14 WAYS TO GET BIKINI-READY IN 24 HOURS

We're not miracle-workers, but when the bikini countdown is officially on, there are some last minute hacks to putting your best body forward. See how to tackle everything on the fly, from banishing bumps and bruises to nipping bloat in the bud. (And you're not just hearing it from us—we've got tips from certain swimsuit experts like Miranda Kerr, Gisele Bündchen, and more.)

1. Cut out sodium.

When it comes to bloating, consider salt your enemy #1. It's a sneaky offender at that, so your best bet is to avoid all processed foods, where it might show up as an ingredient under names and in quantities you aren't aware of.

The Best and Worst Foods for a Bikini Body

Eat to stay svelte and feel great in your swimsuit all summer.

Best Food: Leafy Greens

"Not only are leafy greens a great way to add volume to your meals without the calories, but they are chock full of nutrients (vitamins A, C, K, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and fiber) and easy to incorporate into your day," says Mary Dinehart-Perry, a registered dietitian and clinical trials director for Zone Labs, Inc. She recommends swapping out iceberg for spinach in your salads, adding mustard greens or collards to your soups, or dishing up a side of sautéed kale to fill up, fight disease, and look fab in your bikini. 

Best Food: Peppermint

"Peppermint works to reduce bloating and indigestion and soothe the GI tract all around," says Rachel Berman, registered dietitian and director of nutrition for CalorieCount.com. Try mixing up some iced peppermint tea or add a few mint leaves to your water.

10 Workout Tips to Maintain Your Bikini Body Through Fall

Workout Tip: Even If It's Snowing Outside, Pretend It's Warm

"It is extremely easy to enter hibernation mode following the summer," says fitness and wellness expert David Kirsch. "Keep it in your mind-set to always be summer-beach-ready. Get your workouts in earlier versus later because your body tends to have less energy when it is dark."

Workout Tip: Pay Attention to Nutrition

As soon as winter rolls around, we all crave warm comfort foods like a big bowl of pasta. Not so fast. "Eating heavy soups, carbs, and more substantial meals [with] more calories...will contribute to weight gain," he says. "Instead, aim to carry your summer meal plan into winter to avoid the dreaded winter weight."

Tips for a Bikini Body

Since its first appearance in the 1940's, the bikini has been legendary. But before you dare to wear one, you probably want to tone any existing problem areas. If you opt not to wear a bikini (and most people won't don a bikini) read on for some great tips to look your best in this season's swimwear.

Trouble Spots

The four problem areas that concern most of us, especially during swimsuit season, are as follows: the abs, butt, arms and shoulders – and hips and legs. Not to worry, though. Each of these zones can be improved upon with careful attention to diet and regular exercise.

Here are some cardio exercises to enhance those spots "not yet fit for the beach:"

• Abs. Flatten the abs with aerobic dance exercises that include bending and twisting.
• Arms and shoulders. Work arms and shoulders by using a dual-action elliptical trainer, the kind where you move both arms and legs.
• Hips and legs. Whittle down your hips and legs by taking spin classes.
• Butt. Choose cardio exercises such as running or walking – or use a stair climbing machine.

Five minute toning! Get a bikini body on your tea break

BURN fat fast with these simple five, 10 and 15 minute workouts - as long as it takes to put the kettle on...

fit. toned, beach body. workout, HOT: Get a toned beach body in minutes with these fast calorie burning workouts [GETTY ]

If you're strapped for time but want to get toned for summer these three speedy workouts could be just the thing.

The high-intensity exercises can create washboard abs, toned pins and a pert bottom, with just a few minutes of activity a day.

These moves will also get blood pumping, release endorphins and stoke the metabolism to keep burning calories for up to 24 hours after exercise.

5 reasons to hit the gym

Get motivated and say goodbye to excuses.

body+soul's Donna Duggan takes a look at five of the best reasons to get yourself out of the house and into the gym.

1. Staying active really does beat the middle-age spread

People who keep up an active lifestyle into middle-age gain fewer kilograms over time, a US study has found. "It's the maintenance of the physical activity that's the important thing," says Dr Arlene Hankinson, of Northwestern University in Chicago. "It's not so much about achieving some dramatically high activity level, it's about maintaining a level of daily physical activity over time."

