Cheat Your Way to Tip-Top Shape

How to Cheat Your Way to Tip-Top Shape

Fear not! As SKIN worked with the experts to slash the frills down to golden essentials, so that you get most out of your time and effort with these quick bluffs.

GET FIT: 30 MINUTES WORKOUT EVERYDAY

WALK WHENEVER, WHEREVER: This low-impact workout is ideal for any fitness levels and for the time-strapped, since you can work it into your usual activities. Whether it’s a brisk walk (instead of driving) two blocks to lunch or volunteering to walk the dog, the idea is to squeeze in as much walking as you can, as it all adds up.
“A 10-minute walk around the office building is not only a good way to ease you into a more active lifestyle, it’s a proven way to beat the post-lunch afternoon slump and also to get your blood flow going to get you glowing,” says Dr Elson Chee, Aesthetics Doctor and avid runner.
Once you get the swing of things after a week, push yourself a little further by challenging the vertical. Clocking 30 minutes of eccentric exercise (like walking down the stairs or a downhill slope) is comparable to 300 minutes of aerobic or strength training, says study. It will help you burn more fat, lower cholesterol and rev up your metabolism even at rest.

GET SLIM: AVOID SUGARS LIKE A PLAGUE
                                                                                                                                        SATISFY YOUR SWEET TOOTH AT BREAKFAST:
It sounds almost too good to be true, but eating your dessert at breakfast may boost weight loss!
DESSERTS is the reverse of STRESSED. Take it A.M and control your portions for a happy brain and waistline!
Researchers from Tel Aviv University recently reported that non-diabetic weight-watchers on a low calorie (1400 cal) diet who ate a small portion of dessert with breakfast (chocolate, cookies or cake, for instance) had a larger reduction in levels of the hunger-triggering hormone ghrelin. The A.M sugar rush helped dieters curb their cravings for sinful items for the rest of the day, as well as to maintain their weight reduction for longer.
Before you reach for those donuts, be warned: “Desserts are often also trigger foods for many people facing weight issues – if they have one dessert, they want another. So the key here is still portion control,” says the nutritionist, Janet Fusco.

GET WELL: AT LEAST FOUR SERVINGS FRUITS & VEGGIES DAILY
                                                                                                                                         SUPPLEMENT YOUR DIET:
Vitamin pills are not meant to replace whole fruits and greens. But taking a well-rounded supplement with multivits and minerals, together with whole foods is the next best thing to do in the situation where you might not be able to take enough fresh produce (eg. work environment, or you just hate veggies like poison).
“Go for dietary supplements with a mixture of berries and greens as they’re packed with phytonutrients and antioxidants to boost your immunity and fight the ageing process of your body system and skin,” says Janet. She cautions against taking multiple brands of supplements all at once, as there might be overlapping contents which can cause a potentially dangerous overdosage of certain vitamins.
Also try to make every bit of fresh produce you take in count – go for a variety of brightly-coloured ones in season, as they are generally antioxidant-dense. “Not only are the nutrients from whole foods better absorbed in general, the fibre they provide reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. Fibre also quells your hunger pangs for longer and prevents you from overeating.” So when you’re feeling peckish, snack on a juicy, fibre-rich fruit – eating your water is a clever way to top up your hydration level too.

GET GLOWING: SIX TO EIGHT-STEP SKINCARE REGIMES
                                                                                                                                   STREAMLINE YOUR REGIME WITH PERFECT PAIR-UPS & MULTI-TASKERS:
Bear in mind your 4 goals of skincare – Purify, Treat, Hydrate and Protect – as you fit suitable products in, according to your skin type and concerns.

“Focus your A.M. routine on protection, starting with a gentle cleanser in a formulation that suits your skin. An antioxidant or Vitamin C serum is your sunblock’s good buddy as it bolsters skin’s UV resistance, and has both brightening and anti-ageing benefits too,” says Dr Chee. “If you have combination to oily skin, a multi-tasking antioxidant serum that also provides light hydration may suffice, so you can skip moisturiser and jump straight to sunblock.”
Dr Chee recommends that you treat your main skin issue at night. Select products with active ingredients to target your primary concern: A peptide cream if you’re noticing fine lines; a retinoid if you’re talking about wrinkles and uneven skin tone, especially if you’re also oily or clog-prone; try a salicylic acid treatment product if clogs, pores and oil-slick bother you most; look for hydrating products with anti-inflammatory contents like feverfew if sensitivity and redness plague you.
“When in doubt, consult your skin doctor. It’s the right combination that usually does the magic. Conversely, wrong product pair-ups can end up quite disastrous, like bad marriage.” For instance, adding AHAs to your retinoids may cause dryness, redness and irritation as both exfoliate. Combining Vitamin C may reduce the efficacy of copper peptides, rendering your anti-ageing efforts ineffective.

GET SMOOTH: 15 MINUTES DEEP MASSAGE WITH CELLULITE CREAM DAILY + REGULAR SWEAT-OUTS

                                                                                                                                             FAST TRACK TO A FABULOUS BODY WITH PROVEN TREATMENTS:

The hard truth is that even skinny girls have cellulite. Plus it tends to be relatively resistant and progressive in most cases. “The unsightly dimpling is like the stuffing in a mattress poking through the framework,” explains Dr Chee.”Your protruding superficial fat tissue are the stuffing, and the stiffened and weakened skin connective tissue is the framework.”
Genetics, poor blood circulation, toxin build-up, skin thinning and laxity with age, and weight gain are the major culprits. “Radiofrequency treatments like Thermage for Body or Acoustic Wave Therapy are clinically-proven short-cuts to bust cellulite by improving blood circulation, draining toxins and revving up collagen regeneration in the overlying skin.” Thermage is also a top-of-the-line skin firming and stretch marks smoothing wonder to help you score a prettier and perkier bottom in a single treatment session!
Maintain the results with Farmacell Classic Milk Shorts with skin-bettering ingredients laced natural microfibres for an all-day detoxifying and moisturizing massage. Sit tight, desk jockeys.

- By Alexia Wilson