Beach Diet and Beach Wardrobe

Summer splish-splashing in the water – yay! I love doing this, don’t you? In my last blog I spoke about how to keep your body in splish-splashable shape while at the beach, and today I’d like to focus on how we eat at the beach. What about our beach wardrobe? Why not show off your fabulous body that you’ve worked so hard to maintain via exercise and diet?

I’m a health food person primarily. I was raised this way. My mom followed a macrobiotic diet for years during my childhood and I am grateful to her today for the good eating habits I developed in my formative years. Not everyone is so lucky, but the good news is you can always change your habits if you choose to. Where there’s a will there’s a way – truly. For in order to look and feel our best we must eat well and exercise.

So, what do I recommend for meals during summertime days at the beach..? Start off the day with fresh fruit: pineapple, papaya, berries and yogurt. Sip some hot herbal tea (coffee if you must though I’m not a coffee drinker. Caffeine isn’t my friend and if that’s not enough of a breakfast then have some eggs and toast. Generally we’re less hungry in the summer and more hungry in the winter due to the fact that our bodies need more flesh on them during the cold months to survive.

Pack some snacks to take to the beach such as raw nuts, raisins and goji berries. Cheese and healthy low salt crackers are good too, as well as sliced fruit. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to keep you well hydrated as you play in the sun. Water also keeps you from bloating if you’re having heavily salted or sugary foods. For lunch stick to salads, but make sure to get some protein in those salads such as chicken or fish or tofu or beans. Sandwiches on healthy whole grain bread are fine too.

For dinner have some protein, veggies and complex carbs such as brown rice with mixed vegetables and salmon – my favorite. For dessert have sorbet or gelato. Avoid heavier foods and big portions. Don’t starve yourself by any means! But eat slowly, savor your food, and before going for seconds or thirds check in with your stomach. Maybe you’re satiated and can sit back and enjoy the cool breeze…

And finally – wardrobe! Don’t you just love the swimsuit in the pic I’ve included? Show off your well-toned body with any kind of style that tickles your fancy. Use a sarong for when you want to cover up at a beach restaurant perhaps. Always wear a hat in the sun, whether laying out on your blanket or playing a game of beach volleyball. Skip heavy accessories, they weigh you down and give bad tan lines.  And bring a light long sleeve top in case you’ve had too much sun and want to cover up a bit. And wear those cute light summer dresses to the beach over your suit. I tend to grab shorts and tank tops too quickly, when I have so many cute dresses to wear as well.

And remember…SPF!!