How to get a body like the Duchess of Cambridge

Who wouldn't want the former Miss Kate Middleton's life? The commoner who became a duchess has a husband who is second in line to the throne, a ball-gown for every day of the week and a jet-set lifestyle that takes her to some of the most glamorous locations on Earth. Oh yes, and she'll be our queen one day.

She also has an enviable figure, and even though she does occasionally look as if she needs a hamburger or two, no one can deny that Her Royal Hotness has arms and pins we would all die (or more likely, kill) for. Like any woman who is in good shape, the duchess has to work hard to stay looking good, but what exactly do you need to do to get a body like Kate's? Read on to find out.

Super-skinny or sublimely svelte?
Kate has often been criticised for being too skinny (particularly in the period surrounding her wedding, for which she appeared to have dropped quite a few pounds but personal trainer Gavin Walsh thinks the duchess is athletic and toned rather than scrawny and under-nourished.

"Kate is very slim and athletic," he says. "You can see she looks after her body and obviously exercises regularly whilst keeping an eye on what she eats. Although, at 5' 11" and around eight-and-a-half stone, some people say that she is a little on the 'skinny' side, I'd be wary of using this word to describe her, as I don't think she is. I see her as toned, svelte and in all-round great shape. Put it this way - she is not the size zero of some of the celebrities we see pictures of."

So just what does Kate do to stay looking so good? The key Walsh says, is to keep busy. "Kate is a very active person and participates in all sorts of different activities," he says. "She does a lot of running, cycling and yoga. However, she also works out most days for an hour or so to ensure she keeps her body in tip-top shape. However, with her royal schedule and the resources available to her, it's likely that she eats a very sensible, healthy diet combined with exercise rather than just relying on working up a sweat to stay in shape."

And now that the big wedding is out of the way and she doesn't have to worry about slipping into that divine Kate Burton for Alexander McQueen wedding dress, Kate's focus has shifted from losing a few pounds for her big day to maintaining her weight and staying healthy. Walsh says: "To do this, Kate makes sure she takes part in a variety of activities, which is a great way to keep your exercise programme interesting, and of course this way it doesn't feel like a chore."

Get fit like the duchess
Training to get a body like Kate will, of course, require hard work and, as far as your diet is concerned, a huge amount of willpower. Walsh explains: "It will depend a lot on where you are starting from but you need to adopt a two-pronged approach focusing on great nutrition and regular exercise. Kate is lucky to have a varied lifestyle with access to a range of sporting activities at some of the best venues in the world. She skis, rides, plays tennis - all of which will keep you in shape if done regularly. However, for those of you without a title, focus on intense workouts which include cardio and resistance training.

"If you eat healthily, with a diet that is low in starchy carbs, bad fats, processed foods and alcohol, then a decent and intense training session twice a week, where you really go for it, should be enough, providing you are in good shape already. If you're not, then you will need to exercise more often to lose some weight first."

Kate is also famous for her taut pins, arms and stomach. To get this look, resistance training is key, says Walsh. "Resistance training is what you will need to do, whether it is body weight exercises like squats, lunges and press-ups, or using weights in the gym. For the arms, plenty of press-ups, tricep dips and bicep curls will help tone your underlying muscles. For the legs, get squatting, lunging, one-legged squatting, leg curling and doing leg presses. Finally, for the tummy, it's essential to start doing plank, pilates, yoga or get hold of a bosu and do high numbers of small crunches."

There is also a lot you can learn from Kate's royal diet, which helps promote a healthy balance of muscle and fat. Walsh says: "The duchess apparently favours a low-GI diet which is based around plenty of lean meats, fish and vegetables. Most people are too busy to make eating little and often a realistic option so provided your diet is healthy and balanced then it won't matter too much. As long as you're having three square meals and snacking healthily, you will be on the right track to looking like you belong in the royal entourage, even if you won't actually get to marry a prince one day."

Follow the weekly schedule below by Gavin Walsh to get a body fit for a queen:

• Monday - Gym, full-body workout (ask a trainer to guide you through one)
• Tuesday - Running: interval training will get you the best results, so do 30 second sprints followed by two minutes of recovery jogging, repeating for 30 minutes
• Wednesday - Yoga, to stretch and tone those tired muscles
• Thursday - Gym, full-body workout
• Friday - Rowing, high intensity
• Saturday - Rest
• Sunday - Anyone for tennis?