Nothing can fake the glow of good health. Key component: a regular and effective exercise routine. Which doesn’t have to be as hard as you think …

Read this First: Just to inspire you … exercise is great for sweating toxins out of the system and increasing circulation, both of which will give your skin a top-to-toe radiance. And then, of course, there are the figure-flattering benefits - namely, you’ll be more lean and toned.

The Minimum: Experts say you need to exercise for twenty minutes three times a week. Ideally this is where you’re sweating. So that could mean several jogs, spin classes or games of tennis - or a mix of those.

For even Better Results: Exercise more often, or gradually increase the length of your sessions.

Don’t Forget: Incidental exercise. Everything adds up. Taking a few flights of stairs instead of the lift. Hopping off the bus a couple of stops earlier. Walking to the shops rather than jumping in the car. And make as many social activities as active as possible, anything from a rollerblade through the park to a serious window-shopping session.

Weighty Matters: While the above cardiovascular activity is crucial for heart health and for keeping weight in a healthy range, the best fitness routines include some weight-training for strength-building - whether it’s resistance training (where you use your own bodyweight) or whether it involves equipment. So, you could do sets of squats, lunges and push-ups around your lounge room after coming home from a jog. Or you could ask a trainer at your gym to put together a programme for you, one that includes some work in the cardio room followed by a circuit in the weights room. Easier still: do a few pump classes each week - a great way to combine both cardiovascular work and weight-training.

Prefer Yoga or Pilates? That’s fine. The best exercise is the one you love - because that means you’ll stick at if for life, rather than burn yourself out. But unless you’re doing Bikram or Ashtanga yoga, which are fairly strenuous workouts, you’ll need to throw a few twenty-minute brisk walks into your week in order to get your cardio count.

One Last Thing: Drink water all day long to keep yourself hydrated. And make sure you’re eating a balance of low-GI carbohydrates for energy (think grainy bread and brown rice) and protein for repair. And, of course, loads of fruit and vegetables, which are nutrient-rich, antioxidant-packed and, of course, great for the waistline.

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