swimsuit shopping

Now is about that time that we girls start freaking out about white and lumpy legs, exercise to tone up for summer and the dreaded swimsuit shopping trip! Help is at hand....

With my desk overflowing with all sorts of self tanners and cellulite creams, I thought it was a great time to talk about swimsuit shopping and how to prepare your body and your mind for it. If you are secretly panicking about summer and baring your body, start doing something now, yes today! I swear by Pilates for a quick tone up, classes are great (but expensive) I prefer to do it myself at home. The best Pilates program I have found is The Pilates Body by Brooke Siler, this the original, old school-type Pilates. Stick to it for 20 mins every second day-IT WORKS. Read the book from cover to cover and understand before you start this program.

Never, ever go and try on swimsuits without preparing your body for it. Scrub your skin down with a handful of The Body Shop's lush Pink Grapefruit scrub, then apply a self-tanner. This summer I like Johnson & Johnson's Holiday Skin and Hawaiian Tropic's Island Glow. These are body lotions with built in colour and are fool-proof because they slowly build up the colour, instead of leaving you a scary shade of orange in a couple of hours - they are great for first timers! Smooth a thin layer over your legs, bottom and don't forget your feet and ankles and yes, wash your hands!

I think cellulite creams do make a difference, even if it is just the massage part that breaks down these pesky fat deposits. Try The Body Shop's new Body Focus Cellulite Serum with mint, caffeine and vitamin C, it tones and smoothes problem areas - read - thighs! Or LO'real's Perfect Slim Pro Massage wand, this looks like a torture instrument, but has a massager on one end and active gel in the other. The massage helps stimulate the area and encourage tissue drainage and the gel tightens and firms. Start with these products now, they need a couple of months of use to really do their thing.

Now, we are ready to hit the shops! My fav place in Auckland is Blue Dude on Durham Lane, they have been around since 1975 and are super-knowledgeable. They also have HEAPS of styles to choose from....this summer I am intent on a one piece, but if you are looking for a bikini, Blue Dude sell lots of separates, so you really can get the right fit all over. Choose about ten suits and take them into the changing room, also beforehand discuss your body concerns with the staff and they will steer you in the right direction of styles that will suit you. If those first ten suits are no good, keep trying on more, trust me you will find one that looks great on you.

Now stick to the regular exercise, slather on those creams and don't forget sunscreen as well - my new favourite is Neutrogena's Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sun block SPF 70 and when the time comes to hit the beach, you'll be ready!