While working towards that perfect summer body and trying to get rid of the extra pounds put on during the winter, are you also suffering from a bad case of winter's pasty skin? Are you afraid that the first day in a swimsuit you will blind everyone with your washed out complexion? Or have you not even thought about your spring appearance yet and have no idea how to start?

You could always go by Jersey Shore's Mike, Vinny and Pauly's solution to pretty much everything: "GTL" (gym, tanning and laundry) — heavy on the "T" — but there are tons of ways to give your skin a healthy glow before the time to hit the beaches actually arrives, without the use of harmful tanning beds.

Many people think that tanning beds are the quickest way to getting that healthy-looking glow, but they are wrong. Tanning beds not only take longer to get a "natural" looking tan, they can also be quite pricey, not just in monetary value but also the toll it takes on your health. People think that just because most tanning beds now use UVA radiation, it is less harmful, but these tanning beds still have some extreme health risks associated with them. Wrinkles, age spots, damaged blood vessels, photosensitivity and skin cancer are just a few health-related problems that are linked to tanning beds.

One way to give your face and neck a healthy glow that will allow you to ease your way into a full tan is to use a bronzing powder. Even though most men don't wear makeup (or don't want to admit to wearing makeup), the perfect bronzer is completely undetectable if applied right. Bronzers from Smashbox or Lise Watier work the best and have no glitter or sparkles; any bronzers that have glitter or sparkles are easily noticed, as you will shine like a disco ball once you step into sunlight.

Another way to add a tan to your body is by using airbrush or spray can tan, which will darken your skin immediately. This is the least practical method to getting a tan because it is the hardest to apply evenly and make it look natural. If you apply the spray tan for a little bit longer on one part of your body than another, it becomes very noticeable. Also, spray tans are usually not waterproof and tend to have that orange Oompa-Loompa look to them.

The most effective method to getting a pre-spring tan is using a sunless tanning gel, lotion or cream. These are very easy to apply, are very affordable and usually darken the skin gradually so it looks very natural. The only caution to using these products is not to overuse them: applying sunless tanning lotions every single day will turn your pasty skin to a pylon orange in no time.