Swimsuit season is upon us and the bikini countdown is officially on. Try these last minute hacks and get your bikini body ready!

#1 Drink warm Lemon Water Each Morning

Stir three teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice into a glass of warm/hot water. Drink it as soon as you wake up, before you have anything else to eat or drink. It is a very effective way of removing toxins from your body and will also help to cleanse your liver and boost your metabolism.

#2 Eat more water (yes, eat it!)

Water rich foods like raw veggies and fruits are really useful when it comes to losing weight and fighting ageing (as such foods are high in silica giving skin tissue and collagen a boost), which means less wrinkling and stronger muscles. Moreover, water-rich foods are low in calories which means you can eat A LOT of them without even feeling guilty or scared about putting on weight. The top water rich foods are watemelon, cucumber and letucce.

#3 Eat more fibre

One of the best ways of reducing your daily calorie intake is eating more fiber. The recommended amount is about 30 grams a day, but most people don’t consume enough of it. Fibre slows down the process of digestion, and helps you feel full for longer. Top fibre rich foods are oats, beans and whole grains.

#4 Go Low Carb

Maybe this is the easiest way to lose weight fast. It is as simple as that: The fewer carbohydrates you eat, the faster you’ll lose weight. But no worries, you don’t have to count every single carbohydrate, all you really need to do is know which types of foods you shouldn’t eat. Therefore, avoid foods rich in processed and refined carbs like white flour, sugar and fruit juices. These include bread, toast, sweets, candy, cookies, crackers, flour, fruit juice, pasta, soda and white rice.

#5 Eat more veggies & protein

Focus on eating fresh/cooked vegetables and protein rich foods like eggs, organic chicken, fish, tofu, beans and organic red meat. High-protein foods take more time to digest, metabolize, and use, which means you burn more calories processing them. It takes longer for them to leave your stomach, so you feel full sooner and for a longer amount of time. Plus they are absolutely essential for building muscles.

#6 Watch your portion size

Portion size plays a bigger role in weight loss than you might think. Recent research found out that portion sizes have doubled in the last 20 years (One major cause of the weight gain in America is an inability to control portion sizes). To make sure your portions are in control, use smaller plates and bowls. It helps your mind think there is more even though there is less as the space is smaller.

#7 Dinner Canceling or don’t eat Too Late

You need to give your body time to digest your dinner properly before you go to bed, and therefore it should really be eaten before 6pm, or as early as possible. There should be at least two hours between eating and going to bed.

#8 Eat slower

Here’s one to try right away: Slow down!
No, don’t slow down your exercise — slow down your eating. When you stuff your face of food in mere moments, you’re not giving your body the chance of feeling full until all the food is gone.
Similar to eating off from smaller plates, slowing down your pace will help you feel full without overeating. Eating too quickly leaves you full of more food than necessary.
Recently, researchers found out that eating slowly leads to increased fullness ratings in both normal-weight and overweight participants.

#9 Move more!

Even if you’r too busy for exercising, you can burn a few extra calories by making an effort to move a little more during the day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, take a walk through the city or the office, carry heavy bags or clean your flat - these are all simple ways to increase your calorie burn.

#10 Drink more (cold) Water

Ok, this is not new, but still effective. Have you ever consumed 3-4 liters water in a day? There is not a lot of room left for food. In most cases, thirst is misinterpreted as hunger by your brain. Whether you are really hungry or not, drink a big glass of water before eating anything. Water itself is the best choice, so stay away from artificially flavored water as this often contains high amounts of sugar, artificial sweetener or chemical additives (As an alternative, make your own infused water). Cold water burns more calories than lukewarm water, because your body has to raise the temperature of the ice water before it can be absorbed.