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Expert Diet Guide
Follow Angela's latest diet guide to help you look and feel fabulous this summer
Slimming for summer - How to get that bikini body in time for your holidays
Everyone looks forward to their annual summer holiday - who wouldn't jump for joy at the prospect of two weeks in the sun? However, one thing that can be a bit daunting is the thought of stripping down to only a bikini in front of all those other people on the beach.
You're bound to feel self-conscious, but it is possible to get rid of a few of those wobbly bits before you jet off without resorting to any kind of crash diet.
If you're going away at the height of summertime, you may already have benefited from the loss of a few of those leftover winter pounds. Warmer weather makes us want to steer away from greasy, stodgy foods in favour of fruit, mousses and other light things, so simply following your instincts might be a good start.
It is important not to start cutting out meals and drastically reducing portion sizes to get slim for summer, as you'll just crave food. Instead, around six weeks before your break, stock up on low-fat snacks such as celery sticks and fruit and eat as much of them as you like when you get peckish, on top of your three square meals per day.
Meanwhile, up your water intake to ensure you are getting the recommended eight glasses a day and cut out alcohol altogether if you can. This will get rid of any weight that is actually retained water due to dehydration and may have the added benefit of reducing cellulite! If you do indulge in a drink or two, make them gin or vodka and tonics to avoid consuming excess calories.
Speaking of those three meals a day, it's a good idea to make them as healthy as you can to see maximum effects. Nutritionist Natalie Avona recommended that you aim for a low-GI, colour-rich, high-fibre diet, which means consuming lots of fruit and veg and swapping white bread and pasta for their brown counterparts. These release energy more slowly, leaving you fuller for longer, as well as containing plenty of fibre because of their wholegrain nature.
You don't have to give up carbohydrates completely, but try and reduce the amount you eat at dinner to prevent them sitting heavily on your stomach - keep things like baked potatoes for lunch and opt for a protein-rich meal such as grilled chicken with vegetables in the evening.
Natalie also recommended checking the amount you eat per meal, as many people give themselves too-large portions without even realising.
"As a useful, rough guide, open your hands together, palms facing up, in front of you - do not eat more food than the total surface area of your hands in one meal," she explained.
Don't forget to ditch all those filler calories either - if you're partial to a cake after every evening meal or a fast food dinner on a Friday after work, try going without for just a few weeks to see what a difference it makes.
You may find it is just habit that makes you eat these things and this could be a really easy way to trim inches off your waistline.
Another good tip is to try making a meal plan for the week ahead each Sunday and then doing a 'big shop' to buy only what you need. This will mean you're less likely to fill your trolley with food you then feel you have to eat and instead have exactly what you require for each individual meal.
Check the internet for varied recipes so you don't get bored too - the supermarket magazine websites often print scores of them featuring foods that are readily available and low in fat so you can compile a list of evening meals and lunches that would be the envy of most restaurants! You’ll also find plenty of low calorie recipes inside the Canderel Kitchen to inspire you!
For instance, how about grilled tuna steak with tomato salsa and green beans one night, followed by poached chicken, peas and broccoli the next? Complement this with things like salad-filled pitta breads and baked potatoes at midday and you'll be well on your way to a slimmer summer.
Finally, there is exercise to think of. You may not be much of a gym bunny usually, but you will have to put in a few weeks' work when it comes to exercise if you want to reap the benefits on your holidays.
Make sure you are getting at least the recommended half an hour a day, preferably including 20 minutes of cardiovascular activity to really get the heart pumping and burning calories. Don't forget, you'll be able to benefit from the lighter evenings to slot in a power walk or even a swim after work, so it shouldn't seem like too much of a sacrifice. Do this for six to eight weeks and you are sure to see a real difference by the time you board the plane.
Although you may want to carry your healthy plan on after your break, you can motivate yourself with a quick reminder that it's only for a few weeks if you're finding it tough. Not only this, but there is also the fact that you could look like a goddess by the time you hit the beach at whatever sun-drenched location you're going to, which might just spur you on!
"Picture yourself on the beach on the first day of your holiday, stripped down to your bikini: you are trimmer, you have a flatter tummy and you are already glowing with health," encouraged Natalie Avona.
If you've got a few weeks to go, why not get cracking on these suggestions - just think of the holiday photos you could be admiring by the time you get back!
