If you have a summer vacation planned this year, you might now be experiencing conflicting emotions. Part of you will be really looking forward to the chance to get away from it all, get some sun and relax, whilst another part is absolutely dreading having to bare all on the beach.
If you aren’t body confident and are worried about your beach body, you aren’t alone. A recent survey by Glamour found that on average, young women have around 13 negative thoughts about their bodies every day. Can you believe it?!
According to stylist Gok Wan, this needs to change. Women need to start loving their bodies and celebrating their best features, rather than rushing to get breast implant surgery, tummy tucks or liposuction. This is especially the case when it comes to revealing our bodies on the beach, an occasion which so many women dread. To get yourself ready for the beach, both physically and mentally, Gok has quite a few useful tips and tricks up his sleeve…
Gok Wan Tips:
- Improve your posture. Without having to hit the gym or spend a fortune on a new wardrobe, you can drastically improve the way you look and feel simply by standing up straight. Your body will look longer and slimmer, and you’ll feel more confident, if you put your shoulders back, hold your tummy in, raise your chin and walk tall.
- Choose the right swimwear for your body shape. Whenever you buy clothes, you should be looking for cuts, shapes and styles which flatter your body shape (i.e. pear shape, top-heavy, long and lean etc.). The same goes for buying a bikini or swimsuit – you should choose one which shows off your best bits and hides those you don’t like as much, rather than simply choosing a style that is currently in fashion.
- Strip it all off and take a long look at yourself in the mirror, balancing every negative thought you have of your body with a positive one. So, for every “I don’t like my cleavage – I need a boob job” you should counter with an “actually, I have a really tiny waist” or “my legs are really long and toned”. It can be hard to praise yourself, but it is so good for your self-image and body confidence to focus on the areas you like about yourself, rather than obsessing over those you don’t.
- Give your skin a glow. To look great on the beach, a top tip is to use a subtle self-tan or a body oil, both of which will make you look and feel fantastic. Body oil, in particular, reflects the light in a very flattering way, making your limbs look slimmer and your skin look amazing. (Check out our own Tips & Tricks for Sunless Tanning & Bronzers)
TFH’s Tips:
If all else fails you and you really need to lose a few pounds, do it the right way and choose The Dukan Diet. I Lost 18lbs in 8 Weeks on The Dukan Diet and I have maintained my new, lower weight since last Fall. It feels GREAT!
No more yo-yo dieting, no fancy drinks or shakes or tiny portions. The Dukan Diet is easy, you never feel hungry or deprived and you learn a whole new approach to food that leaves you dropping pounds left and right. There is an amazing jump start to this diet that will have you losing several pounds in the first week which gives you the motivation to lose the rest of the weight. Hands down the best and easiest way to lose weight, get healthy and keep the weight OFF. Check out my experience with The Dukan Diet and see for yourself!
I also HIGHLY recommend drinking Green Tea! For thousands of years, Asian people have enjoyed green tea daily and have visibly reaped the rewards of improved resistance to diseases, less joint pain, increased cardiovascular function and no belly fat! Green tea is packed with a special fat-burning compound called EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) that has been shown in studies to prevent growth of adipocytes (fat cells). So drink up!
