10 Tips to get you REALLY Ready for the Bathing Suit 2017

Getting ready for the bathing suit. 10 Tips and a few cold, hard truths.

I am known, for better or worse, for “telling it like it is.” Sometimes it gets me in trouble: for instance, when a friend asks for an opinion when she really just wants me to agree with her; or when there is a need to make a decision or settle a matter and I don’t sugarcoat my words or use what is known as diplomacy. Fact is, I’d make a terrible politician. (Plain-spoken women are often called “harsh”; men are called “direct and to-the-point.”)

If you have read my book (shameless plug ahead) The Skin Regime; Boot Camp for Beautiful Skin, you already know I reveal the truths about Big Cosmetic Companies and expensive facial salons, and the truth about skincare (spoiler alert: you can stop wasting money on expensive products and treatments and get great skin at home, with a lot less money than you think).

So, if you want delusions or a yes-woman, I’m not your gal. That said, I’m now going to disabuse you of some possibly-mistaken notions you have about fat and weight-loss.

Western society surely became too obsessed with being too thin, and girls and women have been fed images of anorexic models for decades with the message of, “This is how you should look.” The truth is, having a few extra pounds is not a problem and we should love our bodies and curves. 

But we have a health crisis now, with too many people carrying more than a few extra pounds: Sixty percent of the population in America is dangerously overweight or obese and this had led to an increase in diabetes in both adults and children, increased heart disease, and a host of other serious medical problems. Obesity and drug abuse are now the two biggest health problems we face.

Why do we tend to panic if our children are exposed to a whiff of second-hand smoke, but think nothing of stuffing them with sugar and fats that will give them life-long health problems?

Oh, dear, I didn’t sugarcoat that. Are you still with me? Good, it gets even more direct. Here goes 10 TIPS:

1. You don’t need to read fad diet books that claim if you just do this or eat that, you’ll lose weight. To lose weight, you must eat less. Period. Excess calories are stored as fat in your body. If you must read a book, read one about good nutrition and proper calorie intake. Or look online for free information—but avoid any website trying to sell you a diet product. Start with a site like The American Heart Association; here’s a link to their “Healthy For Good” page containing great info.

2. As for those calories, it matters—to a degree—where you get them. There are tons of articles and books on that subject, too, and it could make your eyes glaze over. I’ll save you the time and effort: It still comes down to the fact that excess calories are stored as fat, and most of your calories should come from protein, fruits and vegetables. Everything else should be considered a treat (and you can have treats, just treat them as TREATS, especially foods with sugars and fats).

3. Don’t go on a diet—they will fail you in the end. Sure, you might lose weight, but as soon as you end the diet and return to former eating habits, you will regain the weight. Instead, make life-long changes that will not only help you lose weight, but keep it off and be healthier forever.

4. Don’t fall for pill, vitamin or supplement ads that claim you will lose weight. Some go as far as to claim you can eat whatever you want and still lose weight. Phony, every one of them. When the over-worked Food and Drug Administration finally gets around to discovering and going after those fraudsters, they have usually already shut down and run off with the money they made on gullible people.

5. Don’t fall for cellulite creams or pills or treatments; they are bogus! Cellulite is just normal fat that appears lumpy or bumpy because it pushes against connective tissue. It is much more common in women because of the type of fat and tissue we have (thank you, Mother Nature). Even thin women often have areas with cellulite.

• Liposuction does NOT rid you of cellulite because it does not remove the connective tissue: For some people, liposuction will minimize the appearance by removing some fat, but in others it can make the cellulite more visible.
• Right now, there are some lasers that are showing promise for cellulite but the results are not—at this time—considered permanent or fully effective. There are also some specialized cosmetic surgeries (yes, surgery) that also show some improvements in cellulite, but results vary. For now, the best way to minimize cellulite is to lose weight; it won’t get rid of all of it, but the appearance will improve.

6. There is no such thing as “spot reducing.” In other words, if you carry your fat mostly around your belly, doing lots of abdominal exercises will not cause more fat to decrease from that area (though you will create more abdominal tone, which looks better). It’s the same with any area of the body; when you lose weight/fat, you lose it from all over regardless of what area you exercise the most.

7. In addition to helping you lose weight, exercise will tone your muscles which makes you look better in a bathing suit—and tone muscles also reduce the appearance of cellulite. There are so many great health reasons to exercise regularly; even if you don’t have a weight problem, it should be a routine part of your life.

8. Don’t obsess. Most of us look JUST FINE no matter what body type we have or what we wear, and too many of us obsess on perfection. There is no perfection and most print models and celebrities online and in magazines are made-up and Photoshopped so much you wouldn’t recognize either their bodies or faces in the flesh. Yes, we have an overweight problem in America, but we also have a counter-problem of eating disorders and some women go too far the other way and become anorexic and unhealthily thin. If you are healthy and happy—carry yourself with pride!

9. Choose an appropriate bathing suit and other clothing. This seems obvious, but let’s face it: We’ve all seen people who shouldn’t be wearing that by the pool, right? (Guys, this goes for you, too! No one wants to see you in a mankini looking like Borat on the beach, okay? No one). The bottom line (pun intended) is that rather than insisting on wearing a bikini or showing up in the sexiest thong, go instead with what looks best on your body—after all, looking your best is sexier than having people staring at your butt and wondering if you looked in a mirror.

There are all kinds of bathing suits online that cater to women who want a little more cover or support for some areas, such as Carol Wior’s Slimsuits. Or just google “bathing suits for body types” for lots of suggestions on swimwear specifically for your body type.

10. Speaking of looking your best, make the most of what shows in a bathing suit—your skin. Self-tanner can minimize the appearance of cellulite and safely give your skin a summer glow without aging your skin by harmful sun rays. If you have troubled skin spots, check out the previous blog post, Hand, Feet, Elbows, Knees for quick at-home solutions!

***GORGEOUS LEGS TIP***

To have the smoothest skin ever for all your summer looks, make sure to:

1. Prep your skin with 15% Acid BodyWash  and a giant loofah puff in the shower. 

2. Follow that with 25% Triple Treat Body Lotion. *It will take a couple of weeks, but you will have skin as smooth and silky as a runway model. 

3. Add that extra glossy sheen by adding a generous application of Pure Virgin Shea Butter before heading out. 

Where can I buy Dana's Book?

The Skin Regime; Boot Camp for Beautiful Skin, available as a Kindle download or Buy paperback to buy your paperback copy from Platinum Skin Care. You can also read the first chapter--FREE--by click here to read 1st chapter.

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