Looking like a celebrity takes dedication and stamina.

The ladies on Bigger Than… learn that all too well when they get put through their paces to achieve an A-list body.

And the woman responsible for kick-starting many girls’ fitness regimes on the show is Danni Levy. We chatted to the trainer and journalist to find out the secrets to a sculpted body.

As a fitness trainer you lead by example. Tell us about your regime – how do you stay looking so good?
To be successful at anything in life, you need to start as you mean to go on. The first thing I do in the morning is go for a run. If I have to be out early for filming or training, I always make sure I do a quick push-up and abs circuit at the very least. This early morning body blitz helps to release endorphins to keep me feeling positive and cheerful all day long.

When the time comes for my daily workout, I combine the fundamentals of dance-based core training with weight-bearing exercises to help tone and sculpt the entire body. Many girls shy away from training with weights because they think they’ll end up looking masculine, but this is simply not the case. Cardio is great, but if you really want to change your shape you need to build lean muscle too.

Who are your clients and what do they ask to change about themselves?
My clients range from celebrities, wanting to change or maintain their image, to everyday women looking to shift the baby bulge. At the moment, I’m helping Zoe Tyler from Loose Women to shape up for her wedding in June and Bianca Gascoigne, whose career partially depends on her stunning curves. The pressure is on in the media to look good 100% of the time, and this means finding a programme that works for you and sticking to it.

When clients come to me saying they want the flat stomach back they once had, I often have to drum it into them that I can’t just click my fingers and give them a Britney belly. Sculpting and maintaining a gorgeous body is not easy for anybody, and celebrities are no exception; they have to work at it. That’s why it’s so important to find a form of exercise you enjoy.

Bigger Than… expert Danni Levy shows us how to get a toned bodWe’ve just had Christmas and plenty of us will be feeling a tight waistband. Any tips for kick-starting a healthy lifestyle for 2012?
Grab a friend and find something to do together. Shaping up doesn’t have to mean endless hours on the treadmill. Think outside the box. Why not join your local tennis club, take up Zumba or even give boxing a go?

In order to be fun and stimulating, exercise has to train the mind as well as the body. If you find something boring, you’re never going to stick to it, so there’s no point kidding yourself.

We would all like to look like Beyonce or Rihanna, but can anybody really achieve that?
It’s important to be accepting of genetics, and the fact remains that some of us are born with more favourable physical genetics than others. If you’re someone who finds it really tricky to keep weight off, you may need to put in a little extra effort, but you CAN do it.

I often come across truly inspirational people who’ve physically transformed themselves beyond the realms of what you’d think possible. If you’re genuinely putting in 100% and not seeing results, you’re doing something wrong and you need to take a step back, look at your diet and fitness programmes and go through them with a fine-toothed comb to identify the problem. Anyone can do it, it’s just a case of having firm self belief. Never lose sight of your goals.

How often do you have to exercise to get a celebrity body?
Again, genetics play a big part here, but the average person will need to engage in both cardiovascular and resistance exercises at least three times per week to sculpt and maintain an impressive physique. Diet is equally as important as exercise. If you burn 250 calories on the treadmill and reward yourself with a chocolate bar, you really are wasting your time. Sugar is the biggest enemy. Be sure to cut this out of your life if you’re serious about achieving your goals.

What types of exercise should we be doing – is going for a run enough in itself?
Going for a run is great, but we really need to perform some kind of resistance exercise on top of this to develop a defined physique. Don’t be afraid to work with weights. The more lean muscle we have, the more fat we burn – even when sleeping.

When is the best time of day to exercise?
It’s advisable to do your cardio before breakfast, because this encourages your body to burn more fat. If you wake up starving, or don’t have time to exercise until mid-morning, try not to eat carbohydrate foods until after you’ve done your cardio.

Opt for something like an omelette instead of toast or cereal if you do eat beforehand. When it comes to resistance exercise, there is no best time of day. It’s really a case of whenever you can find the time. I often encourage clients to train after work, as this helps keep them away from the pub and pizza, especially in winter when we crave comfort foods.

If you only have 20 minutes spare, what exercise would you do?
I’d do a quick circuit incorporating both cardiovascular and resistance exercises. Get yourself a skipping rope (a lightweight boxer’s speed rope is your best bet) and set up a mini circuit in your lounge or garden. Alternate one minute skipping with exercises like push-ups, crunches, squats and lunges for a killer bod in minimal time.

The best thing about this type of exercise is it costs next to nothing. Your best form of resistance is actually your own body weight.

A lot of it is down to mental attitude isn’t it? So how do you get motivated to exercise?
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: there’s no point doing a form of exercise you don’t enjoy, because you won’t keep it up. And subsequently you’ll either regain the weight you lost, or fail to lose weight entirely. If you discover something you love doing, the word ‘motivation’ will be a thing of the past.

Sit down and explore ideas with a friend. Many of us profess to hate exercise, but I don’t believe there’s a single person in this world who hates to move. So long as you’re moving, you’re one step closer to reaching your goals. And don’t be scared to try new things: from flamenco dancing to zumba, hot pilates to kick-boxing, I truly believe there’s a form of fitness that’s fun for everyone.

By Karli Drinkwater

Danni is running a 5* Boot Camp in Marbella this March, which aims to help you drop a dress size in seven days. Visit www.5starbootcamp.com for more information.

The diets (and exercise regimes) featured should not be followed without consulting a GP.

Published Jan 20, 2012