Now that summer is here and holidays are on the horizon many people are looking to lose the bulge however doing 100 sit ups a day on their own won’t give you that flat stomach your craving, you also need to make sure you are eating well, foods that that will burn through stubborn fat and promote lean, mean muscle growth are what you need.

If you stick to a varied and balanced diet you will probably find that you will soon have the body you’re after, especially when eating protein-rich foods which help your body to build muscle and stop storing fat, below are some types of food that will have a positive effect on your diet:

- Eggs have high levels of vitamin B12 as well as they also stop lean muscle from being broken down making them a great choice for breakfast.

- Protein rich meat such as turkey and beef are great for building muscle and strengthening the immune system, go for free-range or organic look for the leanest cuts of beef, such as rump, topside or fillet.

- There are many different types of bean, kidney, lima, fava and Edamame which are full of protein as well as fibre and iron, when cooked thoroughly your body can break down the proteins essential for keeping your muscles toned and your waistline slim.

- Unprocessed carbohydrates are much better for you than un-processed carbs, so make sure you stick to fibre-rich, unprocessed whole grains, including wholegrain bread, pasta, rice and cereals.

- Adding fish that are full of omega-3 fatty acids to your diet will increase muscle mass and stop your body from storing fat on your waist, they also your immune system.

No matter what time of year it is your hair can be affected and damaged by the weather around you, in winter the extreme cold can cause your hair to dry out and become brittle and during the summer heat and humidity can damage your hair, as well as excessive styling with ghd straighteners causing dry, drab, split, brittle or frizzy hair and ragged ends.

You need to make sure your hair is properly conditioned, if you find yourself washing your hair more often over the summer then cutting back on the use of shampoo will help. Shampoos stop your hair absorbing natural oils so giving it a break or using shampoos that are gentler will help. As well as using your normal conditioner you should also use a deep conditioning treatment at least once a week to give your locks some much needed moisture.

The use of hair dryers and ghd hair straighteners are a big problem, although they can help your hair look tidy the heat from them added to the heat from the sun can leave them damaged. Your best using a thermal protector spray before use.

Also when on holiday and out in the sun remember to also protect your hair from those harmful UV rays, just like skin your hair can also be damaged as well as you scalp, you can get specific products design to protect your hair, but if that’s not suitable then it’s advisable to wear a hat or scarf.

We have looked at keeping our skin protected when out in the sun but there are also precautions to be taken to keep our bodies safe and healthy when the sun is out and the temperatures soar.

We are always reminded by various media out lets that when the weather heats up we must, must, must keep hydrated, yet many people do not heed this advice.  When its hot you perspire more therefore you will need to drink more fluid to replace what is lost, so listen to your body, when you feel thirsty some water. Thirst is your bodies early warning system when your dehydrated so don’t ignore it, but do remember some liquids are not as good as others, such as alcohol, you need to avoid drinking alcohol when spending long hours out in the sun, otherwise it will only dehydrate you further and make you feel worse.

Make sure you protect your eyes too when the suns out, they too can be permanently damaged by the harmful UV rays you should make sure that your sunglasses block 99% of UVB rays and 95% of UVA rays, it doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune on them to do that, many are affordable.

When spending any length of time out in the sun it’s important to keep a regular check on your body for any moles or any changes in the ones you have, as it’s an early warning sign for skin cancer, if you find any that have changed shape or colour or one that is new then you should pay a visit to your GP to have them checked out.

Summer is finally hear and it’s a great time to get outside and enjoy the glorious sunshine, but you must make sure your skin is fully protected from those harmful UV rays, because although we don’t always see lots of sun it’s still there and now with the fastest growing cancer amongst Brits being malignant melanoma – skin cancer now i the time to be vigilant. So below are so top tips for staying safe in the sun!

Sunlight is good for the skin as it allows vitamin D to be absorbed through the skin however like many things too much sunlight can be bad for your health. Its best to gradually start sunbathing, so instead of going out on the first day we have sun and staying in it all day you should start out with short sessions of about 10 mins before building up to longer sessions of around an hour. Remember that the most intense heat is between noon and 4pm so stay in the shade then.

The amount of time you spend out in the sun also can depend on a number of factors such as fair skin, red hair, a history of sunburn or skin cancer in the family or a big number of moles or freckles if this applies to you then you will need to take extra care in the sun.

Sun cream, it’s amazing how many people don’t put on any when they are out in the sun, many suffer from severe sun burn which can affect you for many years, it’s important towear at least a factor 15 minimum lotion to keep out both UVA and UVB rays. It’s also important to re apply your sun cream every 30 minutes to keep fully protected.

When applying your sun tan lotion or cream or gel it’s important to cover everywhere on your body, many people miss key areas such as Elbows, ears, the neck and soles your feet all of which have thinner skin which makes them more vulnerable to painful burning.

For those who wish to achieve dark tanned skin there really is only one safer way to do this and that is to fake it, although it’s not know what effects of fake tanning products which contain dihydroxyacetone, or DHA have on our bodies it’s still safer than over exposing your skin to UV rays whether from the sun or a tanning bed.