Work those forgotten muscles

These exercises target the areas we often overlook in our training and are crucial in sculpting a well-balanced torso

One of the primary goals of an exercise program is to achieve balance – and I don't mean standing on one leg. A balanced program means all parts of the body are targeted equally. This means not just training the parts of your body you can see in the mirror. These exercises target the areas we usually ignore and should redress any imbalances.

1. Deadlifts

Why? This is one of our prime movements. Learn to do it right and you'll have the strongest, sexiest back ever.

How? Stand with feet hip-width apart and hold a weight in both hands. Brace your core and bend forward at the hips, lowering the weight down your thighs to about a centimetre off the ground. Keep your back in a neutral position by keeping your gaze forward and chest open, sticking your butt out and trying to keep your spine long. You should feel a stretch in your hamstrings. Pause for a second at the lowest point, then rise back to the start. At the top of the movement, push your hips forward and contract your glutes. Keep the weight close to your thighs the entire time and stop if you feel any sharp lower-back pain.

Beach-ready workout

Get beach-ready with this simple summer workout that can be done anywhere.

There’s still time to get toned for the beach. Damien Kelly’s 15-minute daily workout fits into the busiest of schedules and gives great results.

1. Bent-over rows with a twist

Why? Targets upper back, core and the lower bac.

How? Hold a dumbbell in your right hand. Split your stance, left foot forward. Bend forward at the hips, keeping your eyes forward. Stick your bum out and lengthen your spine. Hang the dumbbell down towards the ground, then pull it up to the front of your shoulder, elbow as high as you can. At the same time, twist your torso to the right. Lower the weight and twist back to face downwards. Move straight back into your next rep.

12 Swimsuit Season Diet Secrets

Dive into all the joys of summer €”and watch that winter weight melt away.

Lose weight for summer

From long hikes and dips in the pool to fresh berries and lingering daylight, there are so many reasons to love summer. Here's one more: It's the best time of year to lose weight, says Pamela Peeke, MD, an assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and author of Body for Life for Women. "Nature is working with you," she explains. "If you take advantage in the right ways, the pounds will practically fall off your body." We reached out to a panel of pros for their advice on how to get in peak shape this summer without a lot of extra effort.

Skip town

"Vacation presents an amazing opportunity to refresh our routines because it takes us out of our regular environment. Without the triggers for our current habits all around us, it's easier to break existing patterns and form new ones—like, say, amping up your fitness routine or taking time for relaxation."

How to speed up your metabolism without exercising: Five simple tricks to burn fat fast

YOU really can supercharge your metabolism without spending hours in the gym.

Having a speedy metabolism is essential for burning off excess weight. And the faster it runs, the quicker you burn calories.

Because of genetics, some people are born with faster or slower metabolisms than others. Factors like age, weight, diet and your exercise habits can also affect your metabolic rate.

But the good news is that you can boost the speed which your body burns calories by making a few changes to your routine.

How to Show off Your Curves

An hourglass shape with curves is considered by many people to be the ideal body type. But no matter what your body shape, from boy to athletic to curvy, any one can have an hourglass shape with curves. If you want to highlight or create curves, it’s important to know the right tricks when you’re getting dressed to achieve this look.

Part 1

Wearing the Proper Undergarments

1. Get properly fitted for a bra and shape wear. Having the right sized bra and undergarments, such as Spandex, is important to accentuate or create curves. Ill-fitting undergarments will not enhance your curves, but they may also be uncomfortable.

10 best exercises for the bikini season

Avert post-winter flab crisis with these 10 toning exercises

Winter woollies hide a multitude of sins, but come summer, many of us are saddled with stubborn seasonal flab. Consulting a GP and/or fitness professional is the first step; they’ll help you devise a program for shifting unwanted kilos by surprising your body with a variety of exercises, like these top ten toning tips from Rob Hale, Head of Fitness at Fitness First.

1. Spiderman lunges

Assume the push up position before driving up your right leg so it sits just outside your right hand. Return your right foot to the start position and repeat on the left side. You are now officially a superhero.

Get a Bikini Body That Rocks in 3 Weeks: Training Plan

Throw your muscles a curveball with these new toning exercises for a smoking hot bikini body

Whether you're breaking a sweat regularly or totally slacking, it's time for a change. To get a smoking hot bikini body this summer, you have to shock your muscles to get it into sizzling shape.

