Lose weight in 2012 - find an effective fast diet to get rid of that extra weight and look great.
The Fast and Easy way to lose weight
Fed up of the usual supermarket processed food? Find a Farmers' market in your area.
How many Calories are there in drinks?
Find out how fattening your favourite tipple is.
Is it better to miss out on the profiteroles or the second glass of wine?
Use Fake and Spray Tan to look slimmer
Read our top tips and do's and dont's
When you're on Holiday
Holidays are generally the time when we throw off all restrictions and enjoy ourselves free of work and the constraints of timekeeping.
However none of us wants to return with excess baggage to spend long autumn months trying to lose flab in time for Christmas.
A few small adjustments which you`ll barely notice whilst you're enjoying your week in the sun can make all the difference when you return.
A pint of beer which equals 248 calories can be painlessly replaced by a long, cool Pimms made with yummy fruit and slimline lemonade and save you 100 calories.
Skip chocolate cones and cornets (250 -300 calories) for a fruity water ice in a tube (100 calories) - you'll find they last ages and are much more refreshing in the mid day sun.
Replace a creamy, heavy dessert with juicy pinapple or mouth-watering melon. If you're self-catering try the local supermarket for ready made fruit salad.
Try to fit an extra swim a day in to burn calories before your evening meal.
Replace a meat feast pizza with Margarita style one and creamy carbonera pasta with tomato romano style.
Don't restrict yourself though on holiday or you'll feel resentful and end up bingeing - enjoy your break, only make these slight changes if you don't notice them.
Try new foods and tastes on your hols and come back glowing and rested.
Lose weight fast for your holiday
Even if we don't worry most of the year, we are still all too conscious of how we are going to look on the beach...
Holiday Diet - planning ahead or looking for a last-minute crash diet?
Thinking ahead to the summer holidays? You've landed in the right place to find out how to look good on the beach without crash diets or starving!
If you have even just a few weeks to go before your hols you can still
achieve a slimmer look as long as you are determined.
Combining diet and exercise will speed things up, research proves again
and again that this combination is the key to long-term results. We all
need to incorporate exercise into our daily life - just 30 minutes of
walking is enough to make a difference to your figure and your health.
A popular and effective diet strategy is to restrict your carbohydrate
intake after 6 p.m, eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, and try
to drink at least 2 litres of water during the day (good for your complexion
too), and look forward to your holidays!
Don't starve yourself in a desperate attempt to lose weight, crash diets
are doomed as no one can maintain them and your body will react if it
doesn't get enough energy by slowing down your metabolism.
Golden brown
Treat
yourself to a professionally applied fake tan -
a golden skin can make you feel slimmer and
more glamorous.
It's a much healthier
choice than sunbeds or sunburn which can age and damage your skin.
TIP: If you fake-tan it yourself - exfoliate your body
before.
Moisturise an hour before tanning, paying special attention to elbows,
knees and feet.
Don't forget to wash your hands afterwards, as tanned palms tend to give
it away!
St.Tropez and Piz Buin are both good fake-tan products. Don't forget to
take some with you on holiday to top up.
There are lots of body moisturisers now that have a fake tan product in
them - your skin gets moisturised and also gradually builds up a golden
colour Get a spray tan and look slimmer
Big pants
Bridget Jones knew the secret - there are some brilliant underwear options
that really smooth out your bulges and allow you to wear those gorgeous
silky, summer, cut on the bias dresses and feel confidently great. Tights
and knickers with tummy control panels can flatten your stomach for those
special holiday evenings, so you don't have to hold yourself in all night.
TIP: choose flesh coloured control underwear as it is the most useful
and less obvious.
How to choose the right bikini or swimsuit to flatter your body shape
Most of us don't enjoy swimsuit shopping - the harsh lighting and three-way mirrors in changing rooms can make you feel very exposed when trying on costumes.
Also deciding on what type of the hundreds of swimsuits available looks
best can be difficult, but not if you follow our advice on the basic rules
for your body shape:
Big busted and curvy
Choose a swimsuit with some underwiring to give you
support and enhance your voluptuous bust. Try to choose one with some
structure in the bust, and try to avoid spaghetti straps as wider straps
will be much more comfortable. Swimwear with hidden control panels can
help flatten the tummy and lift the bottom.
If you want a bikini it's a good idea to get a suit where you can buy
the top and bottom sizes separately. Don't buy over-big bottoms though,
in an attempt to tuck everything in, the more fabric you wear on your
bottom the bigger it can look. Bikini bottoms with string side ties are
more adjustable and can help avoid any bulging.
Tankinis (a vest-like top and bikini bottom) are available with built
in support, and can look sporty as well as hiding your midriff. Ruching
on a tankini or swimsuit can help disguise your tummy. A tankini can also
add length to a short torso.
