Get An A-List Body No Matter Your Shape
Oscar stars looked sensational on the red carpet this week, but to get their Hollywood perfect looks, they are likely to have started a health and fitness regime as early as Christmas.
For award-winning looks, actors can spend hours perfecting their appearance in the weeks leading up to the event alone.
As well as working out, many will follow a strictly balanced diet, likely to be low in carbs and high in protein, with trend foods such as quinoa and whole food salads, egg white omelettes and avocado on low GI toast – with many cutting out sugar, caffeine and dairy in the process.
Here are some tips to get red carpet ready by body shape, through exercise alone, from fitness expert Matt Roberts, that will have you looking fabulous in time for summer.
Athletic
like Lupita Nyong’o and Charlize Theron
Ideally, athletic body shapes should avoid training that causes too much muscle growth because it will have the effect of looking too bulky.
Training in the lower rep ranges, while working on your strength levels is most useful with this body shape. Big exercises such as dead lifts (an exercise that works the glutes, hamstrings and core), squats and pull ups can be performed with low rep ranges (under five) no more than four times.
Slender
like Cate Blanchett, Jennifer Lawrence, Emma Watson and Kate Hudson
Slender individuals tend to be quite lean.
Cardiovascular exercise should not necessarily be the main focus of a workout programme because it may result in a bony appearance.
Full body resistance training can develop tone throughout the whole of the body. Due to lower body fat levels, muscle tone will show through effectively so aim for a full body workout two to three times a week.
Petite
like Amy Adams and Isla Fisher
Petite individuals must be careful of overdevelopment because of small frames but must be careful not to lose too much weight. The answer is an exercise that stops bulking but keeps a lean and good posture.
A balanced programme is key, using a full body resistance training, cardiovascular exercise and Pilates, to develop the abdominal area without putting on excessive muscle mass.
Hourglass
Margot Robbie and Sofia Vergara
Accentuating the abdominal area is the key so choosing the right exercises is important. Planks, side planks and ab roller roll outs are a great for toning. They encourage the body to stay strong and toned around the core area and help with good posture.
Apple
like Penelope Cruz
Apple shapes tend to have a rounder upper body with thinner legs. Although apple body shapes are most likely to gain weight from a poor diet, there are plenty of exercises to help tone up. The key here is to reduce abdominal body fat storage, especially by increasing low levels of general activity – walking or swimming.
Full body resistance training is also good – performing squats, lunges and push press (pressing a weight above the head combined with a squat) with reps between 12 and 20. These bigger exercises also elevate the heart rate giving the body’s energy systems a more demanding workout , raising the metabolism so burning off fat more effectively.
Pear
like Christina Hendricks
Removing lower body fat is the principle objective whilst adding shape to the shoulders, to give an hourglass appearance (considered the ‘ideal’ body shape for many people).
Exercises, such as shoulder press, press ups, rear delt flyes (this works the back of the shoulders) and lateral raises (this works the outer part of the shoulders) help develop the shoulder area. Aim to perform ten times for three sets at least twice a week.
High intensity interval training helps remove body fat. Run really fast for 20 seconds and walk or jog for 40 seconds. Try this for ten minutes initially, and increase the total exercise time each week while keeping the same work to rest interval.
Matt Roberts said: “When I work with people who are in the public eye, I am dealing with individuals who find themselves confronted with a double-edged sword. On one hand there is massive motivation to exercise because of the scrutiny to look good. But, on the flip side, any lapses can be punished by a brutal press.”
“Every day there are examples of celebrities being torn to shreds about their shape. Often when confronted with such a scenario, it can serve to focus them on the positives of exercising well and a good diet. After all the ‘red carpet’ moment is a level of attention on a scale unlike almost anything else.”
Matt Roberts has launched a new series of two to seven night fitness retreats in the UK and Europe in luxury destinations, with the first taking place at Babington House from the 11th to the 13th of May.
Each programme has a specific goal: from fat loss or sports performance to fitness conditioning. Cleverly designed healthy menus and collaborations between well-known head chefs and Matt – who is an expert in nutrition – are a highlight of each retreat.
Prices start at £1,000. Visit www.mattroberts.co.uk/retreats for more information.
