Summer is fast approaching and thoughts turn to sun, sand and sea. Many can`t wait to enjoy the beautiful scenery and the chance to relax. However, the thought of donning a bikini fills many with fear and dread.

Well one of the easiest ways to improve this situation, if time is on your side, is to take the bull by the horns, and get your diet, nutrition and exercise regime in check. Through the joint action of good eating and active workouts, you can quickly and effectively burn fat and tone the underlying muscle, producing a body that you can be confident about. Check out our ultimate guide to losing weight, burning fat, and getting trim here...

However, if time isn't on your hand, then there are still certain things you can do to boost your beach confidence. This Explosive Nutrition guide provides you with our top ten non-supplement-related tips to achieving your ideal beach-body for the summer.

1) Make sure you don`t put on weight while you are on holiday. This will make you feel unconfident and sluggish. Burn off calories by going for a stroll on the beach. Walking across sand burns more calories than walking on a pavement.

2) Don`t rely on sunbathing on holiday to get a tan, get a fake one before you go. This will make your body look more slender and is healthier than a sunbed.

3) Before you leave for your holiday, make sure you eat plenty of fibre. These include foods such as fruit and vegetables. This will avoid you becoming bloated and give you more confidence to strut your stuff on the beach.

4) Work on your posture before you hit the beach. This will instantly make you look slimmer. Simply pull back your shoulder and lift up your head. This will give the illusion of a longer and slimmer silhouette.

5) Try and drink plenty of herbal tea before you leave. This will eliminate bloating and give you a flat tummy, a crucial component of a hot beach bod.

6) One thing even the slimmest women worry about is cellulite. To reduce the appearance of cellulite try consuming more vitamin C before you leave the country. This can be found in foods such as kiwi fruits and tomatoes.

7) As well as getting the perfect bikini, make sure you buy some fabulous beach accessories. These will help take the attention away from problem areas. Oversized bags in particular will make your frame look small in comparison.

8) To really tone up, make sure you do plenty of aerobic exercise before you step foot on the plane. Aerobic exercise includes swimming, jogging or even power walking. This not only burns fat, but also increases your metabolism meaning you are likely to burn more calories over the course of the day. You should aim to exercise for at least 20 minutes a day, around three times a week. You don`t have to have gym membership to do this, dancing around to your favourite exercise DVD or taking a fast walk in the park is also beneficial.

9) Keep your bikini or swimsuit out on display in your bedroom, this will help to keep you motivated with your exercise routine. It may also stop you from reaching to the cookies!

10) Do not underestimate the power of a flattering bikini. Even with the best body in the world, an unflattering bikini will make you want to hide away. Get a bikini to suit your figure, if you are small on top look for a top with padding, also aim for ruffle details that will draw attention to the area and create the illusion of curves. If you need to lengthen your legs, choose high cut bikini bottoms and avoid short style bottoms or a skirt.

Larger busted ladies should try a halter neck style top with plenty of support. If you have short legs go for high cut bikini bottoms. Another trick is to wear plain bikini bottoms with a printed top. It may also be advisable for larger busted ladies to choose a brand that specialises in catering for large cup sizes. For example a Freya bikini caters for those from a C to an J cup. They are specially designed to support you and flatter your shape.

Finally, when you get to the beach, try to forget about your body concerns, hold your head high and walk with confidence. Confidence is the crucial ingredient to any hot bikini body.