It takes about three weeks for a fit woman to adapt to a new routine, says metabolic training expert B.J. Gaddour, CEO of StreamFIT.com. That means as you do a workout over and over again, it eventually gets easier and your body doesn't have to work as hard. In this case, effortless isn't a good thing: When your body isn't challenged, you burn fewer calories and your metabolism and results flatline—exactly what you don't want to happen when your goal is scoring a bikini body.

Sizzle in the sand! Top 10 nutrition tips for the perfect bikini body

If you're about to jet off on holiday but you haven't managed to budge the bulge, these tips could be your last chance to feel fabulous on the beach.

Sweating it out at the gym is a great way of getting fitness and toning up, but if you can't get rid of of the last few pounds if might be down to diet.

Here British Military fitness instructor Mark Wood shares his top 10 nifty nutrition tricks to help you get the beach body you've always wanted. 

1. Abs are made in the kitchen

The key to getting a flat stomach or ripped abs all comes down to what you put in your mouth. No matter how hard you are working in the gym, you cannot out train a bad diet.

How to Get a Sexy Bikini Body

Are you slightly hesitant about wearing your brand new bikini? Do not despair. Here are some tips on helping you to get a sexy bikini body.

1. Eat a nutritious diet.

A healthy diet is the key to creating and maintaining a body that your best critics would kill for. All you really need to do is stay motivated and focused- you'll see results.

• When counting calories, remember that one pound equals 3500 calories.

• A safe and healthy way to lose weight and diet is by reducing your daily calorie intake by 500 calories per day.

Stay Slim and Trim in 10 Minutes

When life gets busy, what tends to get the boot? Exercise. Usually workouts are at the bottom of the totem pole for women and when some spare time arrives, rest is the only option that comes to mind.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, half of American women pass on exercise when their schedules get hectic (only 20 percent cut-down their load at work). The problem is that most women see exercise as an all-or-nothing phenomenon. If you can't complete an hour-long workout at the gym, then why bother?

New research suggests a different approach. A recent Canadian study shows that short bouts of exercise can offer the same health and fitness benefits as working out in one continuous stretch. If it isn't practical to block-out an hour in your day for your workout regimen, don't throw in the sweat towel altogether. Aim to complete at least three 10-minute exercise sessions at various points in your day.

Try these six 10-minute activities to get you moving.

4 Ways to Make the Most of Your Workouts

1. COME UP WITH A STRATEGY

Without one, workout time becomes wasted time. Figure out what equipment you need before you start, says Ed Scow, a certified personal trainer in Lincoln, Nebraska. Grab what you need — dumbbells, stability ball, bands — and put them near a mat or adjustable bench so you can do your entire workout in one place. "You won't expend time wandering from machine to machine or waiting in line," Scow says. "And by creating your own personal space at the gym, you maximize your intensity and efficiency, keeping your heart rate and metabolism up the entire time by moving from one exercise to the next." Don't know where to start? Women's Health's Look Lean & Sexy In Half the Time workout makes workout time planning easy, or just download your favorite workouts to your iPod with the Women's Health Workout to Go. 

2. SWAP THIS FOR THAT

If you usually focus on exercises that work only a single muscle or muscle group (think: calf raises, leg extensions, and crunches), save time by replacing them with compound movements like squats, lunges, and pushups, which work more muscles at once. "Targeting larger muscle groups burns more calories and gives you a total-body workout in less time," says certified personal trainer Nick Tumminello, owner of Performance University in Baltimore.

Lose Weight With This Power Smoothie

Swamp water, green grass gone wrong, salad on steroids. These are some of the first reactions I hear from clients when they make the power smoothie. But then they try it, love it, and can't stop drinking it.

Include this powerful smoothie in your morning routine to help you lose weight, gain energy, improve skin, eat better and get into shape.

By sipping this delicious concoction of greens and berries, you get your required portion of greens for the day and a high number of essential vitamin and minerals. Because of this, the smoothie suppresses your appetite, reduces cravings and gives you a ton of energy for the rest of they day.

Read more: CLICK HERE

Yoga Moves to Strengthen Your Core

The core is a buzzing topic in the fitness world these days, and crunches are often the first exercise that the average person associates with the word. If you're looking to change up your routine, however, practicing yoga is a great alternative to building core muscles. Not only does a strengthened core lead to a reduced risk of injuries during workouts, but it also helps stabilize the body and protect the spine.

