When people think of a beach body, they generally think about abs, arms and chest. While development in these muscle groups will improve your perception on the beach, there is much more to consider than just these "beach muscles." A physique that gets the most notice on the beach is a well-rounded physique.

The Importance of Diet and Nutrition

You probably understand that diet and overall nutrition is important to a nice physique, but do you understand why? Understanding why it is important can help you develop the right nutrition plan for your needs. The right diet can increase your metabolism which aids in fat loss as well as stimulates lean muscle growth. As you lose weight and gain muscle, your metabolism will speed up. One pound of added muscle will burn 35 to 50 calories each day. If you can add 10 pounds of muscle (a reasonable goal), that is nearly 500 calories per day or about one pound of fat loss each week. This snowball effect will lead to the body transformation that will get you noticed on the beach.

The Right Diet and Nutrition Plan

First of all, forget about all the crash diets and fad diets. They do not work over the long term and many are not very healthy even in the short term. Your diet should work in conjunction with your fitness plan. If you are exercising out on a regular basis, you need protein to help recover from your workouts. A diet that consists of 45 percent of calories from carbohydrates, 35 percent from protein and 20 percent from fats is ideal to get that beach body.

Here are a few other points to use as the foundation of your diet plan.

• Eat early and often, but smaller meals
• Drink plenty of water
• Don't eat anything 2 hours prior to sleeping
• Make sure to eat 35 to 50 grams of protein immediately after a workout
• Get your carbohydrates from fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains
• Get your protein from lean sources, such as chicken, lean beef and low-fat dairy products.

Don't Forget about the Lower Body

The last person you want to be is that guy walking down the beach with the big arms and chest, but pencil-thin legs. You must focus on your entire body if you want that beach body. Powerful legs are noticed more than you may think and they provide the foundation for the rest of your physique. Also, lower body workouts are generally tougher than upper body. They are more taxing and burn more calories, which leads to additional weight loss and a higher fitness level.