BODY COUNTDOWN
Summer holiday crept up on you? Follow these simple tips for a last-minute body boost, however fast bikini-day is looming. By Katy Young.
2 WEEKS TO GO
THE WORKOUT TIP: “If you want a new beach-ready body, 14 days is plenty,” says personal trainer Dalton Wong, “Do at least six sessions a week, with an hour of circuits – including all-over body exercises like lunges, push-ups, and squats – broken up by two minutes of cardio, such as cycling or rowing.” THE DIET TIP: “Eight out of 10 women de-bloat the minute they take gluten out of their diet,” shares nutritionist Oz Garcia. “Swap white pasta, breads, and biscuits for wheat-free grains like brown rice.” Eat more protein like chicken, eggs, and fish “to build lean muscle, stay full, and prevent bloating.” Finally, “triple your vegetables intake to up your metabolism and de-puff the body.” THE PRO TIP: “A probiotic supplement is one of the most effective ways to beat bloating,” says nutritionist Fiona Hunter.
1 WEEK TO GO
THE WORKOUT TIP: “It’s now that you give your regular workout an extra push,” shares Wong, “so add in another 150-minute-interval training session to really burn fat. Something like running for two minutes then walking for one is bang on.”
THE DIET TIP: “Eat five small meals a day to slim the body and boost your energy,” says top model trainer David Kirsch, “but each must include lean protein, good carbs like pulses, and green veg.”
THE PRO TIP: “You want to define muscle rather than get stronger, so focus on muscles that react fastest to exercise,” explains Kirsch. “Do tricep dips for arms, crunches for the stomach, and squats and lunges for the bottom; do 15 repetitions of each exercise.”
10 DAYS TO GO
THE WORKOUT TIP: If you’ve left it till the last minute, sign up for a bootcamp class, hybrid sessions that pack a toning, fat-burning punch into just 30 minutes ( www.bootcampkl.com).
THE DIET TIP: “Up your water intake to reduce water retention,” says Hala El-Shafie, founder of Nutrition Rocks. Boost metabolism by cutting out coffee: “It affects insulin levels so we can’t metabolise food and fats as fast,” she explains. Garcia adds: “That post-coffee crash also causes cravings. I get all my clients to cut it out 10 days before reaching goal weight.”
THE PRO TIP: “If you only do one waist-defining exercise, make it the Pure Barre Pretzel,” says Carrie Rezabek Dorr, founder of US fitness studios Pure Barre, the pre-catwalk go-to for the Victoria’s Secret Angels. “Take a seat on the floor, folding your left leg at a right angle behind you, with the knee in line with the hip. Now rotate the left ankle off the floor and lift, hold for five seconds, and release. Do this 20 times and repeat on the other side.”
5 DAYS TO GO
THE WORKOUT TIP: “Stick to your daily hour-long workout, but couple it with a session of yoga, stretching or Pilates to lengthen out any tight muscles and improve posture so you naturally look slimmer,” says Wong. “Plus you’ll reboot your energy – you don’t want to arrive on holiday broken.”
THE DIET TIP: “Cut out salt: it’s the biggest cause of bloating,” notes Hala. “Combine this with minimising sugar and you’ll see a change in the quality of your skin,” adds fitness expert Nicki Waterman.
THE PRO TIP: “Any body changes now are down to shifting water retention, not getting fitter,” says Andrea Orbeck, A-list personal trainer. “I tell my Victoria’s Secret girls to do exercise that raise the body temperature, to naturally sweat out any fluid retention.”
24 HOUR S TO GO
THE WORKOUT TIP: “Rest. At the most do an hour of stretching, but my advice is to take out tension from muscles with a massage,” says Wong.
THE DIET TIP: Avoid alcohol and salt on the plane: “They’re bloating, and high-pressure cabins mean your body can’t let go of any retention,” warns Garcia. “If you do arrive feeling puff y, head straight to the sauna.”
THE PRO TIP: Stay hydrated by adding Himalayan salts to your drinking water, or bathing in Epsom ones to “really de-puff skin so you can see the new muscle underneath,” suggests Wong.
ON THE BEACH
THE WORKOUT TIP: Harvard University studies show exercise encourages us to eat healthily, so avoid holiday weight gain by doing gentle exercise while you’re there.
THE DIET TIP: Avoid diet drinks: “They’re cooling, but also bloating,” Kirsch points out.
THE PRO TIP: “If you want to manage your weight better, manage your sleep better,” says Garcia, “otherwise you’ll build up the stress hormone cortisol, and that causes weight gain and food cravings.”