Adriene Mishler, a yoga teacher offering classes in Austin, Texas and founder of the online yoga community Yoga With Adriene, is a firm believer in the use of yoga for core strength. Mishler recommends five moves to improve core strength and tighten up the stomach and lower back muscles, all while enjoying the relaxing and meditative benefits of yoga. These moves are not only great for balance and focus, but also for reinforcing your posture.

5 Common Habits That Could Be Making You Fat

Do you think you have a few pounds to lose? Have you tried upping your exercise only to find that you didn't lose weight? Or, maybe you even gained a pound or two (and it wasn't muscle)?

If so, you're not alone and chances are, you suffer from one or more fat habits that keep you from reaching your real potential. 

Here's a look at the most common fat habits and some slim-down solutions.

Overdoing Sports Drinks, Bars, Gels and Blocks

Sports drinks, bars and gels are great and can enhance your performance, but many athletes overuse them and intake hundreds of additional calories.

What is Tabata Training?

There are countless workout styles you've probably heard about over the years, and all of them are meant to help you reach your fitness goals. 

You may want to increase strength, lose weight, improve flexibility or build muscle. Whatever yours goals are, most exercise programs can help you reach them, as long as you stick to the plan.

If you're looking for a new program to add to your routine, you may want to give Tabata try. Tabata training is a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout, featuring exercises that last four minutes.

12 WEEKS TO A COMPETITION BODY DIET PLAN

Got a goal of showing off your hard work in the spotlight? Achieve peak performance and look your best with this detailed training and nutrition plan.

If you’ve always wanted to hit the stage in a bikini or figure competition, this is your time! Our comprehensive plan includes the ultimate workout, nutrition, and motivational tips to help you get a winning physique in just 12 weeks. Give it a try—even if you’re not ready for the spotlight, you’re guaranteed to get into the very best shape of your life. And that’s a goal anyone can aspire to!

The Diet Plan

Get lean all over with this results-driven clean-eating guide.

How It Works: This nutrition program is designed to help you drop fat without losing muscle. In each phase, you’ll have three daily meals and three snacks. After every four weeks, you’ll reduce the number of calories in your diet, without sacrificing protein. In the week before the show, you’ll vary the amount of carbs, sodium, and fluids to help your muscles get that ultracut, superlean look just in time for your moment in the spotlight.

26 - 50 quick ways to a bikini body Part II

(26) Buy flip-flops with a wedge. Heels make your legs look more shapely and add inches to your height.

(27) Bin that baggy cover-all T-shirt you usually wear on the beach and invest in a sarong or kaftan-style top. Choose solid colours for a slimming effect.

(28) Fight cellulite by upping your intake of vitamin C. This nutrient helps keep the layer of skin below the surface strong, stopping fat cells from poking through and causing dimples. Choose citrus fruits, berries, kiwi fruit, blackcurrants, tomatoes and peppers.

(29 )Don’t just lie on the beach – get active on it too. Build sandcastles with the kids, play bat and ball in the shallow water or if there’s room, play Frisbee, rounders or cricket.

1 - 25 quick ways to a bikini body Part I

(1) Make red wine your summer tipple – it has just 100 calories in a small glass. Plus lab research has revealed it contains an antioxidant (called resveratrol) that helps keep the heart healthy and reduces fat cells in our body.

(2) Hang out with people who have a slender beach body. New research reveals we try to “keep up with the Joneses” when it comes to our weight. If people around us are overweight, it’s more acceptable for us to be overweight too.

(3) While you’re on holiday, burn off those lunchtime calories by going for a walk on the beach. Walking on dry sand burns more than twice as many calories as walking on concrete.

5 Tips to Get a Bikini Body for Summer

If thoughts of wearing a swimsuit and exposing your body make you want to hide in the dark, the following suggestions will steer you back into the light.

Cranking up your workouts will help you get fast results. And simple changes can make a big difference. Try switching your 11-inch dinner plates for 9-inch salad plates to help you with portion control.

Here are five ways to help you get a bikini body for summer.

Size Matters

Smaller, more frequent meals will help increase your metabolism. Aim for three meals a day, with small snacks in between. Make sure you get lean protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats each time.

