Get the Perfect Beach Body

Fashion Hub gives you five tips to get the perfect beach body for summer.

With winter well behind us, long afternoons at the beach are calling. Are you ready to peel off those layers and swagger down to the water or has the comfort fairy left a midriff deposit you need to shake?

It’s the ultimate in summer style — an ability to slink into an ocean pool wearing little more than swimming briefs and a satisfied sense of self-confidence. Best of all, such taut physicality is achievable — brought about via a strict equation that grafts dedication to your desire.

Tip One - Cardio

“Shorter, high-intensity, interval cardio sessions are optimal for fat loss,” explains Melony dos Remedios, national health and bodyworks manager at Anytime Fitness Australia. She recommends working at a high intensity for 30 seconds to a minute, recovering for 30-60 secs, and repeating for 25 minutes.

Tip Two - Resistance and Weights Training

“For an upper body like this, you’d need to do a combination of core/abdominal exercises including crunches over the fit ball, cable wood chops, plank holds, hanging leg raises and controlled leg lowering with partner resistance. And with weight training you get more bang for your buck, increasing your metabolism for up to 48 hours after the session.

Tip Three - Diet

Embracing your inner caveman is also key. “Once you have a good base of muscle the rest is all diet. Go crazy with foods that were around 10,000 years ago — vegies and protein. Up to 80 per cent of how you look is what, when and how much you eat. Avoid processed carbohydrates like bread, pasta, cakes, pastries and muffins as carbohydrate molecules bond with water molecules causing water retention and giving you a puffy look. Also stay away from things that have a long shelf life. They contain lots of chemicals and hidden nasties.”

Tip Four - Alcohol Intake

As for a sixpack, avoid the bottled variety if you really want definition. “Alcohol is easily converted into fat, and it impacts your blood sugar, making you crave sugar and fat. It all adds up to a beer gut.”

Tip Five - Body Hair Removal

When the swim trunks return to regular circulation it’s time to turn your attention to body hair. We spoke to Paul Anderson of Sydney spa MANKiND who heats up a fresh pot of wax and explains the male Brazilian.

What’s better — laser or wax?

Lasering is quite commonplace. It’s more expensive at the onset but once you’ve done your course you only have to return every couple of years to get it cleaned up. But waxing is still extremely popular. The most common body part we wax is the back. In the middle of winter we see about 100 guys a month and about 200 a month in summer for a back wax alone.

Is shaving an option?

The benefit of getting waxed is the regrowth. Shaving doesn’t actually make you hairier, but because it cuts the hair off at the thickest part and regrows from that point, you end up looking like you have more hair. Waxing, on the other hand, allows the hair to grow with a tapered end and each individual hair is thinner.

But it really hurts, right?

The pain is variable and depends on which area you’re getting waxed and how often. If you’re getting your back waxed, for example, it doesn’t hurt nearly as much as your chest. I would say the pain at best is like a small elastic band being flicked on your skin. At worst, it’s like a really big elastic band!

How should I prepare?

Freshly showered, clean skin is required. The hair also needs to be at least 6mm in length. If it’s a lot longer, we’ll clipper the area for you to make it as pain-free 
as we can. If possible you should also wear loose fitting, cotton clothing 
to minimise any irritation afterwards.

Do many guys get Brazilians?

Quite a few do. My advice if you are getting a Brazilian is to make sure you get the legs and bum waxed as well. Otherwise it looks like a covert logging operation in the heart of a tropical jungle.

And when should I do it?

You’d need to get waxed about a week before showing off your smooth lines. If it’s your first time, do a patch test with your waxer and see how your skin reacts. Most guys will break out after their first time as their skin isn’t used to it. And breakouts generally look worse than hair.