The perfect beach body

Fitness gurus
Prefer a more spiritual approach? Yoga has undeniably changed how North Americans think about exercise. The polar opposite of working out with a drill sergeant, practising yoga has the double benefits of working the body and easing the mind. In fact, according to Gitta Bechsgaard, founder of the Vidya Institute in Toronto, it’s not so much a workout routine as “a system of wisdom.”

“You don’t come out with rock-hard abs but rather with more of a centring strength,” says Bechsgaard. Not that yoga doesn’t produce hard bodies (think Jennifer Aniston, Sting, and Madonna before she met Tracy Anderson); it’s just not the primary focus. “In yoga, we think in terms of the health of the spine,” explains Bechsgaard. The Eastern practice of meditation, breathing exercises and postures not only encourages a strong, flexible spine but also stimulates the internal organs, calms the nervous system, regulates metabolism and improves circulation. “Overall, it brings body, mind and spirit into balance,” she says.

'You don’t come out with rock-hard abs but rather with more of a centring strength,' says Gitta Bechsgaard, founder of the Vidya Institute in Toronto

“Everybody can do this,” says Bechsgaard. It’s recommended that beginners do yoga once a week. But, she cautions, “Yoga is not the thing to take up if you say ‘In 10 weeks, I want X, Y and Z.’ Then again, I have rarely seen people disappointed. Usually, their goals shift.”

Another trendy practice that leans toward the softer side of the fitness scale is pilates. A series of exercises devised by Joseph Pilates 100 years ago, it was used as a form of rehabilitation in hospitals during the First World War. Like yoga, pilates is designed to increase flex­ibility and strengthen your back, but it focuses more on your core (your waist, abs and butt), the muscles that support you when you move, explains Amy Brown, owner of Pilates for Life in Toronto.

A popular workout with professional dancers, the exercises — which include variations on stretches, leg lifts, push-ups, crunches and twists — focus on improving posture and mobility while strengthening and lengthening muscles. The result? “You appear taller and leaner,” explains Brown. “It has taught me to be much more coordinated and graceful.”

Aside from its results, the beauty of pilates is that it’s a sneaky workout. “It doesn’t feel like hard work,” explains Brown. “Better yet, because it’s not gruelling, you can do it a few times a week.” You’ll start to lose inches around your mid­section and hips, but if you want to lose weight, you’ll have to couple it with cardio (walking, cycling or hitting the elliptical machine). “Within a month, you’ll feel stronger,” says Brown. “Within three months, every­one else will notice that you look taller and tighter and your clothes will fit differently.”

In the end, regardless of which workout you pick, you’ll need to arm yourself with a bit of dedication and discipline. What helps is seeing it as a beginning instead of as a means to an end, say experts. “Once you’ve begun, keep going,” says Europe. “It’s a lot easier to keep fit than to keep starting and stopping.” Anderson agrees: “Don’t look at it as a quick fix or you’re going to become skinny and fat over and over again.”

Want more fitness ideas? Find expert advice here.

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