Try this recipe for a healthy mid-morning snack:

• 1 scoop of chocolate protein powder
• 1 tbsp. of peanut butter
• 1/2 cup vanilla almond milk
• 1 cup of water
• 1 cup of ice

6 Reasons You're Not Losing Belly Fat

Still can't button your skinny jeans after weeks of exercise and dieting? The experts behind The Bikini Body Diet reveal what's holding you back—and what you can do to finally flatten your belly

You Fall Short on Magnesium

Our bodies require magnesium for more than 300 chemical reactions, including keeping heart rhythm steady and regulating blood sugar levels, but in addition to its health benefits, this nutrient may also aid in weight loss and body shaping. A 2013 study in the Journal of Nutrition found that higher magnesium intake was associated with lower levels of fasting glucose and insulin (markers related to fat and weight gain), and one study from England found that a magnesium supplement may have some beneficial effects on reducing fluid retention during the menstrual cycle, meaning you'll feel less bloated.

Flat-belly solution: Eat more magnesium-rich foods, such as leafy green vegetables, beans, and nuts. Or talk to your doctor about taking a supplement. The recommended amount of magnesium for women under 30 is 310mg, and 320mg for women 30 and over. 

12 Eating Secrets Women with Great Bodies Know

Uncover the path to a slim, shapely, and sexy you simply by following these smart and sustainable eating tips from The Bikini Body Diet by Tara Kraft

The Ultimate Diet Plan

As editors at Shape, the most trusted source of fitness and weight-loss information for women, we spend countless hours thumbing through medical journals, nutrition news reports, and exercise studies. Plus, we're lucky enough to have access to the secrets of the women whose livelihoods depend on staying shapely and sexy: actresses, singers, models, and trainers. With this wealth of information at our fingertips, it's only natural for us to spill the lessons we've learned to our readers.

Enter The Bikini Body Diet. This new book by Shape editor-in-chief Tara Kraft is the ultimate diet and workout plan to help you achieve your best body ever—and maintain it for the long haul. While this program produces results in a matter of days, it's not just a quick fix. This science-backed plan is based on strategies that help women like Tara and our cover models maintain a bikini-worthy body all year long. On the following pages, you'll discover 12 principles of healthy eating that form the foundation of The Bikini Body Diet. Implement these tactics in your own life to transform your body, regain your confidence, and keep it for good!

3 Ways to Get in Bikini-Body Shape Fast

Get a jump-start on swimsuit season with these proven weight-loss tactics.

Now that it's officially spring, it's time to start prepping for warm days, strappy sundresses, and, dare we say it—summertime! While the idea of shedding the winter weight might seem daunting, Ellington Darden, Ph.D., offers three totally doable tips from his new book, The Body Fat Breakthrough, that will help you get the beach body you want this year. 

Need proof that Darden's program works? More than 100 people completed it in Gainsville, Florida, and on average, they lost 30 pounds in 30 days. "Fat loss and muscle gain are two benefits of my breakthrough program," says Darden. "Equally important is to achieve both of them simultaneously—doing so creates a synergistic action."

Get a bikini body in three weeks

Three delicious meals a day, plus two snacks, along with a no-sweat fitness routine. How’s that for a weight-loss plan? In just three weeks, the YOU Bikini Diet, devised by top nutritionist Yinka Thomas, will get you sleeker, slimmer – and ready to hit the beach!

The YOU Bikini Diet works by keeping your blood sugar stable with three meals and two snacks daily. Eating every three hours keeps energy levels high and stops you feeling hungry. The diet is rich in metabolism-boosting fatty acids found in coconut oil, plus mono-unsaturated fats in olive oil. 

Combined with fresh vegetables and fruit, quality protein and wholegrain carbohydrates, 

the diet will help your body burn fat by using its fat stores as fuel. Add in strengthening and cardiovascular exercise, and your body has no choice but to start using its excess fat 

and strengthening muscles – which gives you smooth, strong contours.

Bikini Countdown: 25 Ways to Get Ready for Swimsuit Season

Improve Your Posture

Good posture is the quickest, easiest way to look better -- and several pounds thinner -- in your favorite bikini.  Slouching takes inches off your height and makes your tummy look rounder. Practice good posture by keeping your back straight and your shoulders back. Distribute your weight evenly on both hips. Your body, and your reflection, will thank you.

