Finally, the mags are here!

Woman’s Day, Pg 76 - The Great Bikini Diet

Ah bikinis and their associated diets … what’s not to love? Happily, this one is something you can follow and expect to see results. Teresa Cutter is a name you might have seen in various magazines and newspapers, and she’s designed this eating plan. I’ve always liked her food, it’s easy to prepare, and would taste great - I’ve even cooked a few things from a couple of her articles.

The nutritional advice here is good - ideas on what to buy, how to be a healthy shopper and what to get rid of from your shelves. Also ideas for helping your body burn fuel more efficiently - including the ever popular “add green tea” to your day. My only complaint about the article is in the workout section, it hasn’t included any pictures or photos of the abdominal exercises. It’s really hard to get technique right without visual guidance. Remember, although the headline suggests otherwise, no amount of abdominal exercise will change the way your stomach looks unless you are also eating right, and doing a heap of fat burning cardio. I do like the suggestions for incidental exercise though, so it’s not all bad news. ☆☆☆

Famous, Pg 64 - Body Blitz

More bikini ready tips, with the idea that if you start now, you can make a difference to your body by the time summer comes. Sadly, if you’re starting out now, you’ve left it just a smidge too late, since summer’s less than four weeks away.

This article is a bizarre mix of accurate and fabrication. Great advice about burning fat before you can see your ab muscles, but later it suggests by adding a twist at the top of a crunch you can trim “muffin dough” from your sides. Nuh-uh.

Good advice for working out your butt muscles, and it’s also worth mentioning that a strong butt (or more accurately, glute muscles) can help keep your lower back strong, so don’t just work it for cosmetic value. Again, if you’re looking to lose fat, you need to get your heart rate up - you can’t target an area and just lose fat from that particular place.

Parts of this article need pictures to help explain technique, since the words are slightly misleading. I would also argue it’s nearly impossible to “blitz saggy boobs” by doing any kind of chest exercise. Sure you can tone muscles, but once gravity’s got you, it’s hard to undo. A weird blend of info. ☆☆

Over on page 66, there’s a diet plan for a fab beach body. Good simple advice, but it’s mainly to publicise two diet books. Nothing particularly groundbreaking, but useful nonetheless. Interestingly, there’s an ad for Bailey’s Mint Chocolate and Creme Caramel varieties on the same page, which comes after suggestions for healthy snacking. I’d love to know how it fits into the organic, healthy eating plan they’re pitching! ☆☆ Taking off one star because it’s all about the books.

NW, page 66, The Weight Debate

Great article on the benefits of adding weight training to your fitness regime. Heaps of women still think doing weights will make them bulk up, but having actively tried to add a heap of muscle to my body, I can tell you it’s not true. This article includes five great reasons to add resistance work to your life. If you’re worried about getting big, stick with weights you can lift 15-20 times which will add endurance and make you look great. ☆☆☆☆

OK, Pg 84, 3 Steps to Fab Abs

Celebrity trainer Donna Aston reprises her article from last months In Style magazine. Still good advice, she advocates quality over quantity, doing cardio and changing your diet. ☆☆☆☆

On the same page, Elle McPherson claims Bikram yoga is responsible for toning her body. Mmm, she also runs on the beach - maybe that has a little more to do with it than Bikram … Any weight you lose during a Bikram class will be a heap of sweat (lots and lots of it), and as soon as you drink water again, it all comes back. ☆☆

New Idea, Page 77, The New Water Diet

Slightly mistitled article, which doesn’t suggest only drinking water as a way to lose weight. It suggests that drinking more water can have health benefits and increase your metabolic rate. It also mentions that drinking too much water can be really bad for you. Interesting info. ☆☆☆

Since two of my newsletter tips (drinking more green tea and water) have been reprinted here, I feel quite proud. However I will say I’ve failed miserably at my coffee replacement 8 weeks, but I now have a guinea pig who will be far more dedicated than me, so I’ll let you know how the five kilo weight loss goes!

Today I accidentally bought The English Women’s Weekly, dated 7th November, 2006. It must have got stuck in with my other weeklies, and I didn’t realise until I got home. I was ready to scoff at it for being useless, but on page 6, there is the most fantastic two page exercise article, titled Exercise For Busy People. It has pictures, great advice, and three separate workouts that only take 10 minutes each. Except for two of the pictures (press ups and double crunches), the technique is perfect, great instructions and exercises. I’m forced to eat my mocking words! ☆☆☆☆