Have you ever thought that you might want to get into better shape and maybe even look like a model? Plenty of people do. What kind of model would you consider emulating, a swim wear model or a fitness model? How about this to give you an apt picture: a swim wear model (with good tone and elongated muscles) could be seen, of course on the cover of such magazines as the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. They look good. They all look very young, too, from their late teens to their early to mid twenties.
If you have ever looked at a Muscle and Fitness Hers magazine (which I subscribe to) you will see female fitness models. They have defined, toned muscles. They look athletic and strong (but not masculine).
The swimwear model look is achieved by, of course, a healthy diet that includes a lean type of protein at every meal. Tuna is a good choice; so is skinless chicken or turkey, or some protein powder mixed into your oatmeal or breakfast shake. Have your fruits and vegetables too, and lots of water throughout the day. Portion control also plays an important role. You don’t have to eat only food you hate. People in Europe enjoy wonderful, delicious food and still manage to stay as trim as a swim wear model. Find the healthy food you like, and eat it in reasonable amounts. Do not go on low calorie diets to look like a swim wear model. You will crash your metabolism. Stay within reason, calorie-wise. Eat good, healthy carbohydrates, because you need to have energy for life and to boost your metabolism.
Do not skip on cardiovascular exercise either. Cardiovascular exercise helps keep you fit and trim. It does not have to be intense. Long walks on a daily basis are very good for you. Light weight-lifting with lots of repetitions will help keep your muscles toned. If you do pushups or curl light dumbbells or do crunches or Pilates, that is good. You can take off a few pounds by eating less, but you do not want to be flabby and skinny either!
If you want to take it a little farther than the swim wear model look, and would prefer to look you could survive a challenging hike in the mountains and actually be refreshed by it, or swim for thirty minutes and then do a few pull-ups (and in reality be able to do these things!), then you will probably take your workout to the next level.
Now the models in my Muscle and Fitness Hers magazines look great, as does a typical swimwear model. There is a difference, though. First of all they are not all twenty years old. There are models in the fitness magazines that are in their thirties and forties and they all look fantastic. They lay out their routines for you, so that you can aspire to have a butt like a nineteen-year-old, even after you have had children. You will lift heavier weights than a woman going for the swimwear model look. You will have slightly more defined muscles, but don’t panic; it is incredibly hard for a woman to “bulk up.” We are not built for that (our hormones work against us that way).
Women body-builders have to work desperately hard at it and weigh their food. They take supplements. I have been lifting weights for years, and pretty heavy ones at that. I jog as well. I still do not even look as built as the fitness models. I look trimmer. The bottom line is this: if you want to look like a swimwear model, besides having a good diet and doing cardiovascular exercises such as daily brisk walking, you need to lift some weights or do weight-bearing exercises such as push-ups. If you don’t, you might lose weight (at a slower rate), but you won’t be as toned as you would like.
By Laura Hogg