Start Moving

In the weeks before swimsuit season, aim to move your body more. "It's like putting pennies in a piggy bank," says Pamela Peeke, MD, author of Body for Life for Women. "Every single piece of physical activity adds up." So turn on some music and dance. Try a Zumba class. Use the stairs at work. Every ounce of sweat will bring you closer to your goal.

Bikini-Ready Beauty Secrets

Whether you want to prep for a mid-winter beach vacay or get a jump on bikini season after seeing Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Kate Upton's sexy cover, these tricks will leave you smooth, bronzed, and gleaming all over.

TAKE YOUR TIME WITH HAIR REMOVAL

A smooth set of legs and underarms and a flawless bikini line are essential for warm weather. But be sure to execute your hair removal the day before you slip into your swimwear to give your skin some downtime.

GET YOUR BEST SHAVE

Start every shaving session with a hot shower or bath to soften your hair so it's easier to remove. For the silkiest results, exfoliate with a gentle body scrub, then lube up with a moisturizing cream and use a fresh, sharp, three- or four-blade razor to whisk away the hair. Cut down on irritation by relathering an area if you are going over it a second time.

How to Lose Belly Fat (For Good!)

It's women's number-one nemesis, but blasting belly fat—and keeping it off—isn't about logging hours on the treadmill. And thank goodness for that. Read on to learn about the super-efficient exercise that helps you lose belly fat in only 25 minutes a day.

If you hate the treadmill, we've got good news for you: Minute per minute, weight training fights belly fat better than cardio does, according to new research published in Obesity.

For the study, researchers with the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) examined the physical activity, waist circumference, and body weight of 10,500 healthy men who participated in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study from 1996 to 2008.

Over the study's 12 years, the guys who spent 20 minutes a day weight training (lifting free weights, working on weight machines, and performing body-weight strength moves) had a smaller increase in age-related abdominal fat compared with men who completed moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise for the same amount of time—even though those who performed aerobic exercise actually lost more weight than the lifters did.

4 Workout Moves That Tone Your Whole Body In Just 15 Minutes

These four super-simple and effective total-body workouts come from Hannah Davis, cofounder and rockstar trainer of Gotham Versatile Training in NYC. They're amazing because a) they don't require a gym and b) will have your body in tip-top shape with little more than a resistance band and fifteen minutes a day!

1. The Pilates Row. With your back straight, knees bent, and your torso slightly leaning forward, step on the resistance band with your right foot and grab each handle. Then, raise your left arm as you extend your right leg, and hold for a few seconds. Do 10 reps on this side, and then switch the focus to your right arm and left leg. Repeat this move three times.

12 Things Every Twentysomething Woman Needs to Do to Get a Bikini Body

1. Eat what you normally eat because you're a living human with caloric needs. You are everything you need to be right now. You don't need to be less or more of it to look good in a bikini. So if you already eat pretty healthy and sometimes want to eat pizza, eat pizza. And if you do want to make changes, do it because you genuinely want to, not because you feel like if you don't, then you don't belong in a bikini, because that is false.

2. Pick out a bikini that makes you feel cute as hell. It doesn't have to be a string with a small square of fabric that goes over your vag either. Shop around and find one that makes you feel excited instead of terrified.

Get a Great Beach Body in 3 Days

You don't need to bust ass for months to look like a goddess in a bikini. With these quick and easy tricks, your beach body will earn some serious stares.

DRINK UP

It's a myth that guzzling lots of water makes you bloated. In fact, not hydrating often enough causes you to retain water underneath the skin's surface, giving you a puffy look. For the next 72 hours, cut out diuretics like caffeine and alcohol and sip six to eight glasses of H2O a day. Not only will you appear slimmer, you'll seem more toned, because your body will create a reserve of water below your muscles, pressing them out and adding definition.

BE STRATEGIC WITH ACCESSORIES

- Slip on wedges instead of flip-flops. They'll optically slenderize and stretch your gams.

- Wear a drop necklace to bring people's focus to your cleavage.

- Style a flattering coverup for your shape: a short caftan if you have sexy legs, a racerback T-dress to look thinner, a slip dress to show off your bust, jean shorts if you were blessed with a cute booty.

