Summer is coming: Ladies - Move it if you want to lose it

It may not have slipped your notice, but summer is well on the way. If you've been hiding under layers of baggy clothes during the cooler months to disguise the fact that you are out of shape or carrying a bit of weight, you are not alone.

Spring is usually the time when we ladies are more likely to ditch the trousers and go for the shorter skirts and wear those unsupported sandals we had tucked away in the back of the cupboard. The problem of course is that if your legs haven't seen sun in months they're going to look VERY white. Add in a little bit of extra padding and shorter length skirts and you get the cottage cheese leg look, which you have to admit is not very attractive.

But what can you do - apart from ditch the skirts and head straight back to the tailored trousers? Well there are several options, some of them are real "cheats" but can work if you are desperate, but if you want fabulous legs, then you do need to exercise and watch your diet... sorry.

OK I promised you a couple of cheats first:

1. Stockings or tights. Believe it or not, they even out the odd discoloration in your legs such as spider veins and the very white skin you can see everywhere at the moment. Hint, go for sheer hosiery rather than opaque, and go for sheen rather than matt. The higher and tighter the skirt, the more this becomes important.
2. Fake tans. Yes I did say fake tan. If you don't like to wear the hosiery, opt for colour instead. It can work wonderfully well and if you have an all over tanning session those short sleeves and strappy tops we like to wear during the summer months won't look too bad.

But what about longer term options?

Well to get great legs you do need to increase your overall exercise levels and especially body weight exercises at a minimum - think lunges and squats here. You should also look at your diet and how much you are eating / consuming and how much exercise (including incidental exercise) you are doing. If you sit down a lot all day then you are going to have to work out how best you can fit in exercise during your working week.

Of course you can take advantage of the glorious weather and get outside and walk. Not only are you stimulating the muscles in the legs (which are the body's fat burning engine) but you also expose them to some wonderful sunshine too.

We have about 6 weeks before the party season starts in earnest, so why not take advantage of the sun without the heat and get some exercise in the sun and get those legs toned and tanned too.