4 Foods to Eat Before Bathing Suit Season

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When the weather is chilly, most people are not quite as concerned about their body image. A few extra pounds can be disguised by a bulky sweater, and any stomach rolls or suspiciously loose skin can be hidden by a high-waisted pair of jeans or a carefully cut coat. The effects of those extra Christmas cookies and endless, rich casseroles become harder to hide when the world warms up and the layers start coming off. Spring is still often cool enough for long pants and light layers to hide love handles and a few extra, unwanted squishy inches on a person’s thighs. The first few days that inch into the 80’s, however, have most people panicking about how they will look in shorts, skirts and, worst of all, bathing suits. So, as summer begins, so do an awful lot of diets. From simple refusals to eat ice cream until a desired weight has been reached to massive lifestyle overhauls, people throw themselves at the challenge of attaining a perfect beach body in as few weeks as possible.

Meeting often ambitious, if downright impossible, goals by the time bathing suit season begins in earnest requires both regular exercise and a diet composed of the right things. Here are four foods to eat before bathing suit season in order to reach that beach body by the time the pools open.

Legumes

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Legumes are a type of food that are perfect for people trying to lose weight and built muscle to get that perfect thin-but-toned beach body. Legumes are high in protein and fiber which help keep people feeling full longer. This ability to feel full or satisfied is called satiation. Foods with high satiation are the foods that seem to last longer in a person’s stomach. Eat a meal of foods that are high in satiation in order to either lengthen the time between meals or to eat less at the next meal. Protein and fiber are two key components of satiation.

In addition to being very satiating, legumes also tend to be low in fat, contain little to no cholesterol and have high levels of key nutrients such as potassium, iron, magnesium and folate. Some of the most commonly consumed legumes are chickpeas, lentils, edamame, black beans and black-eyed peas.

Eggs

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Eggs are more or less a must for anyone who is looking to eat their way to a body that is ready for bathing suit season. Eggs are very high in protein which means that they will keep a person full for a long time. All that protein, however, comes with a low calorie count which is somewhat unusual for animal proteins. One egg contains only 70 calories, and most people consider two or three eggs to be a perfectly satisfying meal. Eggs also have the advantage of being both easy to prepare and easy to include in multiple dishes. Make hard boiled eggs for a high protein, low calorie breakfast. Sunny-side up and over-easy are also perfectly fine as long as they are made with minimal oil. Scrambled eggs are also a good choice as long as they do not contain a great deal of milk. Be wary of omelets, however, as the good of the egg can be canceled out by fatty or high calorie add-ins such as cheese, bacon or sausage. When an omelet is a must, choose one with lots of veggies and minimal cheese or meat.

Spices

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Spices have always held an important place in cooking. Without them, food simply is not as enjoyable. The wide variety of spices available in the grocery store, however, can do more than simply make an otherwise meal taste better. Spices heighten a person’s sense of taste and smell for a brief time which can help increase a meal’s satiation. Make it a point to toss some extra garlic or onion into sauces, and sprinkle some chili powder or ginger on top of rice dishes.

In addition to increasing satiation, certain spices can also cause a brief increase in a person’s metabolism. Cayenne powder, cardamom, turmeric, ginger and a variety of hot peppers can also give a person’s metabolism a brief boost. This, in turn, increases the pace at which those pounds melt off. So, put a box of tissues on the counter, dump some extra peppers into the sauce and burn those extra inches away with some hot spices.

Fruits and Veggies

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Fruits and vegetables are the bread and butter of healthy eating. They are also what just about every mother has struggled to get her child to eat without complaint. Unfortunately for those who despise “rabbit food,” fruits and veggies are more important than ever when a person wants to lose a few pounds.

Both fruits and vegetables have a high water content which allows them to take up a great deal of space in a person’s stomach, making them feel full, without containing many calories. This is why a person can eat just about as many vegetables as they wish without pushing the upper limit of their daily calorie count. The sweetness of fresh fruits can also help keep sweet cravings under control. Roasted veggies, on the other hand, can go a long way to satisfying a craving for chips or other crunchy things.