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effective at creating
long-lasting changes
in your health and
body, she says. Only
lifestyle programmes
that combine realistic
eating plans with
exercise regimens have
the effcacy required
to deliver long-term
body transformations.

HOW DOES IT
DIFFER FROM
OTHER DIETS?
As Regina says, its
the season for signing
up to some long-term
changes. Dont think of
it as a diet, because it
simply isnt!
The BBBP is not
a diet, it is a lifestyle
programme designed
to instil good eating
and ftness habits. Try
it for yourself, and
then see if you cant
get your partner, your
kids, your parents, and
your friends to add a
little Brazilian fair to
staying healthy, she
says. This is a holistic
system that addresses
both body and mind in
three parts: attitude, food and movement.
It is based on Brazilian foods, culture and,
most importantly, style.
Regina outlines the Brazilian way of
eating by packing fruit and veg into each
meal like adding cooked veggies to
mashed potato and frying, for a tasty and
nutritious South American version of a
hashbrown and highlights Brazilian
superfoods to boost nutrition. She also
offers dieters a fun way to exercise with
a combination of Pilates and the Brazilian
martial art, capoeira.
How do the Brazilians do it? she
asks. They dont deprive themselves, or
beat themselves up at the gym, and yet
they radiate vitality and embrace life.
The answer lies in attitude; Brazilians
view eating as an opportunity to savour
delicious and nutritious meals in the midst
of their busy lives. Secondly they include
movement fun, playful movement as
part of their everyday experience.

EMBRACE YOUR
IMPERFECTIONS
Refreshingly, Regina places a great deal
of emphasis on the reduction of stress by
adopting the Brazilian approach to a life
of passion and joy. She promises to have
A
ll eyes will be on Brazil for the
World Cup this summer with
some likely to linger on the Latina
lovelies for longer than it takes to
debate the off-side rule, as the South
American nation is known for producing
some of the worlds hottest talent both on
and off the football pitch.
And who wouldnt like a stomach like
Gisele Bundchen, legs like Alessandra
Ambrosio, or a butt like Adriana Lima?
According to ftness expert Regina
Joseph, anyone can have a fantastic bikini
body you just have to start living life the
Brazilian way.
The creator of the Brazilian Bikini Body
Programme promises you a physique to
rival that of Amazonian ultra-hotties Gisele
and Co. in just 30 days and as Regina
puts it: What woman doesnt want to be
the girl from Ipanema?
Combine a carefree approach with good
eating, including top Brazilian superfoods
like acai, and regular fun exercise, such
as Latin martial art capoeira, and youll be
ready for Copacabana in no time!
Heres how you can score a fantastic
physique in just a few weeks

WHAT IS THE BRAZILIAN
BIKINI BODY PROGRAMME?
The best-selling book is the creation of
workout mogul Regina Joseph who has
tempted women around the world with the
goal of being able to eat wholesomely and
well while keeping your body ft and strong.
Who, man or woman, doesnt want to
approach their lives with a winning smile
and a body to match? she says. Its an
attitude, a look and a presence that I call
the Brazilian Bikini Body.
If you follow Josephs advice on how to eat
and exercise the Brazilian way, she claims
the programme will increase energy and
produce fat loss while sculpting the body,
leaving dieters bikini-ready in just 30 days.
But you have to be prepared to commit
to making long-term changes too. In the
last fve years, after the cyclical waves
of success and relapse experienced
by the millions who jumped
on diet revolutions like Atkins
and others, people have fnally
begun to accept that diets are not
AS THE WORLDS ATTENTION TURNS TO
BRAZIL, OK! REVEALS HOW TO GET A BUFFER,
MORE BEAUTIFUL BODY, BRAZILIAN-STYLE!
A HOT BRAZILIAN
How To Score
Bikini Body
42
Alessandra Ambrosio
has bags of beach
body condence
Brazilian beauty
Gisele is a big fan of
fresh coconut water
THE BRAZILIAN BEACH BODY PROGRAMME
IS NOT A DIET ITS A LIFESTYLE
43 OK! MIDDLE EAST
BY FLEUR FITZPATRICK
you bikini-ready, but also points
out that its okay to embrace your
imperfections; Brazilians tend to
be more willing than most when it
comes to showing off their
bodies on the beach, no
matter their size.
You can sculpt
a body ft for the
beach in Rio and
adapt an outlook
resilient enough to
shrug off whatever
life throws at
you, as well as the
fair to carry it off
memorably, she says.
And be sure to chuck any
size zero obsessions you may have out
with your scales. Westerners obsessed
with becoming a size zero could take a
confdence lesson from Brazilians, adds
Regina, who points out that becoming
body confdent will pay off in your
relationship and in your working life.
While American women struggle and
starve in their media-driven pursuits,
Brazilians dont see anything sexy in a
body that can ft in a size zero dress. The
Brazilian embrace of what defnes sexiness
is also a critical component of the BBBP.
This psychological component, a change
in perspective of what it is to be sexy and
how to live life well, is also a key part of
the BBBP.

