Q I have 10 days to get myself bikini-ready for a beach getaway. Is there anything I can do to put my best beach bod forward?
A Dear wannabe beach bunny, Joan Liew, a bodybuilder and personal trainer who co-owns boutique gym Fitness Factory, says you can try to tone up your muscles for better muscle definition.
Exercises to work the upper body muscles include dumbbell shoulder presses and push-ups. To tone up the bum and legs, do squats, leg curls and hip extensions.
If you have access to a gym, you can also do weights exercises including lateral pulldowns and seated cable rows. Exercises to tone the core area and abdominals include various forms of crunches such as Russian twists and Swiss ball crunches. A qualified trainer will be able to guide you through these exercises.
Liew says you should do the core exercises daily and alternate between the upper and lower body workouts every other day.
Do three to four sets of 15 to 20 repetitions per exercise.
Try to stick to a high-protein and low-carbohydrate diet of no less than 1,600 calories daily. This should include low-fat meat like fish and chicken breast and non-processed grains like brown rice. To keep yourself feeling sated, Liew suggests you eat lots of veggies and fruit.
'It would be helpful to avoid alcohol in the last few days leading to the trip to prevent bloating of the tummy,' she adds.
A final tip from Liew: 'Get a tan before going on your getaway. You appear more toned when your skin is darker.'
To protect your skin from too much UV exposure, you can consider getting a spray tan.
Beauty salon Pink Parlour's spray tan ($58 for a 15-minute session) is available in two shades and the colour builds in intensity as you apply more coats.
After all the hard work of prepping yourself, don't forget to schedule a bikini waxing appointment about three days before your trip.
Pink Parlour's Brazilian wax costs $49 while Strip's costs $55.
Now that you're all set, go forth and worship the sun.
This article was first published in Urban, The Straits Times.
