American beauty

Plus:

• Tara's dish: Reformed party girl and Miss USA 2006, Tara Connor, explains that it’s not easy being queen.

Strut with confidence

Kylin Brady, who leads Legwork high-heel fitness classes at Sandra Cameron Dance Center (199 Lafayette St between Broome and Kenmare Sts; 212-431-1825, legworkdvd.com), offers some moves for strengthening wobbly ankles.

Calf raises Standing with your feet parallel, slowly lift and lower your heels (ten raises with both, then ten on the right, ten on the left). Afterward, stretch each hamstring on the back of a stair for 20 seconds. “This gets the foot warmed up to wear heels for the rest of the day,” Brady explains.

Ankle circles “While sitting at a desk or on the subway, keep your leg straight while writing your name with your ankles,” Brady instructs, to “strengthen your muscles from the foot to the knee.”

Photo: Jeff Gurwin

Get a “natural” glow

Sally Blenkey-Tchassova, owner of Brazil Bronze Glow Bar (580 Broadway between Houston and Prince Sts, 212-431-0077), swears by L’Oreal Sublime Bronze ($9, drugstore.com) and Jergens Natural Glow ($7, cvs.com) for DIY tanning, since “added moisturizers make them blendable.” When applying, “buff the product on both horizontally and vertically to avoid streaks.” A tinted formula like St. Tropez Mousse ($39, sttropeztan.com) produces great results because it lets you see if you’ve missed a spot. “It looks muddy, so you need to stay covered up for a day,” she says. “But you’ll emerge with an even, nicely colored tan.” And contrary to popular advice, don’t exfoliate like crazy before application: “People rub themselves raw.” Shower after 12 hours, she suggests, “and then moisturize, since self-tanners are drying.”

Buff up

Jaime Brenkus, creator of the ubiquitous fitness video 8 Minute Abs (fit15.com), suggests simple exercises to tone you up in 15 days.

Crunches Lie on your back with your knees at a 90-degree angle, cross your arms at your chest and curl your shoulders off the ground about 30 degrees. Do 25 every other day.

Modified push-ups Prepare your guns for that sleeveless gown: “This exercise tones your chest, your shoulders and your upper arms,” Brenkus says. Try ten push-ups

with your knees on the ground and ankles crossed. Do two sets of 15 every other day.

Triceps dips “When you wave your hand you don’t want your arm to wave with it,” Brenkus explains. Sit on the edge of a chair and place your palms on the seat by your hips. Slowly lower your butt toward the ground and lift back up. Do three sets of ten every other day.

Safe crash dieting

As Dr. Michael Kaplan, M.D., founder of The Center for Medical Weight Loss (centerformedicalweightloss.com) explains, “Quick fixes like the cabbage soup or grapefruit diet can lead to arrhythmias or serious dehydration, causing you to pass out and miss the event altogether.” But if you must slim down for a big night, Kaplan says that you can safely cut your calories down to 1,000 per day for a short time: “Eat three small meals daily and make sure that you’re getting protein in at least two of them.” He suggests egg whites at breakfast and grilled shrimp or lean meat with salad at dinner. For a snack, choose a medium apple or a cup of cut melon. “Most people of normal weight will lose more than four pounds this way in two weeks.”