Weighty issue: Fat-burning diets can add years to your appearance

27 June 2016 - 10:33 By VICTORIA LAMBERT

Former tennis star Marion Bartoli last made a stir when she won Wimbledon in 2013. Sadly, not for her tennis prowess, but for the sexism storm whipped up by broadcaster John Inverdale's insensitive remark that she was "never going to be a looker".Fast forward three years and she's back in the news for her appearance.Last time she was criticised for being too chunky, now, as a member of this year's BBC Wimbledon commentary team, it's the 31-year-old's weight loss - almost 20kg over the past three years - that has caused fans on Twitter to declare themselves "concerned" about her "gaunt" new look.Most of us must choose between our face and our figure.The plump, comely cheeks associated with youth, health and beauty tend to go MIA [missing in action] when you have squeezed every last fat cell from your thighs to have a body that looks.well, young, healthy and beautiful.Dietician Dr Sarah Schenker says: "The key point is that we all have stubborn areas of fat and at some point we have to accept them. You can diet but some fatty bits will remain and you'll lose too much from your chest and face, where you may not want to lose it. It's about deciding, can I be happy with a pot belly and thicker thighs to have a more youthful-looking face?"Schenker says that losing too much weight too fast can cause sarcopenia - the loss of muscle mass which happens with ageing .She warns against relying on protein shakes as they don't supply all the nutrients you need."To keep hair and skin looking good - and avoid the dreaded 'gym face' - remember that you do need some fat. The health of your skin relies on fat; every cell in the body has a fat component to it."Dermatologist Dr Nick Lowe points out that how we look after weight loss is also genetic. Sometimes, skinny equals stringy because it's in your DNA."This is true for both men and women," he says."Some look really well with minimal fat deposition but others just look older." - ©The Daily Telegraph..

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