with sunscreen, especially you Lady Marys out there.
Sunshine Smoothie
Serves 1
This smoothie is a great way to incorporate veggies into the breakfast or snack routine. Play with the ingredients and quantities, substituting your favorite fruits.
½ cup ice
1/2 cup water
handful of baby spinach or kale, ribs removed and roughly chopped
1/3 of a yellow or orange bell pepper, roughly chopped (optional)
½ cup Fage 2% plain Greek yogurt
½ banana
1 orange, peeled
1 peach, seed removed and roughly chopped
honey to taste
In a blender combine all ingredients and give it a whirl. Add honey to taste, water to thin and blend again. Enjoy and drink up.
This post originally appeared on Elaine’s Musings by Alyce Eyster.
Nudge Wellness 