Fitness, Personal Training, Weight Loss, Workout
Whether you want to banish the bulge, exercise the arms or disguise those areas you would rather people didn’t see, we have the solution.
Banish: Cosmetic Doctor – Dr Dennis Wolf from The Private Clinic
Disguise: Celebrity Fashion Stylist – Angie Smith
Exercise: Personal Trainer – Laura Marin
Banish: ‘Stretch marks and cellulite can make women more conscious about their thighs but thanks to high tech treatments they can be tackled permanently. Carboxytherapy uses carbon dioxide to ‘trick’ the body into improving the blood circulation which improves both cellulite and scars. Velashape also tackles cellulite, it combines combines radio frequency, infra-red, vacuum and mechanical massage and has a firming effect as well. Vaser for bulk reduction and contouring.
Disguise: ‘Dark colours and fabrics with a decent weight will keep this problem area in check, avoid lightweight denim or flimsy fabrics as this will only draw attention to the problem area.
Exercise: ‘I suggest a combination of cardio – for example: running, rowing, cross training, cycling and weight training. Pilates is also a great technique to give that long and lean muscle look. Calisthenics like lunges, walking lunges, air squats, sumo squats and plié squats are all great to trim the thighs and if you really want fast results plyometrics is the answer: this is an explosive movement from a static position.’
Banish: ‘We can now enhance breast shape and size without resorting to implant surgery by using a technique known as fat transfer. It’s a two-in-one treatment that removes unwanted fat from one area of the body and, after it’s carefully processed, it is re-injected into the breast area to increase fullness and improve the shape. It’s a walk-in/walk-out day case procedure and is becoming a very popular choice for anyone who wants a more fullness, volume which still retains a natural look and feel.’
Disguise: ‘Lucky you! Make the most of your assets with plunging necklines and backless looks for evening. Wear tops and jackets that are fitted and celebrate your shape, you can wear textured fabrics to add curves.’
Exercise: ‘My secret is to look at your posture and ask are you hiding your breasts? Work on your rhomboid muscles – at both sides of the spine in the middle of your back – and the back of your shoulders. A lifted and opened chest which uses the back muscles gives the instant effect of bigger breasts.’
Banish: ‘A lot of women find it hard to shift the ‘spare tyre’ around the waist, hormones mean that this area is prone to fat deposits. We can remove fat using Vaser lipo techniques and then if there is lax skin, a tightening radio frequency treatment such as Thermage CPT would result in a taut, flat tummy. Lots of women report that having a treatment like this is the trigger for a healthier lifestyle and a real confidence booster.’
Disguise: ‘Wear fabrics that skim and don’t cling. Forget belts and if you are wearing a dress make sure it goes in at your waist’s smaller point which for most women this is under the bust.’
Exercise: ‘My super-secret is to go for a walk (not run) as soon as you get up in the morning. Because you have not eaten for 7 or 8 hours whilst you were asleep the body doesn’t have any glucose to burn as energy and it will have to burn fat, exactly what you need to shift a spare tire. Start with 15 to 20 minutes and build it up to 45 as you should be eating your breakfast within an hour from your wake up time.’
Banish: ‘Fat pockets on the hips often remain, even with a strict exercise routine. Vaser or microcanula liposuction can quickly slim down this area. Vaser is less invasive, tightens the skin more than traditional liposuction and requires little time away from work.’
Disguise: ‘High waisted jeans and trousers are a must and will smooth out your un-wanted bulges. Stick to dark colours on your larger areas and avoid textures fabrics. The best dress shape for this area is one that fits just under your bust and flares out or a 50’s style shape.’
Exercise: ‘For the hips all bodyweight exercises: lunges, squats, side step ups, burpees and kicks are effective. Plus of course all the Pilates side work repertoire: single leg lifts, double leg lifts and single leg circles. Standing side leg rises lowering the leg to squat and to lift the leg from the bottom of the squat is my favourite move. Jumps and plyometrics are a fast way to change your look.’
Banish: ‘Varicose veins spoil even shapely legs. Caused by weak vein valves, varicose veins can be uncomfortable but a new treatment – Endovenous Laser Ablation is a minimally invasive varicose vein treatment that is worth researching. It’s performed with a local anesthetic so is faster and easier than traditional vein surgery.’
Disguise: ‘A skinny flared trouser will completely conceal this problem! If you want to wear a dress or skirt then make sure the hemline stops at the narrowest part of your leg, to further lengthen your legs add a heels in a colour that is the closest match to your skin tone.’
Exercise: ‘The key is to make calves look as long as possible and to work on the entire leg, not just the calves. If they are chunky it means you may have fat there or big muscle fibres both cases are genetic, you may still modify the shape through low intensity cardio, running, rowing etc.’
‘Avoid high heels as they might get bigger due to the constant isometric contraction and what I do religiously every day is stretch them and it feels very good. Place your feet at the end of a step on the stairs and drop one heel maintaining the knee stretch, hold for a minute then do the other side. Repeat three times.’
Banish: ‘As we age, skin tone in this area can become lax and saggy, Thermage CPT can help tighten this up and if there is excess fat in this area, Vaser would be the gold standard treatment to get a fast result. Remember that you need to wear a compression garment for a few weeks after treatment but there is very little down-time and patients can return to work after a day’s rest and recuperation.’
Exercise: ‘Tightening the triceps requires persistence and time and can be done with the following exercises: dips on bars, on the bench, L-sits, triceps push ups, tricep pull down or kickbacks. At home, sit on the end of a chair and place your hands under your sit (Anatomically part of your pelvis (the ischial tuberosity, to be exact), the sit bones are quite literally the bones under the flesh of the butt that you sit on) bones, move your bum off the seat and maintain straight legs, bend the elbows and keep them close to your back and aim for the coccyx to reach the floor in a vertical line. Repeat for as many times as you can and perform at least 3 sets.’
Disguise: ‘Cover them up and no one will be any the wiser, a 3/4 length sleeve is so chic and perfect for masking ‘bingo arms’. Also invest in fine knit cardigans and jackets to wear over dresses for summer if you can’t find options with sleeves then always remember the darker the fabric the smaller it will make the area appear.’
Banish: ‘Bottoms are back in fashion, thanks to J-lo and Kim Kardashian. Think about shape, not size, and shape perfecting treatments include using Macrolane or Fat Transfer to enhance the area and balancing that out by shaping the lower back with Vaser.’
Exercise: ‘My secrets for pert bum is rowing with maximum power, push back on the feet and transfer all the power to the arm pull, tighten your tummy and straight back , it’s very demanding but effective.
‘Single leg dead lifts: stand on one leg and start folding at the hip till you reach the floor – you can do this with or without weights. Maintain this flat back position – sticking the bum out and the entire body weight should be on your heels.’
Disguise: ‘Either embrace your curves with fitted, dark coloured clothing in heavy weight fabrics or choose shapes that conceal this area – a 50’s style dress or an A’ line 60’s style dress will do just that.’