SO, WHAT CAN I EAT?
Dont worry you wont be scoring an
own goal by living on tiny portions or
vegan fare for weeks on end. This isnt a
low-carb plan, dairy is included and so is
dessert in portions that offer a few small,
but sweet mouthfuls for a counterpoint to
meals that can prevent you from tipping
over into bad habits due to deprivation.
The emphasis is on fresh foods used in
Brazilian cuisine with fruit smoothies and juices,
vegetable salads, grilled seafood and meat with the addition
of nuts and legumes to round out the
meal plans. Grains are limited to
small portions, as the majority of
carbohydrates are obtained from
fruit and vegetables, and the
favours are bold and delicious
think fresh coconut, lime, red
palm oil, cherries, kale, salt cod
and pumpkin.
As Regina puts it, For 30
days, your breakfast, lunch
and dinner will be composed of
the very Brazilian favours of key
super foods.

TELL ME MORE ABOUT THOSE BRAZILIAN
SUPERFOODS
The Brazilian superfood acai berry (usually found in the
frozen section of grocery stores because it oxidises quickly) is
the foundation of the diet. Its highly recommended because
it is very high in antioxidants, dietary fbre and healthy fats.
Cashews, Brazil nuts and coconuts are other
Brazilian foods that are on the menu;
in fact, Regina Joseph was among
the frst diet moguls to recommend
coconut water after a workout as a great
alternative to a sugary sports drink
as its made from the liquid inside a
young, green coconut and is packed
with electrolytes. OK!
SAMPLE MENU
Breakfast: Superfood
smoothie, made from acai
pulp with guarana, banana,
vanilla soy milk
and peanut
butter
Morning
snack: Coconut
water
Lunch: Tuna
salad with red
onion, pickle,
celery, olive oil,
lime juice and
hard-boiled egg; served with watercress
salad with palm heart stalks and tomato
Afternoon snack: Honey nut crumble and a cup of mate
Dinner: Fish with broccoli, cauliower and spinach sauce
Dessert: Coconut an with prune compote
TRY THIS
WORKOUT
AT HOME

To perform the capoeira


move ginga, stand with feet
hip-width apart and parallel,
with knees bent (your weight
should be on the balls of
your feet).

Extend your right leg behind


you and bend your left knee
slightly. Raise your right arm in
front of your face while moving
your left hand behind you.

Then bring your


right leg forward
again and stand
with legs
parallel. Keep
your centre
of gravity
low, leaning
the upper body forward
as if you were about to
sit down.

Repeat the movements


for the left side do 10 on
each side.
EXERCISE PLAN
A trained Pilates instructor, Regina
has combined Pilates exercises with
a capoeira workout to provide a
balanced tness program that includes
cardiovascular, muscle strengthening
and exibility.
Both require strength and propulsion
from the lower abdominal and back
muscles and must be initiated from
the core and extend outward to the
limbs, she says of the two approaches.
And both emphasise total focus and
concentration and establishing a
connection between the mind and body.
Adding, But where capoeira demands
speed, agility and power, Pilates
optimises the bodys ability to deliver all
three. The effect gives practitioners
a longer, leaner look; heightens the
sense of strength, control and mastery
over ones body; and consequently
leaves exercisers feeling rejuvenated
and exhilarated.
Workouts are tailored to t your
lifestyle, depending on whether you can
t in 10, 30 or 60 minutes, and she also
mixes things up with a little yoga.
44
Coconut water is
ideal post-workout
Cherries and kale
are staple foods in
the Brazilian diet
Adriana Lima aunts her
incredible physique on the
Victorias Secret catwalk

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