Defying Gravity: How to Build a Stronger, Defined Butt

Here's how to ensure the largest muscle in your body isn't also the laziest.

The Science Behind Your Booty

I'm alone with a handsome young doctor who has his hands down my shorts, but neither of us is too happy about it. Joseph Herrera, a doctor of osteopathic medicine, furrows his brow as he struggles to untangle a 48-inch lead attached to an electrode that he has taped to my butt. The electrode is slick with conductivity gel and he's holding it in place as he attaches the other end of the wire to the electromyography (EMG) machine, a hulking piece of equipment that measures electrical activity in your muscles. Dr. Herrera, the director of sports medicine at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine's rehabilitation department in New York City, has agreed to help me figure out what, if anything, is going on with my glutes when I'm not explicitly working them out. Which is almost never. And it shows. Or rather, doesn't show on my unremarkable, flat butt.

Get a Bikini Body in 4 Weeks: The Workout Plan

Drop that towel! Get the confidence (and the abs!) to bare it all in a two-piece with the help of this total-body sculpting workout. Pair these exercises with a healthy diet to shed excess pounds and get beach-ready in just four weeks.

How It Works

Baby, it's (almost) hot outside, and we've got the just-in-time toning that will take you to tankini and beyond. We asked Bethany Lyons, group fitness regional manager at Crunch in New York City, to put together a foolproof routine that trims and tones all your bikini hot spots. "This total-body plan shapes shoulders, fights arm jiggle, flattens abs, sculpts your derriere, and more," says Lyons, who designs Crunch's addictive Beach Body workout classes and has helped thousands of gym-goers get summer-ready. For the next month, follow the plan on these slides for your sleekest beach physique ever.

Part 1: Cardio Slim-Down

Pick three days each week to get in 30 minutes of cardio: Run, bike, swim, hit the elliptical, hike, play tennis, or try Lyons's walk-to-jog Twist 'n' Sweat session, below. "It's my go-to on the treadmill, but you can do it wherever you walk," she says. "The intervals are digestible bits that make time fly by" — and the pounds peel off.

Ab Workouts: Our Top 10 Abs Exercises

We squatted, thrusted, and crunched, crunched, crunched to bring you the best abdominal-toning exercises on FitnessMagazine.com. Here are the ones we shook our fists at (but were secretly thankful for) the most.

Abdominal Hold

This is the sort of move that looks so wonky, you sure hope your roommate doesn't catch you doing it — unless she also gets to see you look stellar in a bathing suit, in which case she just may pull up a chair.

Do it:

• Sit tall on the edge of a sturdy chair (or step with four risers) and place your hands on the edge with your fingers pointing toward your knees.
• Tighten your abs and bring your toes 2 to 4 inches off the floor. Lift your butt off the chair.
• Hold this position for as long as you can — aim for 5 to 10 seconds.
• Lower yourself down and repeat.
• Continue this exercise for 1 minute.

Get Your Best Beach Body Ever in 21 Days

Get a beach-ready body — fast! Sculpt sexy arms, abs, thighs, and glutes with our quick, ultra-effective cardio/strength plan.

3 Weeks to a Bikini-Worthy Body

Don't worry — there's still time to get a beach-ready body. We have just the plan: a high-energy cardio and sculpting routine that's guaranteed to boost your metabolism, melt fat, and blast calories. Best of all, you can do it in as few as 30 minutes a day. "By performing total-body strength moves along with high-intensity interval workouts, you'll be able to reshape your body in a relatively short period of time," says trainer Joe Dowdell, owner of Peak Performance Strength and Conditioning Center in New York City.

Do the strength moves in the order given, alternating muscle groups so you won't need to rest for more than 60 seconds between each exercise. Do 10 to 12 reps and two or three sets of each move. Add in the cardio interval workouts on alternate days and follow a healthy diet, and you'll be ready to show off your skimpiest bikini in just three weeks!

So Long, Sarong! Get a Beach-Ready Body

Terrified of a two-piece? Don't be. Blast maximum calories while toning your abs, butt, and thighs — your toughest trouble spots — in quick-fix 15-minute sessions!

