AN INJECTION OF ETERNAL YOUTH AND HALF A STONE LIGHTER
Poster: Nicki Waterman 04/01/2006
If you worry the healthy resolutions you make this month will soon wear off, plan ahead! Ageing and getting fatter is like paying taxes - clever people know how to avoid it! That's why I'm letting you in on my little secret and telling you all about Dr Walli at the La Prairie Clinic in Switzerland. Pure heavenMy peek into the world of five-star pampering at Clinique La Prairie proves a real eye-opener. For one, I am astounded by the number of doctors, surgeons, physical trainers, dieticians and beauticians on hand to ensure that the week or more spent at the clinic is a time of renewal. After a thorough medical check-up, clients can indulge in a package of their choice: there is the skin pampering programme, which includes lymphatic drainage, body peel, intensive facial care and something called cellu-M6. Alternatively they can opt for a more stringent programme at the Beauty-Med centre, which offers laser and botox treatment against wrinkles, as well as plastic surgery. RevitalisationFor those who need a little extra help to feel and look younger, the Clinique La Prairie Extract is a cellular therapy that claims to reverse the effects of ageing. Celebrities come from all around the world to receive the treatment at the Montreux centre - I've been told Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo were both former inmates. Gourmet-styleOver a calorie-controlled three-course meal of lobster terrine, grilled filet of char and tiramisu, Dr Walli espouses the virtues of detoxing and de-stressing from young adulthood. However, he is horrified at the number of young women who completely overhaul their look - distorting their "real" selves. While plastic surgery and revitalisation treatment may not be on my agenda just yet, I reassure him before leaving that I can certainly swallow the luxurious food served up, the plethora of pampering sessions on offer, and the beautiful surroundings of Montreux. The Clinique La Prairie price tag, though, definitely IS difficult to digest. A week's worth of attention and fitness starts at approximately €10,000. More information: Tel. (00 41) 21 989 3311 or www.laprairie.ch CREDIT: One 50g bag of peanuts (288 cals) = DEBIT: 60 minutes horse-riding HURRAH FOR TONING TRAINERSThe biggest fitness craze last year was the stomach and bottom-toning Masai Barefoot Trainer (MBT) which Jemima Khan wears. Now, the new Chung Shi Trainer goes one step further. Not only does it work muscles harder so you burn more calories, it gives you a foot massage at the same time, thanks to an airbag in the sole. It also stimulates circulation, which can help to reduce cellulite: £125 at
www.fitnessfootwear.com FORGET FAST FIXESDrastic dieting can lower the number of calories we burn by 750 a day. Stick to sensible weight-loss plans that don't reduce your daily calorie intake by more than 500 to avoid this dip. DID YOU KNOW?Having a regular coffee in place of a latte saves 250 calories. CELEBRITY FITNESS TIPMadonna: how she got the body of a 20-year-old at 47!
Madonna has recently stunned fans with a new "bionic body" that would be the envy of women half her age. "You can have the body of a 20-year-old, but you have to do the work yourself. Everyone can do it - you just have to want to," she says. But it does come at a price. As well as time, money and effort, it demands 100 per cent commitment and can only be achieved by those few women who've been at the peak of physical fitness for most of their lives.
Madonna's regime involves at least three hours' exercise a day, starting with Ashtanga yoga at her home gym. This is followed by a macrobiotic vegetable soup for breakfast, and a juice made from fresh, seasonal organic vegetables. Before lunch she goes to Pilates. Lunch is Japanese-style steamed vegetables, tofu, pulses, lentils and beans. Madonna alternates her third exercise session between karate, swimming, pumping iron, running, cycling and horse-riding, which she says tones her thighs. In her office she has a Stairmaster, which she often uses while she takes calls. And, at least once a fortnight, she's strapped into a Gyrotonic Expansion Rack, a machine that stretches and tones smaller, less frequently used muscles. WHAT'S IN POMEGREAT - This mixture of pomegranate juice, fruit and vitamins lowers cholesterol and its antioxidants banish cellulite too; 44 calories per 100ml (
www.pomegreat.com). SAUERKRAUT - Heidi Klum's favourite. It's low in calories, fat-free and scientists now tell us it is packed with cancer-fighting antioxidants. ALMONDS - Just two handfuls of these a day can lead to weight loss when eaten instead of your usual junky snacks. HOOP-HOP - a funky hula workout. Ten minutes burns as many calories as an eight-minute mile (
www.kidtribe.com). DARK CHOCOLATE - Go for 70 per cent cocoa and let a square melt under your tongue for an intense hit. But don't eat the whole bar. WHAT'S OUT FRUIT DRINKS - Unlike pure fruit juice, drinks are a mix of sugar, water, flavourings and colours. BRATWURST - The German name for hot dog. With 500 calories and 28g of fat, they are not on my menu. YOGHURT-COATED NUTS AND RAISINS - at 644 calories and 48g fat per 100g, they are worse than chocolate. PILATES FOR FAT BURNING - Just 275 calories per hour compared with 1,000 calories jogging. GUYLIAN LOW CARB MILK CHOCOLATE BAR - Low carb doesn't mean low calorie - it still has 464 calories per 100g.
