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Want to look hot on your next holiday? Check out these tips which promise to turn up the temperature by beating the bloat, burning the fat, and giving you a wonderfully healthy glow (without a fad diet in sight)!
1. Hydrate at the right time – Drinking your water between meals will make your digestion more effective. As well as making you feel good on the inside, effective elimination could in turn lead to clearer skin! Experts advise to drink a glass of water no less than 15 minutes before a meal and no sooner than an hour after eating.
2. Savour your food on a smaller plate – Choosing a smaller plate means you are less likely to serve up a huge portion, but be mindful that you should eat slowly too. It takes about 20 minutes for your tummy to get the signal it is full. If you finish your meal before then, you are likely to head for seconds you really don’t need.
3. Keep caffeine as a morning treat – Indulging in caffeinated drinks later in the day can impact on your ability to get a good night’s kip. In fact, one study showed that consuming caffeine 6 hours before bedtime reduced sleep time by 1 hour! Ideally, stick to the morning, but definitely no later than 4pm if you want a fresh glowing look for your holiday.
4. Get on the mat – The yoga mat that is. Yoga isn’t just about exercise, it is a combination of breathing techniques (Pranayama), meditation, and movement (Asana). Practiced regularly this combination will promote relaxation, reduce stress, improve digestion, and give greater physical and mental strength. The result will be more energy, and a natural radiance from within!
5. No raw after 4 – As with caffeine, the advice is that raw food should not be consumed after 4pm. This is because the uncooked cellulose in raw foods is harder to digest, especially when your metabolism is starting to wind down ready for rest, which ups the chances of bloating after eating your dinner-time salad.
6. Let go of excess baggage – No, we aren’t talking about hand luggage! Believe it or not swelling and bloating could be down to negative emotions connected to stressful events in your life that you have not yet let go of. Systems such as DTO can release the negative feelings, and the body naturally changes as a result.
7. Take three 10 minute walks a day – Apparently a brisk 10 minute walk that gets your blood pumping taken three times a day is better for you than trying to hit your daily 10,000 steps. The key is to ensure you get a bit out of breath.
8. Eat the rainbow – This is not permission to stuff your face with Skittles! While we don’t want to encourage fad diets, healthy eating is a must. One easy and fun way is to aim to create a rainbow of different coloured foods on your plate. At the very least it means you’ll be avoiding beige dinners, synonymous with an unhealthy diet!
9. Pamper yourself! – Body brushing, face packs, hair masks, nail oil, manicure, pedicure… the list could go on indefinitely! Make sure that every inch of your wonderful self is treated to a pampering in the lead up to your holiday. Start at least a month before you go for the best results!
10. Make time for a massage – There aren’t many activities that can improve your health while you literally lie down and do nothing! As well as having all the benefits of relaxation, a massage can boost the immune system, and make the body more effective at getting rid of toxins by increasing circulation.
11. Catch some Zs – Sleep, or lack of it, is top of the list for bad skin, sluggish digestion, and increased stress, so if you want to look good you HAVE to get your rest! A top tip for a good night’s slumber is: NO screen time for an hour before bed, in fact no screen at all near you – this is because the blue light interferes with the production of melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone.
Disclaimer: These tips may not be suitable for you! Please seek advice from your GP before making changes to your diet, wellness, or exercise routine if you think it is necessary, or if you have a pre-existing medical condition.