The summer hols are looming and soon you’ll be baring your body to the world. After a winter of comfort food, you may need a little toning up. Joy Skipper shows you how, the gentle way.
Toning up your body for the summer does not have to mean tough workout sessions at the gym, or hours spent pounding the pavements. Rather, what can make you feel and look better is a balanced approach of healthy eating, a little regular exercise to keep everything ticking over, plus a few minutes each day pampering your body.
Healthy eating
First and foremost, it is important to keep your blood sugar balanced throughout the day, to prevent your body from getting stressed and using up important nutrients that it needs for other things, such as energy or cell repair. Eating little and often is very important: that means breakfast, lunch and dinner, with mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks. Never skip a meal.
Always include protein with meals and snacks. Eating protein will make you feel more full, so you will be less likely to be tempted to snack on sugary foods. Protein is also needed for repairing the body’s tissues. Good protein sources include eggs, fish, chicken, meat, pulses, lentils and tofu.
A healthy eating plan should not cut out fats. Including the right kinds and correct amounts of fat in your diet should ensure that your skin looks healthy, your brain stays alert and nutrients are getting to your cells. Cell membranes are thought to be kept healthy by omega-3 and omega-6 essential fats. The best sources of essential fats are: oily fish (such as salmon, mackerel and herring), avocados, nuts and seeds (such as pumpkin and sunflower seeds).
Other nutrients that are thought to be important for skin health include vitamins A, C and E, and the minerals selenium and zinc. They can have antioxidant effects, and antioxidants are believed by some nutritionists to ‘mop up’ the free radicals that are the body’s ‘exhaust fumes’. A car, for example, burns fuel with oxygen to create energy, and gives off exhaust fumes as a by-product. The human body combines oxygen with the glucose in cells to make energy. Our exhaust fumes are free radicals, and though they are necessary for life, some of them can cause damage in the body. The best sources of antioxidants include colourful fruit and veg: blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and red peppers and yellow peppers. Eat as many brightly coloured fruits and vegetables as you can each day.
Finally, water is essential for maintaining health. The human body is nearly two-thirds water and each day we lose 2.8 litres, so it is important to drink water. Although we get a lot of water from our food, the average intake should be 1.5 litres, according to a recent issue of the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Skin tone
Physical exercise strengthens the heart, improves cardiovascular health, increases muscle strength and tones the body. The increase in circulation from exercise can also aid cell renewal, giving your skin a healthy glow. Try to exercise for 20 minutes at least three times a week – and make it an activity you enjoy, so that you don’t give up.