Winter Holidays are such a welcome break from the cold English weather but usually come at a time when we have been eating lots of comfort foods as well. Most of us have experienced that feeling of dread as we realise that our holiday is fast approaching and all our good intentions to lose a stone before we go have gone by the by.  There’s no time left for any serious dieting or exercising and we are feeling really worried about getting undressed for the beach. What can be done?

Well while there’s no substitute for losing that extra few pounds and feeling confident in our bikini there are a few tips and tricks we can revert to in a crisis. 

Firstly. If you have a week to go try cutting wheat and dairy from your diet for seven days beforehand. As the two food groups are most likely to cause bloating, cutting them out of your diets and drinking lots of water every day can go a long way to deliver a flatter tummy with surprising results. A few sit-ups carefully done every day won’t do any harm at this stage either. Always check with your doctor before embarking on any diet or exercise plan however. 

Next carefully consider your choice of swimwear. There are three basic choices depending on your level of confidence.

Firstly there is the bikini. If you are trying to disguise your tummy then this will be the most difficult unless you are happy to keep a sarong tied around your waist whenever you stand up. If you think this will be ok and you are happy swimming and sunbathing in a bikini then you might be ok just holding your tummy in for that quick dash to the pool or the sea. A good sarong will double up as a skirt or a dress as well with a few clever twists.

If you don’t feel comfortable in a bikini this time round then your second and third options include a tankini or a swimsuit. Both are great options in that they will cover your tummy and depending on the level of control built into the garment may even shape and sculpt your silhouette by flattening the tummy and giving you the illusion of being a little slimmer than you actually are (shhh we won’t tell if you don’t) 

 

The tankini is popular for different reasons. Whilst it does a super job of disguising a little tummy fat it is also super easy to slip out of for ahem .. a comfort break? And it also converts very well from swim wear to evening wear taking you from the beach to the bar by simply exchanging the tankini bottoms for underwear and a casual pair of linen trousers. Job done. 

 

Remember a strategically tied sarong will do wonders for your confidence whether you choose a bikini, a swimsuit or a tankini and above all remember to relax. Holidays are for enjoying yourself and it’s very unlikely you’ll be the biggest person on the beach so kick back, grab a cocktail and have FUN!!!