4 Daily Habits to Shape Up For Summer

It's almost bikini weather, so now's the time to start thinking about your shape-up plan. Making a few simple changes to your lifestyle now will ensure you're not frantically trying to crash diet a week before a warm-weather vacation. Read our tips to start today for a safe Summer shape-up.

  1. Debloat and detox: Start recovering from sluggishness by replacing comfort foods with fresh fruits and vegetables. Drink water with lemon every day, for example, to burn fat and aid with digestion, and make sure every salad contains dark leafy greens like kale or spinach. Read more about 10 detoxing foods you should be eating here.
  2. Lose the belly: It's not so easy to hide a belly behind thick sweaters when the temperatures rise. Begin working on that flat belly now with these daily must dos to get flat abs — like eating blueberries, cutting a few calories, and increasing your cardio workout — in order to shrink your belly and reveal your core muscles.
  3. Focus on legs: Shorts weather calls for strong, shapely legs, so we're all about working our lower body as warmer weather nears. You don't even have to make it to the gym to get gorgeous gams and a lifted butt: take five minutes out of each day to do a few of these essential lower-body exercises (think squats and lunges) that you can do anywhere. By summertime, your bikini-clad self will thank you.
  4. Write it down: If you're trying to lose weight in time for Summer fun, it helps to build structure with your weight-loss plan. While the above steps will help you burn calories and unearth toned muscles, if your larger goal is to drop a few pounds, start by writing in a food journal every day to record the holes and excesses in your diet.