The Best Ways to Lose Weight Before Summer

Summer is the season of tans, bikinis and swim trunks, but it can be a self-conscious time of the year if you are carrying a few extra pounds. Losing weight can be both a physical and mental challenge. Despite the challenge, there are several ways starting off the summer with a healthy, toned body and feeling great about yourself.

Set Achievable Goals

• While it can be tempting to want to lose large amounts of weight quickly before the summer begins, it is not a good long-term solution, so try to be realistic about your goals. If you set the bar too high, you likely will fail to meet expectations and may become discouraged about your weight loss. By creating achievable goals, you are more likely to succeed and will remain positive about your weight loss regiment. Sustainable and healthy weight loss is a result of changes to lifestyle. Give yourself enough time to succeed. Starting a diet a week or two before you need to lose the weight is a recipe for failure. Plan ahead and set monthly goals.

Find Healthier Alternatives

• Fast food is a guilty pleasure shared by many people. Fast food can be cheap, quick and easy to order. Instead of eating out, make home cooked meals the largest part of your diet. If you are unable to give up food such as burgers and pizza completely, try making these items at home. The advantage of homemade items is that you can control the ingredients and limit the amount of oil, salt, or sugar that is used. If a busy work schedule limits the time you can spend cooking, set aside a day during your time off to cook. Large portions of food can be frozen and can last you during the week.

Find A Diet That Works for You

• In a crash diet you deprive yourself of food. These types of diets are difficult to maintain, because you will constantly be feeling hungry. They also tend not to work, because they trigger your body into storing more fat. Rather than engaging in a crash diet, find a diet that works for you. A diet that leaves your hunger satisfied is a diet that you can maintain for long-term weight loss.

  One popular diet is the high-protein diet. The goal of this diet is to cut out empty carbohydrates and to consume more protein. A high-protein diet is beneficial for those looking to build muscle. Foods such as lean meats, bananas, and cottage cheese are some of the types of food that you can eat. These are all filling items that will help keep your hunger satisfied. Don't forget that complex carbohydrates, such as vegetables and grains, are an essential part of a healthy diet. Similarly, healthy fats such as olive oil, nuts and avocados will help you burn "bad" fats.

Exercise

• The best way to lost weight includes a combination of dieting and exercise. A lot of people struggle with consistently exercising, because they do not have a gym membership or because they do not own exercise equipment. A budget friendly exercise program that you can do at home is P90X. During this program, you will do variations of cardio and strength training exercises. Minimal equipment is required, and you can do most of the activities with free weights or weight bands. The program lasts for 90 days, allowing you to plan ahead so that your 90 days ends by the start of the summer.

  Other alternatives include simple walks, hikes or jogging. Adding a 30-minute walk three times a week to your schedule can make a big difference. You can also look for group activities, such as team sports or dance and yoga classes, which can make exercise more fun and provide additional motivation.