No joke! You can eat your way to a bikini body

• Spice things up: "Too much salt leads to water retention and an energy slump," warns Gragg. Fortunately you need less of the white stuff when you use plenty of herbs and spices, which add flavor without sodium, fat, or a lot of calories. Experiment with cinnamon, curry powder, ginger, hot peppers, and fresh herbs such as basil, parsley, and cilantro.
  
  
• Remember your next and last meal: Think about the food you're about to eat in relation to the food you've had or will have during the day, suggest the authors of “The Skinny.” That doesn't mean starve yourself if you're planning a caloric dinner — just don't also eat a Grand Slam for breakfast.
  
  
• Reduce calories by keeping track of drinks: Drinks with calories are like food, the authors of “The Skinny” remind us. Don't let them slip down your throat without noticing.
  
  
• Burn calories with exercise: So, about those sit-ups...there are no fad-diet false promises in “Bikini Bootcamp” and “The Skinny”: The authors know that you have to burn off more calories than you consume if you want to lose weight.

Recipes from ‘Bikini Bootcamp’

• Amansala Salad with Ginger-Sesame Dressing
  
  
• Chicken Curry with Veggies on Whole-Grain Couscous

Recipes from ‘The Skinny’

• Whole Grain French Toast with Fresh Papaya
  
  
• Chicken Salad with Roasted Red Peppers
  
  
• Roasted Tofu with Shiitake, Soy, and Ginger Over Baby Spinach
  
  
• Roasted Pears with Chestnut Honey

Low-Cal Summer Recipes from Epicurious

• Tomato Cucumber Gazpacho
  
  
• Grilled Lemon Chicken and Moroccan Couscous Salad
  
  
• Quinoa with Grilled Zucchini, Garbanzo Beans, and Cumin
  
  
• Grilled Eggplant with Caponata Salsa
  
  
• Succotash of Fresh Corn, Lima Beans, Tomatoes and Onions
  
  
• Strawberry Citrus Salad
  
  

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