Muscular, tapered, tan. legs will be open all summer. From anti-bloat menus to the most targeted sports, our protocols that really work to beautify them.
We wish they were thinner, smoother, curvier, or more tanned… They’re taking us, and that’s a good start. “We tend to forget to take care of our feet, moisturize them, take care of them. We overuse them in our current lifestyle,” says Sarah Fadley, cosmetic physician and director of Maison Lutétia in Paris. Our relationship with them flares up even more during a heat wave. “Heat causes the blood vessels to dilate, so venous return is less good. The blood remains localized in the lower limbs,” explains the doctor. It is a particularly worrying phenomenon, since 45% of the French state that they suffer from at least one symptom of venous insufficiency*; in more severe cases, phlebitis or ulcers. What to do when the famous cold water jet and compression hose are no longer enough? Experts give us their prescription.
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Filter them
“For some women, unfortunately, it’s difficult to target fat loss in the legs, whether through diet or sports,” reveals Claudia Modica, sports trainer and former high-level soccer player, who recommends choosing a fun activity without giving up. . Trampoline, dancing on high heels, rollerblading… Fashionable fashion does not lack imagination to move our feet. “Many people make the mistake of focusing only on cardio and avoid building muscle for fear that it will cause their legs to ‘bloat.’ However, by building our muscle mass, we increase our basal metabolism, which is the energy our body uses at rest; thus we can eat more while losing fat and tone,” says the specialist.
Feed them!
“Instead of going on another diet, we’re taking foods that fight water retention; the first thing to do is to limit our salt intake,” warns Paris-based micronutritionist Valerie Espinas, adding that “you must drink only pure water or mix it with water. lemon juice. Avoid carbonated water and carbonated drinks because of their hydrating properties and nutritional additives. Also limit the large volumes of water associated with vegetables such as gazpacho.
Fitness and well-being. footwork
On the contrary, we prefer proteins (animal or vegetable) and drying vegetables (leeks, celery, artichokes, etc.). Also, bet on so-called “live” foods, meaning all raw and colorful fruits and vegetables, adds naturalist Claire Andreevich. Make great summer salads full of aromatic herbs that are rich in antioxidants like mint, basil, coriander…”.
Instead of doing another diet, eat foods that fight water retention. the first thing you should do is limit your salt intake.
Valerie Espinas, micronutritionist
For those who do not have a sufficient hydration reflex, the specialist suggests “eating your water” by consuming summer fruits that are high in it, such as watermelon, melon or strawberries. Its basic recipe for promoting blood circulation and venous return. “Fresh infusion made from horse chestnut, witch hazel or red vine, to which we add red fruits very rich in antioxidants.” The food is combined with nutritional supplements based on heavy plants against feet, such as ginkgo biloba, sweet clover, blackcurrant or grape polyphenols.
Sculpt them
“The correct method is to use light weights and do a lot of repetitions. That’s how you build lean muscle,” says athletic trainer Julie Granger, founder of The Studio Paris and Guerlain’s wellness expert, who suggests taking inspiration from dancers’ workouts to build long muscles; “What is special about dance is precision. of movement. We straighten our legs, we straighten our legs, we adjust their position, we lengthen them. Conversely, disciplines such as crossfit or boot camp often build muscle in width.
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Knowing what you’re working on is just as important. “So you’re engaging areas that wouldn’t activate on their own. For example, if you do a squat, it necessarily works the quadriceps because it’s the strongest muscle, so it automatically activates. To have long legs, you should try to divide this work by engaging the back muscles and the inner thighs, adds the professional ballerina.
blow them up
Lymphatic drainage, which is necessary to relieve the feeling of heavy legs and reduce water retention, increases in summer. At the institute, we’re testing a mechanical version with robotic rollers that “open up and stimulate the lymph nodes and then go through the entire lymphatic system to help detoxify the body,” notes Sarah Fadley. The light effect on the legs is immediate, but it should be done at least twice a week to maintain these results over time.
At home, we maintain these advantages with a dry brush, the secret of beauty without which the stars can no longer do. immediately before the shower, for two minutes, we make circular movements with the brush from the feet to the hips, going up to the heart. Then we continue the massage on clean skin. “In a sitting position, cross your right leg over your left leg. Massage behind the malleolus with your left hand. Keeping the palm flat, press and slide along the calf, maintaining pressure between 5 and 8 kg (to be tested on a scale). Move up, focusing on the popliteal fossa (behind the knee), then to the back of the thigh. Repeat, this time ending at the inner thigh, then switch legs. For variety, do small pumping maneuvers, squeezing and releasing,” advises Anne Call, physical therapist and founder of the GAD weight loss protocol (Slide, Squeeze, Pull), “this is the most effective way to restore venous and lymphatic return during periods. high temperature. Add helichrysum or grapefruit essential oil for bracing, or peppermint hydrosol for freshness.
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Some postures reverse the effects of gravity by lifting the legs to the sky. Helps blood return to the heart more easily
Laura Darry, yoga teacher
At the end of the day we give ourselves a little yoga session; “Certain postures can reverse the effects of gravity by bringing the legs back up to the sky. We help the blood return to the heart more easily,” says yoga teacher Lor Dari, who suggests trying standing (a standing position with hands on the ground and one leg extended vertically), candlelight, or the pose. head “Positioning the head lower than the heart improves blood and lymph circulation and allows for better distribution of fluids throughout the upper and lower body,” he explains.
Flatten them
“Today, we tend to combine aesthetic medicine techniques to optimize results in the fight against cellulite and orange peel. Lymphatic drainage is mixed with cryolipolysis to destroy fat deposits or even low-frequency waves that target the membrane of fat cells and empty them to act on dimples,” explains Dr. Fadley, noting, however, that “if the treatments are effective, they are always temporary.” Is the new natural care in vogue in institutes? Maderotherapy, a technique from Colombia that uses the benefits of wood.
“Unlike palpate-rolling, we’re not going to loosen the skin, on the contrary, we’re going to tone it and sculpt it using different tools,” explains Sara-Lyne Atlan, founder of the Lymfea studio in Paris. These come in various forms such as rollers or spatulas. They are used in special areas, each of which has its own characteristics. some help drain and clog lymph tissue, others break down fat cells. It is applied as a treatment for two months weekly to find smoother skin. Another trendy accessory invites itself to professional protocols, as in our bathroom. the glazed knife with its curved shape that hugs the shape of the legs. “We spend it under cold water in the shower and intensively massage the skin to expel fluid accumulation, tighten the arterial caliber, stimulate microcirculation,” assures Claire Hermet, osteopath and founder of the Faciology studio.
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Sublimate them
“Three weeks before going on holiday, we exfoliate once or twice a week,” advises Dominique Rist, International Director of Spa Protocols at Clarins. Thus, we get a more uniform tan that will last longer. Those who are wary of the sun but still want to wear tanned legs can rely on self-tanner. New formulas on the market make it easy to do it yourself without missing a beat. “The trick to the perfect result is working it into the skin. It is applied with both hands in a circular and slightly leaning motion, as if you want to absorb it into the skin, starting from the ankles and gradually going up to the top of the thighs. It’s like a mini massage. We finish with the upper part of the legs and ankles without going over the heels.
*Ifop survey “The French and their feet. Venereal insufficiency, beyond aesthetics”, May 2020.
Source: Le Figaro