Target Your Abs, Thighs, and Butt

Cover models aside, most of us dread the thought of slipping on a bikini (especially at the beginning of the season). Well, get ready to kiss your swimsuit phobia goodbye. This workout, created by Los Angeles-based trainer Patrick Goudeau, tames your biggest trouble zones through a series of circuits. "Circuits are designed to strengthen muscles while adding a fat-burning cardio element in a very time-efficient manner," says Jan Schroeder, PhD, senior exercise physiologist for IDEA Health and Fitness Association. So even while you're performing the weight moves, your heart rate remains elevated to boost your overall fitness level.

The End Result: A head-turning trifecta of flat abs, firm butt, and sleek thighs in just four weeks.

20 Tips For A Bikini Ready Body.

Below are 20 quick and easy tips you can use to make sure you are looking your best when you hit the beach.

Everyone's favorite season is just around the corner and you've probably already spotted the large selection of bathing suits that are lining the store walls. Are you ready to bare your body this year? If not, don't panic, there is still plenty of time to prepare yourself. Below are 20 quick and easy tips you can use to make sure you are looking your best when you hit the beach.

1. Embrace Your Curves.

So you've put on a little weight over the winter. This isn't the end of the world because right now curvier women are being toted as more attractive than the runway look anyway. The key is finding a bathing suit that is going to emphasize your best features. When you do this correctly, the parts you are less than confident in will not be as noticeable.

Get a Bikini Body in 4 Weeks

Try our exclusive Pilates-based workout — you'll sculpt your abs, arms, butt, and thighs in 20 minutes flat.

Pilates for a Beach-Ready Body

Toss that sarong: We've got the ultimate workout to help you slip on a bikini with confidence. "Each of these exercises targets at least three major muscle groups — so you train smarter, not longer," says Rael Isacowitz, a Pilates specialist and exercise physiologist based in Costa Mesa, California.

The Result: Swimsuit-worthy abs, plus sleeker arms, butt, and thighs. Do this workout three or four days a week for 20 minutes (complete the entire series of exercises twice), then add another 15 minutes of high-intensity cardio.

To boost the challenge, use light weights where indicated. Include two 45- to 60-minute cardio sessions on your off days and follow a healthy diet, and in just four weeks you'll be sitting poolside with pride.

How to Start Your Own Exercise Regimen and Stick to It

Do you want to get in shape, but never seem to stick to the resolution? Here are some ideas to provide the little nudge you need.

Steps

1. Make the time. It might seem like you don't have enough time in your day for exercise, but you probably do - you just have to make it a priority. Here are some ways to do it.

• Set an appointment. Pick out the times when you want to exercise, and schedule ahead. Keep your appointment with yourself ironclad, and don't let other engagements interfere. If you keep a calendar on your phone or computer, set alarms that will remind you of your workout time.

• Replace a habit. Most of us have some unnecessary and not particularly enjoyable habit, such as watching TV, that could be replaced by (or added on to) exercising. Ask yourself how much time you spend on this habit, and whether or not you could exercise at the same time. If the answer is yes, make a new rule that stipulates (for instance) that you can only watch television if you're exercising at the same time.

How to Get Fit for Free

If you’d love to get fit but don’t have any funds just now to join a gym or buy the latest fitness equipment, don’t despair - you can still get fit without spending money at all.

Steps

1. Socialize over exercise. Meet with friends to walk, run, hike or exercise on equipment in public parks. Working out with other people is great for staying motivated and on a routine.

2. Take advantage of Student Gyms. Many schools have excellent recreation facilities, and since these types of gyms are typically funded by student fees, you may have an automatic membership once you enroll and pay these fees - take advantage of it!

3. Ask around. Some local authorities offer free classes and program to help promote health in the local community. Try one!

How to Get a Bikini Worthy Body

Getting your body ready for bikini season will take some hard work and dedication, but it doesn't have to be torture. Read this article to learn how to lose weight the healthy way, and have fun along the way!

Setting Goals

1. Determine where you want to improve. This will help you choose which diet and exercise route is right for you.

• Ask yourself the following questions: Do I want to lose weight? How much weight do I want to lose? Do I want to gain muscle? Am I happy with my weight, but want to tone up?

2. Weigh yourself and take measurements. This will help you track your progress.

• Remember that muscle weighs more than fat, so if your goal is to add bulk or tone up your muscles, then you might gain some overall weight. If this is the case, then focus on your measurements rather than the number on the scale.