Bikini body: how to make a big difference fast

Summer holidays are looming and if the thought of wearing a bikini is putting you off booking your getaway, you’re not alone.

To give us a helping hand, we asked celeb trainer and Dukan Diet adviser, Nicki Waterman, how to make an impact to lose weight, tone up and get fit double-quick, before we’re back in woolly jumpers again.

“Getting your body ready for bikini season in eight weeks will take some hard work and dedication,” Nicki reminds us. “But it is possible and it doesn't have to be torture.”

[It's all in the head: staying positive to lose weight]
[Pilates - better than yoga?]

The eight-week bikini body plan

Nicki tells us how:

Reduce your consumption – but that doesn’t mean counting calories. This is extremely important if you are trying to lose weight. Remember that exercise alone will not make you lose weight; you will absolutely have to change your diet.

Drink at least eight glasses of water every day. Not only will water improve your skin's appearance, it will also help keep you full in between meals. It is also incredibly important when having a protein rich diet.

Reduce your sugar consumption. Read food labels and beware of hidden sugars in dressings, sauces, and breads.

Try to stay away from alcohol. If you do drink, opt for wine rather than sugary cocktails or carb-heavy beers.

Do 30 minutes of cardio 3-5 times a week. Examples include walking, running, jogging, cycling, swimming, and/or power-walking. Exercises like these improve your cardiovascular health and increase your metabolism, even after you have finished exercising.

Choose an exercise that you enjoy. This way you are more likely to stick with it.

Join an exercise class or gym. If you are having trouble staying motivated on your own, being around other people might help. Plus, if you are paying for a gym membership, you will likely feel obligated more to exercise.

Do yoga, pilates, or other total-body toning exercises. These are especially useful for women who want to achieve long, lean muscles without looking "bulky." They also improve flexibility, posture, and mood.

[Five short, intense lunchtime exercises]
[10 fat-blasting exercises]

Lifestyle changes are key

If you can't find the time to do a formal exercise, Nicki recommends making simple changes to make your daily routine more active.

        1.) Park further away from your destination and walk.
        2.) Walk around the local shopping centre or your local park for a few hours.
        3.) Clean the house or do other errands that require you to be on your feet.

Exercises for change

To make a bigger difference to your size and shape you need to be doing a minimum of 20-30 minutes of harder exercise, three to five times a week. Whilst longer workouts are fabulous, when it comes to getting fitter and seeing results…shorter, more frequent exercise is a big winner, simply because you are more likely to stick to it.

Try interval training. Just 10 minutes will burn up to 300 calories and get you fit quick! Warm up then do two mins as hard as you can, followed by two minutes easy and repeat, do the same for one and a half minutes, then the same for one minute and cool down!

To work your arms…
Lift weights. For toned arms without bulk, do 15 – 20 repetitions every other day with a light weight. For bulkier arms, do fewer repetitions (eight – 10 reps every other day) with a heavier weight.
Do push ups. For a modified version, keep your knees on the ground. Do three sets of 20 repetitions every other day.

To Strengthen and tone your legs…
Do squats. These will also help tone up your butt! Do three sets of 15 reps

Do lunges. Hold a dumbbell in each hand for extra weight. Do three sets of 15 reps
Use a stationary bike or elliptical on high resistance.

To tone your abs…
Hold a plank for as long as you can (start for 20 seconds building up to one minute every day). Be sure you keep your body straight; don't your hips sag.

Keep Motivated
Keep a food and/or exercise diary. People who keep track of what they eat tend to lose more weight than those who don't. Be sure to read food labels and include toppings, dressings, and sauces when calculating your caloric intake.

Exercise with other people
This will keep you both entertained and motivated during your workout. Find a friend or family member to run, jog, or walk with you. Join an exercise class at your gym if you are a member or consider getting a personal trainer.

Finding a weight loss buddy means you can help keep each other motivated when motivation levels are low, and even compete with one another as an extra incentive.

Getting the diet/exercise balance right

Nicki explains that getting both these elements right is key to losing weight and getting healthy.

“Getting regular exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. It keeps your metabolism going as you seek to reduce your food intake. It may be quicker to reduce the amount you eat to lose weight, but if you are continually cutting down without keeping your metabolism ramped up the weight will stick around longer.

“Ultimately this means that if you want to lose weight it is quicker to change your diet, but if you want to maintain your new healthy weight you need to exercise. This is why we hear over and over the ‘diet and exercise, diet and exercise’ mantra. They are both necessary for being healthy.

“What you need to focus on is making small changes every day that you can maintain.”

Start somewhere, enjoy the results of your efforts and move forward into more changes that will lead you to a new, healthy life!

For more information on the diet or to create your free personal weight-loss plan please visit www.dukandiet.co.uk. The Dukan Diet food products are available to buy online or at Holland & Barrett stores.