Amany Abdel-Moneim reviews the hottest summer trends Summer is here again and while enjoying the hot, lazy days with family and friends, one must not give up on their eternal dream of attaining that perfectly fresh look. In her book, 7 Slim Secrets, Nancy Hayssen offers the following quick fixes to look slimm: Tan yourself Hayssen, who helps plus-size women look and feel their best, advises you to tan your body with mystic tan, airbrushing or self-tanners. This will transform your body into a darker, natural looking, golden brown tan which, in turn, slenderises your whole body. Get rid of that bloated feeling In this respect, she reveals her proven ways to reduce bloating and create a slimmer body: - Rely on natural diuretics. This will help to flush out excess water and make you feel and look less bloated. - Avoid caffeine, soda, carbonated water, champagne, or anything else that contains gas-creating bubbles. - Drink TONS of water! - Eliminate any starchy carbs. - Stay away from heavily salted foods. High sodium makes you retain water. - Eat plenty of celery, watermelon, parsley, asparagus and other natural foods with high-water content. - Load up on fibre and take a colon-cleansing product.Constipation can be a big offender when you're feeling bloated. - Taking in excess air will cause gas bubbles to form. When you eat, take small bites and chew carefully, with your mouth closed. - Eat fruits high in potassium such as bananas and cantaloupe. Potassium helps regulate the fluid balance in your body. Get what fits you Be honest and realistic with yourself when buying clothes. In this tip Hayssen urges you to ask yourself the following questions: - Will the clothing match my lifestyle and my budget? - Will it match anything I already have in my closet? - Is it comfortable and of good quality? - Can I wear it more than one time or is it just a fad that will pass? Stop slouching Hayssen believes that posture is more than just the alignment of your body. It gives signs about your attitude on life and yourself. Bad posture can make you look insecure, depressed and uncomfortable. When you stand tall and erect you show that you are confident, stylish, comfortable and cool with yourself. Also good posture can make you look at least 5-10 pounds slimmer instantly. Buy a body slimmer You'll be able to transform your figure and wear what you want. By doing so, you'll dramatically change your appearance and look 10 to 20 pounds thinner instantly. Create a fun illusion Matching the colour of your shoes and pantyhose will help you acquire a very appealing and slim look. Black, of course, is the most slimming effect for this combo. A nice pair of black, high-heeled chunky shoes and black pantyhose blended into a sexy black skirt will do the trick. Get the right hair style for your face A slimming hairstyle can change your whole appearance dramatically. The following are a set of hair tips that do the trick: - Layers - Wavy or loose curls - Relax or straighten curls - Don't cut above the chin - Sweep your bangs to the side - Get highlights
