I can tell you unequivocally that I AM NOT.

Thankfully with a little over 5 weeks until it’s OFFICIALLY bathing suit time (I’ve always considered July 4th as the FIRST real beach day), I should be able to get myself ready to yank my new collection of GORGEOUS suits (you’ll see them in an upcoming post) over a years worth of thunder thighs and batwing arms….if I start RIGHT NOW.

PLAN OF ATTACK

Diet

I’ve been watching Ben (The Gin Joint) lose weight like CRAZY lately. He’s dropped nearly 70 lbs. using a modified version of Tim Ferris’ The Four Hour Body, slow carb diet. While I’m not sure that such a stringent plan is healthy, I do know that eliminating WHITE FLOUR and junk food in general is the way to go. I do like his idea of rotating the same meals over and over again, making it easy. Isn’t that what we do anyway…Meatloaf Monday, Pasta Tuesday, etc? The once weekly binge goes against everything that I’ve learned, and I know myself well enough to understand that if I do that, it’s OVER, DONE, KAPUT. I am too undisciplined to be able to go “off the program” once a week. What works best for me is to eliminate sugar (I’m addicted – even if it’s just psychological) and eat lovely, fresh, small meals. Eat when I’m hungry, stop when I’m full, instead of shoveling everything on my plate into my mouth as if this was my last meal. My diet needs to be learning to tune into my own cues. I DO fine that with all of the wonderful fresh fruits & veggies during the summer that it’s much easier to eat healthier and fresher. For snacks at the beach, I bring a bag of 100 calorie dry roasted Edamame. So…bye, bye ice cream by the pint in front of the television. Perhaps a small glass of red wine (for the resveratrol) is better way to end the day.

Exercise

Start off SLOWLY. Overdoing it is a sure way to make me say

1. This is too hard

2. I hurt, so I’m taking a day (or 2 or 3) off

3. I don’t have the time to work out for 2 hours each day

I’m dusting off the bicycle (and buying a sweet French basket for the front), and I’ll be traversing the tree lined streets and the golf course (in the evening when all of the golfers are back at the 19th hole). I think that I’d like to find a ballet class for adults for working my core and to get a longer, leaner look. Getting bathing suit ready means thinning my thighs, and toning my arms. I know that I have some dumbbells around the mansion, and it’s time to take them out of hiding. Focusing on weight/strength training can help build up lean muscle mass, and for every pound of lean muscle mass added you can burn an extra 35-50 calories per day.

Protection

Dr. Posner (my favorite plastic surgeon) told me to ALWAYS use a good SPF and wear a big hat when I’m outside. Yes, I have PLENTY of them, but a girl can’t have TOO many hats (just to be on the safe side of course). Frankly, once he removed my sun/age spots I was determined NOT to have to repeat the procedure. I spray my arms and legs with Kiss My Face Sun Spray Lotion Sunscreen SPF 30, and use their Face Factor Sunscreen SPF 30 on my face (I find it VERY moisturizing).

Fake It

Bronzer is my BEST friend for LOOKING like I sat and baked at the beach, without doing all of that skin damage. Just don’t be too heavy handed, or it will look fake.

This post was sponsored as part of my collaboration as a writer for Puritan’s Pride Healthy Over 50 blog. You can purchase the products that I use and have listed in this post on their site.

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