Yahoo Lifestyle Your Three Week Guide To A Better Body
Prepare your mind, body and soul for the silly season's demands before it's time to slip into that little sleeveless dress. How? Let our top fitness, nutrition and wellness experts lead the way – they have created a plan of easy, everyday changes that will soothe stress, boost your flagging metabolism, strengthen your body and maybe even help you shed a kilogram or two along the way, in only a few weeks.
WEEK ONE
FITNESS
8-minute fat burner
HOW OFTEN? Do this workout three times a week in weeks one and two.
THE FORWARD LUNGE With feet hip-width apart, lunge forward so your front shin is perpendicular to the floor. Repeat 12 times on each leg.
PUSH-UPS Lie facedown on the floor. With hands flat on the floor at either side of your chest, rise up on to your hands. Leave knees on the floor if a full push-up is too tough to start with. Lower yourself almost to the ground, keeping your body straight and weight forward, then lift yourself back up. Repeat 20 times.
LUNGE JUMP Place hands on hips and lower into a lunge. As you rise, jump and land back in the lunge position. Repeat 10 times on each leg.
SQUAT With feet shoulder-width apart and arms straight out in front, bend with your backside out as if sitting on a chair, then push up through your heels and return to a standing position. Repeat 20 times.
TRICEPS DIP Sit on a bench, grab hold of it on either side of your thighs and place your feet flat on the floor. Shift forward and lower yourself towards the floor by bending from the elbows in a reverse push-up. Repeat 20 times.
BURPEES Start in a push-up position, lower yourself as if doinga push-up, then, as you push yourself up, jump your feet in and stand up. Repeat 20 times.
Fast Fitness Cardio
"On the days that you’re not doing the eight-minute fat burner, do 30 minutes of cardio," says James Duigan. "Remember, cardio on its own, or for too long, increases levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which can encourage the body to lay down weight around the middle."
HOW OFTEN? Do the following routine twice a week for the first two weeks.
- Three minutes brisk walking.
- Two minutes moderate jogging.
- One minute fast sprinting.
Do the above four times and finish with six minutes of brisk walking.
Skinny Stretches
"Stretching is essential for toning and lengthening the gluteal muscles and hamstrings," advises Duigan.
HOW OFTEN? After each workout.
BUTTOCK STRETCH Lie on your back, knees bent. Place your left ankle on your right knee, reach under your left calf, and grasp your right shin. Pull towards you for 10 breaths. Change sides and repeat.
HAMSTRING STRETCH Sit on the floor with one leg out straight. Place the sole of your other foot against your opposite inner thigh. Reach forward over the straight leg as far as possible. Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat with the other leg.
NUTRITION
Fill Up On...
Dark leafy greens: Pack your plate with vegies, and make baby spinach, kale and watercress the pick of the bunch: they're full of nutrients that will speed up your metabolism and calm you down.
Miso soup: The complex carbo-hydrates in this soybean-based broth will fill you up, and if you are feeling sluggish or nauseous (which can happen when changing your eating habits), this is sure to soothe your stomach.
Quinoa: This complex carbohydrate is high in protein, free from gluten, full of minerals and a great substitute for the refined carbs you might feel you can't live without – you can!
Lean protein: Fresh fish and tofu are high in filling protein, low in fat and full of the essential fatty acids that will make you glow. A serve should be the size of your hand.
Cut Back On...
Alcohol: Drinking doesn't mix with weight loss: alcohol's empty kilojoules play havoc with blood-sugar levels and make you hungrier. If you want to indulge, have one red wine, or vodka with soda water and fresh lime, three times a week.
Dairy: Keep full-fat cow's milk, cheese and creamy foods to a minimum.
Refined carbohydrates: White bread, pasta, rice, pastries and anything sugary will make you feel lethargic, moody and, ultimately, hungrier.
Red meat: There's no need to cut out this form of protein completely, but make it a treat, not a staple. A serve should be the size of your palm.
What To Eat When
It's not just what we're putting on our plates, but when and how that can help or hinder our healthy-eating efforts, explains Janella Purcell. "Our metabolism and digestion can handle different types and quantities of food at certain stages of the day. In the morning, you need complex carbohydrates to give you the energy you need for the day ahead. In the evening, you need less energy, so avoid having a big dinner," she says. "Breakfast like a queen, lunch like a princess, dinner like a pauper: make that your motto. Have your biggest meal in the morning, made up of protein and/or carbs. Eggs are great, try quinoa or go for a rye or spelt sourdough bread. At lunch, have some grains (like brown rice)and legumes (like beans) and/or a palm-sized serving of lean protein and plenty of vegetables. At night, have a small amount of protein and veg, and eat before 8pm."
Mindful Portions
It's easy to overeat when we're rushing our meals. "Eating is not the time to be multi-tasking," says Purcell. "Be present and aware: look at the meal you've spent time preparing, think about the colours and where the ingredients have come from. Eat slowly, and chew. By doing
this, you'll be more aware of when you're reaching a point where you've had enough. Stop when you feel about two thirds full; when you could still eat more, but you aren't hungry any longer."
