London - Holidays, wedding and special occasions should be diary dates to look forward, unless you are feeling far from peak condition.
That’s why so many women try to transform themselves – typically five times a year, a survey has revealed.
The “body overhaul” usually entails working out at the gym and eating more healthily to shed those extra pounds.
Men, on other hand, feel a lot less pressure as they start a new diet and fitness regime just twice a year.
For women, going on a summer holiday is the main incentive, with 60 percent wanting to shape up to don a bikini on the beach.
Just behind is going to a wedding, dubbed trying to achieve the “bridesmaid body”, as they want to shine in all those photos of the big day. Although women strive for a new look every two to three months on average, one in 12 take on the challenge an incredible seven times a year.
Ending a relationship is also an incentive to change for a third of women, perhaps to show their ex just what he’s missing.
Conversely, celebrating getting back together with a partner is cited by just over a quarter. Meanwhile wanting to get back to their old selves after having a baby is the reason for 29 percent.
Being reunited with old college or school friends encourages 26 percent into a body overhaul.
Other occasions inspiring a personal revamp are a date with a new man, meeting a partner’s parents or a birthday bash. Wanting to impress in a new job or excel at a sporting event make up the top ten reasons to shape up, according to the poll of 1 000 women by fitness provider payasUgym.com.
Co-founder Jamie Ward said: “It seems that, for the most part, women are gearing up for specific events or occasions and undertaking exercise in shorter, sharp bursts, rather than for a prolonged period.”
Last month, experts in Missouri, US, found that exercise alone was enough for men to slim but women had to improve their diet as well to gain the same results.
Dr Chris Easton, a lecturer in clinical exercise psychology at the University of West Scotland, said: “One main reason is body composition. Men have a higher proportion of muscle which has a higher metabolic rate than fat.”
To gain the same effect as a man working at 65 percent effort, a woman needs to work at 85 percent or do it for longer, he added. - Daily Mail