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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...

Planning ahead or looking for a last-minute crash diet?

If you have a few weeks to go before your hols you can still achieve a slimmer look if 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.

Big pants

O.K 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.
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.

If selecting a one-piece swimsuit try to choose one with some structure in the bust, such as foam cups and try to avoid spaghetti straps as wider straps will be much more comfortable.
Tankinis are available with built in support, and these two-piece tank and pants combinations look sporty and fresh.
Ruching on the tank or on one-pieces can help disguise any extra on your tummy.
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!

Small busted

If you choose swimwear with some padding, or under-wiring in the top this will help enhance a small bust. However,
halter-neck or the itsy bitsy triangular tops still look great.
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 busts.

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).

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.

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!

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