Okay, most of would love to look and feel great in our Bikini Body this year, but many of us put unrealistic expectations on ourselves. Granted, it’s tough because we are bombarded with images of air-brushed teenagers in skimpy bikinis all summer long. These glossy images are everywhere: magazines, billboards, TV – we can’t get away. I’m especially sensitive to this right now because my daughter has just turned eleven and she and her friends are becoming conscious of their bodies in a way that they weren’t a couple of years ago. They are especially vulnerable to the images that are fed to them – why don’t I look like that?
Unrealistic expectations aside, what is a “bikini body”? Contrary to popular belief, I think that any woman who holds herself upright and walks around with confidence and joy, can look amazing in a swimsuit or bikini, regardless of her body shape. Women who love themselves because of their “imperfections” exude an energy that is downright gorgeous. So, I think half the battle is to accept that unless you are a teenager or a model (who will be airbrushed to death anywhere), you are going to look like YOU – and that is beautiful.
Feeling beautiful when you’re practically naked is also way more to do with feeling healthy and vibrant than anything else. When I exercise regularly, eat healthy, meditate and drink gallons of water, despite the odd stretch mark and bulge, I feel fantastic in and out of my jeans!
There are certain steps that every woman can do, regardless of her age, to get her body into that vibrant state of being. I wouldn’t even look at an anti-cellulite cream that promised to banish those orange-peel bulges in weeks. These miracle claims are simply not true. However, there are actions you can take that will make a difference. Here’s what I do:
1.Hydrate: In the summer, I double-up on my water-intake. I rarely buy plastic water bottles because using one-time-use plastic is so frickin bad for our planet, that it makes me feel bad about myself. I fill my Kor water bottle up with filtered water throughout the day.
2. Iced Green Tea: Since green tea has so many health benefits and is better for me than iced coffee, I keep a pitcher in my fridge at all times. I sweeten it with Xylitol, so there are no extra calories. Remember, so many beverages contain way too much sugar and drinking liquid sugar is the fastest way to pack on the pounds.
3. Exercise challenge: I have to change -up my exercise routine because our bodies get comfortably used to our regular exercise regime. We plateau and then nothing changes. I recommend challenging yourself almost everyday, which means that you take yourself to an uncomfortable place where you are literally thinking, I can’t do this for another minute or I will die! The Bar Method Dancer’s Body Advanced Workout is that DVD that has taken me to that place. It kick’s my butt, and is the one workout that has really made a difference in terms of my jeans feeling a lot more loose!
4. Dry Skin Brushing: I do this every single day. Growing up in Europe, I learned that dry-skin brushing is the holistic solution to getting rid of cellulite. Dry skin brushing helps to stimulate your lymphatic system, which eliminates toxins from your body. Make sure you are following my on Open Sky because there is an offer coming up of the most amazing dry skin strap and Weleda oil (see next step). Dry skin brushing is also the most effective way to exfoliate off dead/dry skin cells. Remember it’s dry brushing, which means you do it before you get in the shower.
5. Botanical Oil: I don’t believe in any of the cellulite creams out there. However, therapeutic botanical ingredients in a specific base can help to both detoxify and tone the skin considerably. I give you an amazing anti-cellulite oil recipe in Do It Gorgeously. But if you can’t be bothered to gather all the essential oils for that, I highly recommend Weleda’s Birth Cellulite Oil, which I’m going to offer with the Bass Dry Skin Strap on Open Sky. Trust me, these 2 products together, will make a difference.
6. Self Tanner: A tanned glow can help with annoying imperfections such as thread veins and even the look of cellulite. I love True Naturals Self Tanner because it nourishes my skin while giving it that sun-kissed glow.
Hello dear Sophie, How often do you do the Bar Method per week to stay in optimal shape? Thank you!
Ingrid, I try to do it three times a week. I think you have to to make a difference. If I’m pushing it, I’ll do it 4 times a week, but change up the DVD’s (there are 3 of them) so I get get too bored.
Some weeks I do a little more yoga than Bar Method and /or throw in a hike