WEEK 2
FITNESS
Stress-Busting Moves
These exercises help reduce cortisol levels, helping to achieve a flat tummy and regulate breathing.
HOW OFTEN? Do these before bed for the next fortnight.
BREATHING SQUAT: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and arms out in front. Inhale and squat as you exhale. Pause for a few seconds and inhale as you return to standing. Repeat 10 times.
ENERGY PUSH: This aids digestion. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and arms out in front, palms facing out. Inhale and bring your hands in towards your chest. Exhale and push your arms back out to starting position. Repeat 20 times.
LEG TUCK: Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Inhale then raise your legs up to your chest as you exhale. Inhale again as you lower your legs. Breathe deeply through your nose. Repeat 15 times.
NUTRITION
Tuck Into Wholefoods
If you are feeling overwhelmed by your new eating plan, Purcell has one simple, but cardinal, rule: choose foods that are closest to their natural state. That means nixing refined, processed, additive-laden options that have only the barest resemblance to a food that you could find growing on a tree or from the ground, or a food you can catch (like fish, or chicken). "Swap canned vegetables for fresh, avoid ready-made products, like marinated meats, and make as much as you can from scratch – that way, you're in control of everything that goes into your meal," she recommends.
Chew Your Food
Your stomach can only handle a fistful of food at a time, explains Purcell. "That's why portion control is really important. But even when you're eating a smaller meal, your body can't make the most of the nutrients if you're gulping it down. The enzymes in your saliva, along with the chewing motion, get food ready to be digested in the stomach. If you skimp on that process, your stomach can't break down un-chewed food and extract nutrients properly. Plus, you'll end up with digestive issues, including bloating. Chew your food consciously, and put your fork down between mouthfuls. You'll also find you eat less, as your brain has had time to catch up with your stomach."
Stress Less
Stress wreaks havoc on the digestive system and makes staying healthy even harder. "Give yourself permission to relax – meditate, listen to music, swim, dance, even have a glass of wine," says Purcell. "Higher stress levels lead to poor digestion as the blood supply to your digestive tract slows down during the flight or fight response. Plus, any increase in the stress hormone cortisol will lay down fat around our middle. If you're going through a particularly busy period, there are some foods that can help you calm down. Try miso soup with quinoa, vegetable juices, organic chicken broth and blended soups, such as pumpkin."
WEEK 3
FITNESS
Morning Cardio: Short bursts of cardio first thing in the morning will boost your metabolism.
HOW OFTEN? Do the cardio routine from week one on three days this week.
How To Get A Flat Stomach Fast
Quick Circuit
This 10-minute circuit will increase muscle mass and challenge muscles without causing stress to the body.
HOW OFTEN? Do the following exercises in the evening on days that you have completed the cardio workout in the morning.
Complete the circuit three times. Rest for 45 seconds after each one of the circuits (see week one for the instructions).
- 12 squats with a 15-second hold when thighs are parallel to the ground.
- 12 push-ups.
- 12 squat jumps (lower your body into a squat, then push through your heels and spring up vertically).
- 12 forward lunges.
- 12 tricep dips.
- 12 lunge jumps.
- 12 burpees.
- Two minutes of star jumps.
- Skinny stretches, as per week one, for five minutes.
Stay Mobile
Lactic acid is a waste product that builds up in muscles, making them feel stiff and sore. When you clear it out, you will move more freely and exercise better.
HOW? Have a deep-tissue massage this week to make the most out of this plan. Also, get adequate rest in this final phase. "Never work out for more than five consecutive days," says Duigan.
NUTRITION
Oil Up
While you want to get rid of saturated, trans and animal fats, it's important to remember to include enough good fats in your diet. Not only will they help keep you fuller for longer, but they'll make your skin glow and your hair shine. Research suggests that regularly eating small amounts of mono-unsaturated fatty acids – a type of good fat found in foods such as almonds, seeds, avocados, olives and olive oil – could actually help our bodies to burn fat. Purcell recommends up to one tablespoon a day of tahini, avocado, flaxseed or olive oil to top up your levels.
Eat Chocolate
Yes, chocolate. Dark chocolate contains two compounds that can lower stress: anandamide, which binds to receptors in the brain known to bring feelings of euphoria, and phenylethylamine, naturally found in our nervous system and released in the brain when we fall in love. Eat up to three squares of chocolate with a cocoa content of 70 per cent this week. Purcell advises a raw version, as the cocoa's enzymes will be better preserved.
Get Bitter
Foods with a bitter taste will aid the digestion of fat and reduce bloating. "When the tastebuds that recognise bitter foods are triggered, the nerves responsible for the production of digestive juices and bile kick in," says Purcell. "Try rocket, watercress, artichoke, parsley, fennel, mint and fresh beetroot."