A dark-colored bikini top or swimsuit with vertical stripes can be more
flattering then a bold print. Bikini bottoms with a belt, coloured band
or beading can take attention away from your top.
Avoid strapless bandeau tops, as these squash all but
the smallest busts into an unflattering sausage shape, also keep clear
of tiny, strappy triangular halternecks that offer minimal coverage -
you'll be in danger of falling out! A well structured halterneck with
wide straps can help slim down broad shoulders.
Small busted
Choose swimwear with foam padding, gel-filled cups or under-wiring
in the top as this will help enhance a small bust.
Halter-neck or the itsy bitsy triangular tops still look great (see pic above). Printed tops help maximize a small bust, as do ruffles and frills.
Look for a top with
adjustable straps behind the neck and around your back, this enables you
to tighten and adjust the top so it makes the most of your bust.
Avoid sporting swimsuits with no bust definition, as these flatten
small breasts.
Big hips
Choose a style between a hipster and a high waister
for best effect. Too high-cut briefs will extend the length of your legs,
but can increase the size of your bottom. The most flattering leg height
for most women is about one-inch below their hipbone.
Darker coloured bikini bottoms work well. Focus on your top with a ruffled,
decorated or boldly printed top.
Tie string bikini bottoms that can be adjusted to your hip size can be
more flattering than bikini pants that cut in.
Avoid
boy shorts, ruffled or skimpy bottoms - they will add to your hips. keep
well away from bold prints and horizontal stripes on your bottom half.
Long body
One-piece cut out styles are brilliant for taller bodies –
this effect breaks up the vertical line your body makes.
Athletic figure
If you have a boyish physique then boy shorts
will highlight your toned thighs and a halter neck top (slightly padded)
will show off shapely shoulders, and bring a
feminine touch to those defined muscles.
Cover-ups
If you need more confidence to face the beach this year, try a sarong
- there are some beautiful designs available in all colours, sizes and
textures, from fine sheer to ethnic cotton batik. Remember to tie them
below your belly button to get the most flattering look.
Embroidered and beaded kaftans are also a glamorous cover-up as the sun
gets hotter during the afternoon - don't get them too big, and wearing
a low-slung belt can make them a useful addition to your summer wardrobe
with linen trousers or cut offs.
Why holiday diets fail
The reason that most diets or weight loss programs fail is that the dieter sets too difficult a target. Those flat stomachs and six-packs you see on the TV and in magazines didn't happen overnight...
Don’t try to do too much at once. If you’ve never done a lot of exercise start off slowly and gently with a brisk daily walk rather than straight into a frenetic session at the gym!
The same goes for eating. If you try and reduce your calorific intake too drastically, the odds are that you’ll make yourself so hungry that you’ll crack and make straight for the biscuits or chocolate! Fill up with good foods - fruit, veg and slow release carbohydrates (i.e.granary or wholemeal bread rather than white).
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Stay Healthy on Holiday
It's no good reaching the right weight and then blowing things by getting ill on holiday. Remember to take things easy for the first couple of days in the sun. It's tempting after a year of the gloomy weather at home to lie out in the sun and toast yourself from day one. Bad idea - apart from the risk of sunburn putting a stop to the fun, you'll also run the risk of heat exhaustion straight away and premature skin ageing and skin cancer in the future.
Much better to work
up gradually to a tan - start in the morning before the sun gets too hot
and get into the shade between 11am and 3 pm - you'll feel better for
it.
Emma's
Daily Diet Tip 
If you're eating out and can't bear to miss out on dessert, order one between two of you.
Find your body frame size
When you look
at the recommended weight for your height, the chart usually gives
figures for Small, Medium and Large Frames.
Check yourself to determine which frame size you are:
If you are right-handed extend your left arm..
With your other hand, wrap your thumb and middle finger around the
narrowest point of your extended wrist.
Small Frame: If your middle finger and thumb overlap.
Medium Frame: If your middle finger and thumb touch.
Large
Frame: If your middle finger and thumb can't touch.
This is not absolutely
foolproof as some people
can have very long fingers! But it should give you a good idea of your
frame size.
The days of blaming excess weight on 'big bones' are gone!
Shade Time
Everyone says that you shouldn't drink alcohol in the heat, but if having a drink is an essential part of your holiday then here are a couple of useful pointers:
Don't start too early, it's tempting to keep drinking all afternoon if you've started with a few glasses of wine with the lunchtime paella. You'll be able to party all night if you do what the locals do - find some shade to siesta in for the hottest part of the day.
Drink plenty of soft drinks or bottled water and leave the alcohol 'till after the sun's set.
Don't be tempted by the cheap supermarket vodka or alcopops - those couple of glasses while you're getting ready to go out could mean the difference between a great night and passing out while everyone else is still partying!