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Nutrition Articles  ›  Seasonal & Holiday Tips

The Bikini Diet

A Fun & Easy Way to Slim Down for Summer

-- By Becky Hand, Licensed & Registered Dietitian
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Pool parties, beachfront vacations, and water park adventures…ahhh the joys of summer are almost upon us! To celebrate the causal, relaxed pace of the season, SparkPeople is happy and excited to introduce The Bikini Diet, a fun and simple way to control portions, shed a few pounds, and feel fit and energized.

There is no weighing food, no carrying around measuring cups and spoons, no special foods to purchase or prepare. The Bikini Diet can be used at home with the family, at the neighborhood cookout, or when dining out with friends. So bring that itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny, yellow polka-dot bikini back into your life—it’s a wonderful tool when it comes to healthy eating.

Bikini Tip #1: Start with a 9-inch plate.
You may not be surprised to learn that as our waistlines have increased, so have the sizes of our plates. Get our your plate and measure its diameter with a ruler—don’t eyeball it. If your plate is bigger than 9 inches, put it back on the shelf and get a new one!

Bikini Tip #2: Visualize a bikini on your nine-inch plate.
  • The bikini top has two bra cups that each cover one-fourth of the plate.
    • A serving of meat, legumes, or tofu should fit on one of the bra cups. Notice that a 10-ounce steak will not fit, but a 3-ounce steak will.
    • Place your choice of bread, rice, pasta, or starchy vegetable (such as corn, potatoes, peas, or lima beans) on the other bikini bra cup, also covering one-fourth of the plate.
  • The bikini bottom covers the lower half of your plate and will hold your vegetables and salad. You can select a large portion of one vegetable or salad, or smaller portions of several.
Bikini Tip #3: Don’t forget the sunscreen!
An 8-ounce bottle of sunscreen is the perfect visual to represent the amount of low-fat milk to enjoy with your meal.

Bikini Tip #4: Sweeten with fruit.
Picture a tennis ball, balancing inside a large seashell. Your fruit selection should be about the size of that tennis ball. You can enjoy your fruit with your meal, or save it for a snack later in the day.
  • When selecting berries or melon, you can enjoy 2 fruit selections, since these types of fruit are low in calories and high in water content.
  • On occasion, you may want to substitute a dessert in place of the fruit. This dessert portion should also fit into the shell.
Bikini Tip #5: Imagine a tube of sunscreen lip balm.
Continued ›
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About The Author

Becky Hand Becky Hand
Becky is a registered and licensed dietitian with almost 20 years of experience. Through her company, An Ounce of Prevention, she makes nutrition principles practical, easy to apply and fun. See all of Becky's articles.

Member Comments

  • GLORIAMAJDI
    What a cute idea! I love the idea of the mayo or salad dressing fitting into a tube of lip-balm! - 5/5/2013 10:39:55 PM
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  • FULLVEGA
    I'm so excited to try this, and it's so easy to remember! - 4/24/2013 9:44:23 PM
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  • WOMANATWORK1
    Yes, funny and cute! BUT I'm pretty sure she wasn't thinking about DD-sized cups or a bottom that fits 38-inch hips!!! Still cute, but I'd better not eat THAT much! - 4/1/2013 4:30:34 PM
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  • KCMAGPIE
    Great visual! I saw the title and thought, hmmmm.... What gimmick diet is this? But I LOVE the imagery. Won't eat fats (dressings, etc) again without thinking about the lip balm I always have with me! - 3/13/2013 5:57:49 AM
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  • NHEMBERGER
    Very easy to picture this! And that's my goal, to be in a bikini by the end of summer! - 5/2/2012 10:57:09 AM
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  • CHRIS25521
    I think that is a great idea. I have trouble with portion size. I think I will use that Idea. - 4/28/2012 10:12:28 AM
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  • BESLIMMED
    that's so funny and simple to follow....I have to try...u never know!:) - 5/18/2011 8:27:12 AM
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  • KRICKET4
    Cute visual :) - 5/2/2011 11:05:28 AM
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  • EMILYLAMBERT
    what a cute way to envision a meal! this will be especially helpful when out at friends' and family. easy! - 1/20/2011 9:56:52 AM
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  • ALLNEWPAMMIESUE
    THIS IS DOABLE SOOO SIMPLE!!! Thank you! Plus its a fun way to look at things. A bikini never but Shorts and a Halter Oh yes they will be mine agian!!! - 1/5/2011 3:47:08 PM
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  • DRB13_1
    I loved how this "diet" included activity. Those silly magazines at the check out stand that simultaneously claim to have a diet to help you lose 20 lbs in a week AND the latest dessert recipes are A JOKE! I can eat off a smaller plate, map out my bra cups, bottom, sunscreen dairy, and fruit in a shell as suggested - and ENJOY it! Thanks for a terrific new approach to an old question. - 10/25/2010 12:30:54 PM
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  • CELLO23
    This made me laugh! And it's really practical too. - 10/16/2010 7:57:29 AM
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  • KARATE_KID
    Great way to quickly eyeball portions!

    - 9/14/2010 8:22:42 AM
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  • TWOOFTHREE
    "3-ounce steak". Does such a thing as a 3-ounce steak exist?

    It's an interesting article but if I ate like that I'd be fatter and unhealthier. Not enough protein and too much useless things like grains.

    2/3 - 9/14/2010 6:18:34 AM
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  • MAKELE
    This is a helpful way of thinking portion control. Thanks. Gotta find me a nine inch plate! - 9/14/2010 4:02:57 AM
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