I Pledge Allegiance To My Diet: 5 Easy Tricks to Slim You Down by July 4th

The 4th of July is only a week away and the store mannequins have certainly arrived in their starred and striped bikinis to make sure we don’t forget it.

It’s an American holiday that takes barbecues, fireworks, and beach parties to a whole new level and with it coming up fast, it’s time to pledge our allegiance to our diets. These diet shape-ups will have you ready to don your nautical wear from the first notes of the Star-Spangled Banner and beyond.

Smoothie Sailing: If no one has let you in on the secret yet, let me be the first to inform of the word of the day: SMOOTH-IES. Smoothies can be counted as a meal substitute or an afternoon snack and they are absolutely delicious (provided that you put the right stuff in them). These 8-ounce concoctions will leave you feeling fuller longer and they are great for sitting by the pool. Simply add ¾ cup of milk, 1/2 cup of berries, whey powder and peanut butter and sip your way to slim!

Go for the grains: Have you seen the intense high fructose corn syrup commercials on the television? Well this little demon takes up living space in white breads. Switching to whole-grain breads and cereals will give your body the power it needs to fight off flab. And for those who say carbohydrates are not good for you, here is the correction: the right kind (i.e. brown rice, whole wheat bread and pastas) will be your best friends forever if you let them.

Leave the French fries in France this 4th: There is no way around it, anyone looking to majorly shape up their body has got to drop the fried foods. No, you don’t have to make a pact to never touch a burger or fried dough again, but the key is moderation. Stick to grilled chicken, sautéed vegetables, and meals that are not bathed in a tub of oil before they hit your stomach. By slowly erasing these trouble makers from your diet you will find your abs thanking you very sweetly.

Skimmy dipping: Whole milk has long been associated with calcium. And yes, we need our calcium. But why not go for the skim milk? We get the same amount of calcium (even more, actually) without all that fat. At first you might gripe over the taste of skim milk compared to 2% percent but start slow; begin adding skim milk to your lattes or to your cereal in the a.m. and move up from there.

Thank you, Popeye: Alright, with that subtitle you already know what I am about to suggest. But I am about to dish out some diet-saving advice here. We think diets and our minds automatically race to the salad. Hold on two seconds, drop the iceberg lettuce (yea, the cheap lettuce that provides no kind of substantial nutrients), and go for the spinach to make up your salad. The greatest thing about adding this green leafed superstar to your veggies, your stomach won’t be growling at you in .2 seconds. Fills you up and slims you down!

So try out these diet shape-ups in the next few weeks as you are looking for routes to be a firecracker this 4th of July. As any nutrition lover would suggest, all of these diet tips work even better with a solid exercise regimen. Hit up the trails, run on the beach, and make the most of the summer sun. Work out, drink plenty of water and try out some of these tips then prepare to slim down and sizzle in your red, white and blue this year.