As we all have noticed, bikini season is quickly descending upon us. It seems like every time we walk through the mall, those perfectly crafted bikini clad mannequins stare us down, reminding us of all those chilly winter days that we blew off the gym to stay home with our pints of ice cream and warm fuzzy slippers. But whether we are prepared or not, our lovely LA days are beckoning us out of our sweats and onto the beach. When in Rome, right?

If you’re like many of us out there, your mid section may not quite be beach ready just yet. If this sounds familiar, don’t fret it. We’ve tried many of the at-home ab fitness products, and we’re here to tell you how to get bikini ready abs just in time to enjoy the first days of summer fun. Here are three of the best abs bets for your particular needs:

Midsection Dilemma: Limited Time to Workout
Best Bet: 6 second abs

If you’re being pulled in every which direction by work, family or everyday commitments, you may simply not have the time to dedicate to getting those perfectly sculpted abs. The best bet for this dilemma is the 6 Second Abs workout. This piece of equipment is small and really simple to use. It’s able to put out an impressive amount of resistance without tiring you out, and the results come fast. It’s super portable, so take it with you on the go.

Where to find it: 6secondabs.com

Midsection Dilemma: Need to do a little more than just ‘tone up’
Best Bet: Ab Rocket

With the help of the ab rocket, you will get an incredibly thorough ab workout, attacking the tough-to-tone spots we all have issues with. The system provides great back and neck support, so all your energy can be focused on working your core. The system even includes a meal plan and low calorie recipes to help you in your quest for beach ready abs.

Where to find it: www.TryAbRocket.com

Midsection Dilemma: Need help with more than just abs
Best Bet: Ab Wheel

This classic piece of fitness equipment has been a favorite of many for years. It not only helps tone your abs, but also works your shoulders, arms and back. If you need an overall toning regimen with a focus on abs, this is your best bet.

Where to find it: www.DynamicFitness.com

In a typical day, we find countless options of what to eat and what to drink. What is healthy…what tastes great or what we crave…? Going into a supermarket and contemplating different types of ‘whole-wheat’ breads and protein bars can leave us confused and leery, scared to bite into anything lest we derail our diet or lifestyle unintentionally. The biggest dilemma can be something as simple as water. Yes water, the life sustaining drink that comes out of your faucet is being sold in different flavors and with different promises ranging from weight-loss to all-over health and youth.

BN decided to take the guess work out for you and test several new waters that have hit the waves – read on to check out which bottles you should keep on guzzling and which you should leave alone.

Water “Dos”

Hint Water - Their mantra is “drink water not sugar” Sometimes we want a little something extra in our water. That’s what Hint Water is all about. Each bottle is infused with a touch of flavor such as: Hibiscus Vanilla, Blackberry and Honeydew Hibiscus. Since Hint is free from any sweeteners it’s perfect for those of us who are avoiding sugar. My favs Pomegranate -Tangerine and Mango –Grapefruit

BN Rating – Feeling fresh and clean - drink up!

Icelandic Glacial - All the way from Iceland, this water claims to be chock–full of minerals we seem to never get enough of like magnesium and calcium. Labeled as the “first super –premium spring water aka-the purest water in the world”, Icelandic Glacial is as close to clean as you can get.

BN Rating: Drink up!

Raise your hand off the mouse if you still believe there is such a thing as a “healthy tan.” In honor of Skin Cancer Awareness Month, as well as in an effort to keep Beauty News readers healthy and wrinkle free, it’s time we learn the cold hard truth: getting a tan is a sign of radiation damage which makes that “little bit of color” very very unhealthy!

The Skin Cancer Foundation says: “Go With Your Own Glow!” and Park Avenue dermatologist Wendy Long Mitchell, M.D. agrees. She urges, “If you have a family history of skin cancer, have exposed yourself to more than 20 tanning bed uses, gotten a lot of sun exposure as a child or if you’ve had 1 or more blistering sunburns, you need to get checked.” She frequently discovers melanomas (which are the most serious form of skin cancer) in men and women in their twenties! It’s essential that you go to your dermatologist for yearly screenings.

Did you know that where you live can increase your risk of skin cancer? Before you think you are safe because you don’t live in Tahiti or the 90210 zip-code, think again. According to Long Mitchell, “if you live in higher latitudes (above Atlanta) and lack vitamin D3, which the body absorbs from the environment, where you live can cause higher melanoma risk; particularly for Caucasians.”

Don’t have a dermo in your rolodex? Log onto www.skincancer.org and find out when the Road to Healthy Skin Tour screening bus will be in your area. Presented by Aveeno and Rite-Aid with support from Columbia Sportswear, this retro fitted bus will have private exam rooms to screen more than 10,000 people in 50 cities across the country. It’s set to roll through 100 locations now through the fall.

Finally, don’t just pack your cosmetic bag with SPFs, pack your diet too! Take a multi-vitamin and eat green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale. These veggies have excellent sources of skin cancer fighting antioxidants. Craving something sweeter? Açaí berry juice is also chock-full of necessary antioxidants. And don’t forget the importance of fish! The Omega 3’s in cod oil and fish oil is also a key element in fighting melanoma. Finally, remember that a balanced diet keeps our immune system healthy which is critical in defending ourselves against cancers from head to toe.

With Father’s Day and the influx of college-ready graduating seniors, the month of June is sure to give you a bit of gift-shopping stress. This year check out our fit-friendly suggestions on what to get those dads, grads, and newlyweds.

For the Dads…

Wii Fit – The gym is great, but for the dad who prefers the comfort of his own home, the Wii Fit is the perfect way to get him moving. Created by the makers of the Nintendo Wii video gaming system, this tech-savvy piece of equipment lets you choose from strength training, aerobics, yoga, and balance games. It even includes a Body Test program that will measure your weight and Body Mass Index (BMI) to help keep you on track.

BlueAir Airpod – Help the gadget-loving dad “breathe easier” with a personal air purifier that will clean and purify the air in dad’s immediate surroundings - be it home, the office or a business trip. The Blueair AirPod creates a personal clean-air-zone free of dust, pollen and smoke which allows for a sphere of well-being so dad can concentrate on what’s important to him instead of sneezing and wheezing from airborne allergens.

For the Grads…

WIN Detergent - When it comes to gym clothes, those of us who workout regularly know that our haute gym wear has a secret. Wear it once, and you look chic and dry. Wash it and wear it twice, and embedded odors heat up and radiate out. WIN Detergent is the world’s first laundry detergent especially formulated to eliminate embedded sweat and odors found in high-performance athletic attire. Although laundry won’t be the most exciting new experience of a freshman collegiate’s life, they’ll be thanking you later when their gym-wear smells fresh in a sea of their smelly peers.

Dorm Room Diet – From the daughter of Oprah’s new bff, Dr. Oz, comes a book that helps students make healthy practical choices in an effort to avoid the dreaded “Freshman 15”. In the pizza and beer pong friendly environment that is college, it can often be hard to stay on track. Help a frosh out by gifting her with this easy to read health and diet book.