So beach season is right around the corner, and you might be busy making plans to get your fair share of some sun and sand. But is your body really ready for bikini season? If you're still struggling with a few extra pounds or want to whittle down your waistline to be really bikini-ready, we've got you covered. Here are some easy ways to slim down and tone up that midsection to get a show-off worthy six pack this season:

1. Lose the carbonation. Soda, that is. Soda, even the 'diet' and calorie-free variety, can make you bloated and retain water. Eliminating sugary soda from your diet will also make your diet cleaner. Skip the soda for a few weeks and start drinking more water, and you'll start to see your waistline shrink in no time.

2. Make commercial time your crunch time. Squeezing in a series of crunches during a commercial break is one of the easiest ways to tone up that midsection. Don't become a couch potato for hours on end; make a point to do some form of light exercise between your favorite shows for a mini workout session. Your efforts will pay off!

3. Pack a lunch. Skip the greasy fast food menu and unhealthy snacks at the office vending machine, and whittle down your waistline by eating a healthy, satisfying lunch. Simple and healthy lunches such as lean turkey and salad sandwiches, tuna and low fat mayo wraps, and grilled fish with a green salad will give you the energy you need to get through a busy workday, and keep your calorie counts low. Just pack up a lunch tote each night so you're well prepared for a diet-friendly day.

4. Eat more protein. Lean protein sources including turkey, grilled chicken and tofu are great choices for your slim-down routine. Eat more of these throughout the day to stay satisfied and support your weight loss goals.

5. Ramp up your core training routine. Trade out treadmill days for resistance training to strengthen the core muscles of your stomach, lower back and obliques. These will help you create that chiseled look, and will also improve your posture in the process!

There are some people that believe that the bench press is just for bodybuilders who are looking to bulk up and get huge chest muscles. This is absolutely not true, as the bench press can be beneficial for anybody who is looking to get tight and toned, especially for woman who are looking to firm up their chest and look better in strapless or halter dresses. The bench press works the chest, triceps, biceps, and shoulders and it is a great upper body exercise to develop strength while toning your muscles.

Here is how to do a basic bench press:
1. Lie flat on your back on a workout bench with the top of your head slightly past the rack.
2. Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip with your arms slightly shoulder-length apart.
3. Push the barbell straight up to remove it from the rack.
4. Bend your elbows and lower the barbell to your chest. Keep the barbell off your chest at least an inch or two.
5. Straighten your arms up as your lift the barbell straight up in the air. Look straight up, not at the barbell.
6. Lower the barbell back down and repeat the exercise for the desired amount of reps.

There are a couple of different variations of the basic bench press that you can do. Some variations are with your grip on the barbell such as the wide-grip bench press and the close-grip bench press. By gripping the barbell differently you can focus your exercise on a more specific area that you want to work. The close-grip bench press will work out the triceps more than the basic bench press will.

The other type of variation that you can do with the bench press actually has to do with the workout bench. You can choose to do an incline or decline bench press. The decline bench press will put more focus on the lower muscles of the chest while the incline press will target the upper chest muscles.

The bench press is a great exercise to add to your strength training workout if you want to work your entire upper body at once. It is an exercise that is beneficial to both men and women.