• Start by clearing out your cupboards and ditching chocolate, biscuits and treats. Replace them with healthy snacks like nuts and dried fruit and fill your fridge with veggies and fresh fruit.
• You will have to plan your meals a bit more and remember - never let yourself skip breakfast. It gets your metabolism going and it gives you the energy to get through the day.
• If you're trying to lose weight stock up on your carbs earlier in the day with a big bowl of porridge, or fruit. Then for lunch have your brown rice or pasta.
• At dinner cut your carbs back to a smaller portion. Eat more vegetables and salads. It's lighter in your tummy before you go to bed.
• It's tough to avoid alcohol but you can be selective about what you have. Try to avoid too many fizzy drinks. Carbonated drinks will make you feel bloated and heavy.
• People think a glass of wine is quite light but wine and champagne actually have a lot of calories and are very sugary. A vodka, lime and soda would be better. Even if you are doing the detox thing you do need to reward yourself. I'll usually eat healthily all week then on Sunday if I fancy dessert I'll have it.

If you've had a big pig-out don't start beating yourself up. Just get back exercising and you'll soon make up for it.

EXERCISE MADE EASY...

• Get a gym buddy, a friend or relative you can exercise with.
• Take your kids out to throw a ball around. You get quality time, too.
• Take up dance lessons with your partner or go for walks.
• Find different forms of exercise you enjoy and your body will benefit.
• If you're a member of a gym think about getting a personal trainer for a few sessions. Get them to make you a plan and stick to it.
• Invest in new gym kit that'll make you feel good exercising in. If you look and feel good in it you are going to be motivated to get there.
• Update your iPod with new music.
• Do my DVD. It's got fantastic music on and loads of different sections.
• Go for a bike ride.
• Swimming is lovely after a fitness session and if your gym has a steam room use it! It's great for ridding your body of toxins and chilling out after a tough workout!

DEANNE'S BIKINI SHAPE UP SERIES

The exercises I've demonstrated below are really quick and easy to do. The best thing to do is get out of bed and get cracking straight away.

(1) Standing side oblique crunch

(2) Overhead squat

Stand tall looking straight ahead, contracting the tummy, hold on to a light weight or bottle of water extended above your head. Squat and bend at the elbows, taking the weight behind the head, fluidly stand up into starting position. Repeat 15 to 20 times, feeling the triceps and shoulders work, getting a lovely toned butt, thighs and tummy at the same time!

(3) Lunge with twist

A great full-body exercise to strengthen and define your tum. Take a big step into a wide lunge position (keep feet hip-width apart!) With your hands above your head, hold a water bottle and lunge down, keeping the knee behind the toe. At the same time lower the arms. Holding the tummy in tight, rotate the body from 12 o'clock to two, back to 12 and around to 10. Raise out of the lunge, taking arms back above the head. Repeat 10-15 times and change sides. Try three sets on each leg, three times a week.

(4) Squats with weight

Stand tall looking straight ahead, hold a light weight or bottle of water. Squat and lower extended arms. Fluidly stand up and return your extended arms out in front as shown. Do two sets of 15- 20 reps, feeling the arms, bum and thighs work.

(5) Curtsy lunge

Stand tall with your left leg bent behind the right as shown. Press your weight into the right heel and descend into the right leg. Stretch up tall and repeat 15-20 times. Great for the bum. Perform three sets on both sides. Add some pulses while in the curtsy position, too, and you'll feel the burn.

(6) Elbow to knees

Start on all fours, contract the tummy by drawing the navel in towards the spine. Extend opposite leg to arm, stretching out as far as possible. Once you feel confident with this step, try contracting in and aim to touch elbow to knee. Repeat 10-15 times, have a break for one minute, then try a second set. This will help improve your core strength and stability.

(7) Oblique lunge twist

A great way to define your tummy. Start with feet facing straight ahead, take a big step forward, into a nice wide lunge position, hands above your head holding a water bottle. Lunge down (keeping the knee behind the toe). At the same time lower the arms from above your head in front of you. Holding the tummy in tight, rotate the body (from 12 to two o'clock, back to 12 and around to 10 o'clock!) then raise out of lunge taking arms back above the head. Repeat 10-15 times and change sides.

(8) Etended leg, bum squeeze

Lie face up on a mat or a towel, place one foot on the floor, knee pointing up to the ceiling, other leg extended out. Draw navel towards the spine and slowly peel the pelvis off the floor, pressing the supporting heel into the floor and squeezing the glutes (butt muscles).

Slowly lower down from raised position, back on to your mat. Do two sets of 10-15 on both sides and stretch afterwards.

(9) Press up

Place hands on the floor a little wider then shoulder-width apart. Come into a plank position (see right) with elbows extended and make sure the entire body is in a neutral position, with the tummy held in tight. Flexing at the elbows, lower the body, maintaining neutral spine, push back to starting position. Aim for 10-15.

Don't worry if you can't do that many to begin with, you will improve. Press ups are fantastic to lift and tone the chest as well as sculpt the arms, back and tummy.

(10) Plank

Lie on your front on a mat, knees together. Pull tummy in tight. Lift and support the weight of the body on to your bent arms (elbows directly in line with the shoulder). Hold in plank position. To increase the exercise, take the weight from the knees up on to the toes. Hold plank for as long as possible for three sets.

(11) Side plank

Lie on your side, feet and legs together, pull tummy in tight. Lift and support your body on your bent arm (elbow in line with the shoulder). Hold in side plank position. To up the intensity, add a crunch by taking the top arm, placing hand behind the ear and rotate the elbow towards the ground. Hold side plank for as long as possible for three reps on both sides. If you add the crunch, try three sets of 10-15 on each side. Hold the tummy in tight and you'll really feel it!

(12) Tricep dips

Sit with your hands and feet on a mat, knees bent up towards the sky. Take the weight back into your arms, by lifting your hips off the floor. Bending at the elbows, lower the hips down so your bum is about 1cm from the floor, then extend the elbows again. Feel the triceps work! Continue with two sets of 10-15 to give you sexy sculpted arms!

Source: Daily Mirror

Pic: Ariel da Silva Parreira