With gorgeous actress Kate Beckinsale claiming that she has “fat ass” days – when she feels so insecure that she won’t leave her house – is there any hope for us lesser mortals? If, like Kate, you have your own hang-ups about your bum, read our seven celebrity tips to help you tone up and get the perfect behind

1. USE A POWER PLATE LIKE MADONNA

Madonna is continually re-inventing her image, but one thing that has stayed constant over the years is her toned figure. She’s a fan of horse-riding, which is great for toning your bum and burning calories. Her energetic dance routines also help to keep her in shape, along with her regular Pilates and Ashtanga yoga sessions. According to reports, Madonna has now become a fan of the new celeb fitness must have – a power plate – joining the likes of Sadie Frost and Jemima French. The plate is a cross between scales and a gym bike. It helps to tone muscles and reduce cellulite, with users standing on a vibrating platform to wobble the pounds and inches away. The only downside is that it costs a whopping £2,600. But, if Madonna’s leotard-clad figure in her video Hung Up is anything to go by, then it appears to have had the desired effect.

2. HIT THE DANCE FLOOR LIKE BEYONCE

Hitting the dance floor for an hour can burn up to 500 calories, so it’s no wonder that Beyoncé has a rather pert behind. Her bum began to rival J Lo’s after her bum-shaking dance routine for the Crazy in Love video two years ago. And judging by pictures of her recent performance at the World Music Awards, her dance moves are certainly helping her behind defy gravity.

3. TAKE UP HORSE-RIDING LIKE JORDAN

The great thing about horse-riding is that you don’t feel like you’re doing exercise – that is until you get off and can hardly walk! Jordan is one celeb whose figure has reaped the rewards of plenty of horse-riding – and don’t we know it. She’s not shy when it comes to flashing her pert bum in revealing outfits. Horse-riding is great for toning the bum and you can burn between 300-400 calories an hour – even more if you help mucking out the stables.

4. CUT OUT ALCOHOL LIKE J-LO

Jennifer Lopez is naturally curvy so she has to work hard at keeping weight off her bottom and thighs. She regularly exercises, doing kick-boxing, jogging and other high-impact aerobics, which reduce fat and give her lower half a slimmer, sleeker look. She’s also teetotal, which helps to reduce the signs of cellulite. Alcohol is full of toxins that contribute to cellulite. So if you want a cellulite-free bum, you could start by cutting out your favorite tipple.

5. GO FOR A SPIN LIKE RACHEL HUNTER

If you make your living out of modeling lingerie like Rachel Hunter, you really need to keep your bum in shape. The model mum keeps her behind in tip-top condition with a combination of spinning and Pilates. She says: “When I have something like a photo call for Ultimo to do, I really do have to watch what I eat. I make sure I exercise regularly; I’ll usually do spinning about
three or four times a week and I do Pilates.”
Spinning, the gym-based cycling, is a great way to tone the legs and bottom. Spinners cycle for 30 minutes to an hour on a special program to build up stamina and tone up bottom and leg muscles. And an hour on the bike can burn off a whopping 300 calories.

6. DO A RUNNER LIKE NELL McANDREW

It doesn’t cost a thing and if you end up with a curvy figure like model Nell McAndrew then running is definitely worth a try. Nell is a keen runner, having taken part in a couple of marathons. She doesn’t believe in dieting and thinks that healthy eating, the odd naughty treat and plenty of exercise is all that’s needed to keep you in shape. But beware – don’t overdo the running. We might think that Nell’s got a perfect behind but she thinks otherwise. When I asked her what her least favorite body part was, she responded by saying: “My bum – I want a bigger one! It’s gone a bit flat since I’ve done two marathons.”

7. THE ANTI-AGEING DIET

Eating a diet rich in fruit and veg – especially aubergines, spinach, cabbages, celery, onions, leeks, cherries, grapes, melon, prunes and apples – not only helps you lose weight but also fights wrinkles. These anti-ageing properties are put down to the mix of vitamins, minerals and super-nutrient antioxidants, which protect against sun and pollution damage – great news for a slimmer, more youthful you!

- GO FOR THE BURN

Just 500mg of vitamin C daily will boost your fat burn by up to 30 per cent. A red pepper has 210mg; 200g/7oz of frozen berries, 110mg; a large orange, 100mg; a glass of grapefruit juice, 50mg; and a serving of broccoli, 50mg.

- DID YOU KNOW?

Laughing for just 15 minutes burns a whole 50 calories.

- WALK YOUR FEET OFF!

I’ve worked out how far I’d have to walk to burn off a 200g tube of Pringles Light, with 976 calories – it’s 11 miles (17.6 kilometers). So don’t give in to temptation!

- WHAT’S HOT

SKINNY LATTES – one “grand” cup gives you 33 per cent of your daily calcium requirement.
PITTA OR GRANARY BREAD – they have a low GI, keeping blood sugar down and stopping hunger pangs.
GOOD OLD WATER – tap or bottled. It is sugar and calorie-free. Aim to drink a litre a day and an extra litre for every hour that you exercise.

- WHAT’S NOT

VENTI HOT CHOCOLATE - with whipped cream.  That’s 719 calories and 27g of fat per cup.
WHITE SLICED BREAD – It has a high GI and sends blood sugars soaring. You will be hungry again in half an hour too.
FRUIT-FLAVOURED WATER – they can have as much sugar as cola; that’s 13 teaspoons per 500ml bottle.

Words by Nicki waterman. For more information on losing weight and getting active, check out: www.nickiwaterman.com