The bikini body diet: it's easy to slip into summer's skimpiest outfits when you follow these strategies from 6 top nutrition gurus

Shape, May, 2005 by Lorie A. Parch

Worried about squeezing into that teensy-weensy bikini? Relax! If you want to shed a few extra pounds, now is the best time to make healthy changes to your diet. Warmer weather has plenty going for it to make weight loss easier, says New York City-based Ellie Krieger, M.S., R.D., author of Small Changes, Big Results: A 12-Week Action Plan to a Better Life (Clarkson Potter, 2005). "There are so many delicious fruits and vegetables at your fingertips. You're wearing less clothing so you're more body-conscious--that creates more of a natural awareness. And it's easier to be active." Krieger knows a thing or two about swimsuit season: A former model, she financed her education by working with the Wilhelmina agency.

To help you get bikini-ready this year, we've enlisted Krieger's help for expert advice plus that of five other nutrition gurus (all registered dietitians too). Read on to learn their diet strategies and insider tips and tricks for dealing with everyday food challenges. We've also included a list of Krieger's super-easy steps to boost your nutrition, plus three scrumptious recipes from New York City-based chef and wellness coach Gayle Reichler, M.S., R.D.

Dietitians struggle with the same problems as the rest of us, from junk-food cravings to what to have for dinner. But it's how they tackle these challenges that's different. Eat like they do and you'll always look fabulous. Here's how to do it.

make breakfast a priority

If you want to be slim and healthy, dietitians advise that you never ever, ever miss breakfast. Make it a nutrition powerhouse, and you're less likely to overeat all day. Carolyn O'Neil, M.S., R.D., co-author of The Dish on Eating Healthy and Being Fabulous! (Atria Books, 2004) and an Atlanta-based nutritionist and former correspondent for CNN, goes for the triple threat--a morning meal that combines complex carbs, fat and protein--to keep her going through hours of meetings and television appearances. "I have a whole-grain English muffin with melted cheese and tomato and calcium-fortified orange juice," she says. "Though I like grapefruit juice, too, which has fewer calories."

Molly Kimball, R.D., a sports and lifestyle nutritionist at the Ochsner Clinic's Elmwood Fitness Center in New Orleans, typically begins her day with a run and homemade whey protein shake followed by a weight workout. Afterward, she enjoys a high-fiber bagel topped with peanut butter.

"I usually have a whole-grain cold cereal with fruit--berries, bananas or some kind of citrus--with soy milk," says Barbara Lewin, R.D., a Hollywood, Fla.-based sports nutritionist to Olympic athletes. "One of my favorites in summer is fat-free vanilla yogurt, plus added oatmeal, bananas, apples, berries and maybe a few nuts."

more is more

To maintain a steady energy level all day long and avoid uncontrollable cravings that lead to bingeing, the pros swear by 200- to 300-calorie mini-meals--four to six a day. For meals between breakfast, lunch and dinner, Lewin creates her own trail mix with dried fruit, roasted soybeans and Puffins, a high-fiber cereal.

O'Neil often grabs a handful of nuts and reaches for a peach as a mini-meal. "I look at foods like fruit, and I see all the things it's giving me, not just the fact that it's a low-cal choice," she explains, referring to fruit's high fiber, vitamin and antioxidant content.

For a midday meal on hot days, salads are the most carefree food choice, nutritionists say. These are big (2-4 cups) and feature a variety of deeply colored greens and veggies, including a warm-weather bounty of fresh tomatoes, corn and zucchini. And don't forget to include appetite-satisfying protein. "I love to have a big salad topped with 3 or 4 ounces of grilled chicken or fish," Krieger says. "I might put a tablespoon of blue cheese on it to make it burst with flavor, so I don't need to add as much dressing."

Instead of a rich, heavy dinner, nutritionists end their day with a light meal: about 4 ounces of protein--fish and chicken are ideal choices--often grilled and paired with loads of veggies. "I'm a big fan of the grill," says O'Neil, who uses hers all year long to cook chicken, shrimp and other seafood, as well as veggies and fruit.

just desserts (sometimes)

Surprise! Nutrition gurus crave sundaes and chocolate cake just like we do, but they make indulging in dessert the exception, not the rule. "Many people have something sweet after they eat and I'm not in that habit--I think it's a habit you can get out of," Krieger explains. "One thing I do enjoy in summer is some ice cream. I go out for it so I don't have it tempting me at home. [When] I get the real thing--maybe four times over the summer--I have a small scoop and enjoy every bit of it."

3 lean summer recipes

You don't have to sacrifice taste to eat lean and healthy, insists nutritionist and chef Gayle Reichler, M.S., R.D. Here are three scrumptious, easy-to-prepare dishes from her new cookbook Gayle's Feel-Good Foods: Unbelievably Healthy, Impossibly Delicious, Surprisingly Easy Recipes for Every Day (Avery/Penguin, 2004).