If you have been religiously following our '8 weeks to fitness programme', then the good news is that you have ONLY three more weeks to go!
We already prescribed a diet/ exercise regime for Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4 and Week 5.
During Week 6, you must increase the intensity of weight training exercises further and review your meal plan.
Besides this, it is time for a self-assessment to see how well you have done so far.
Exercise
Cardio
Keep up with the combination you picked last week (aerobics classes and walking / walking and swimming etc).
Be focused on the intensity. You should be working out HARD!
Strength training
Change your routine to the following by combining the basic exercises from Week 3 and variations from Week 5.
Meal plan review
You have been eating healthy for the past few weeks and your body is probably thankful for it! Continue following the diet prescribed in Week 5. However, I am going to explain the physical activity required by your body post your three main meals. This will further aid your weight loss.
Breakfast
This is THE most important meal of the day, especially if your daily routine is high on physical activity. However, if you lead a sedentary life and if you consume too much carbohydrate, your body will not end up using it and it will go into fat storage. So get up and get moving. Do some housework or step out for your errands. After breakfast, move your body!
Lunch
After lunch DON'T lie down. Yes, no afternoon siestas. If you do wish to unwind, sit for about half an hour with a book or chat with a friend or go for a manicure. Anything except lying down. Other than allowing your food to digest comfortably, you want your body to keep burning calories. Sit or stroll around.
Dinner
With low carbohydrate content in your dinner, you are cutting down the energy supply to your body since it doesn't require many calories during sleep.
A fun fact: Your body burns calories (minimal) even when you sleep, which is why you must never go to bed hungry or else you will not be able to sleep throughout the night peacefully
However, those of you who hit the disco or party post dinner might want to add some carbohydrate (one roti/one slice of bread/ pasta etc) to your dinner to keep you going UNLESS you are going to be eating something during your outing.
How are you doing?
Now that you have an idea about how food and activity work, reassess your routine and change your dietary requirements or activity levels accordingly.
In Week 1, we asked you to maintain a diary to help record your progress. Now, bring it out again and record the following to compare it with your first entry.
1. Weigh yourself.
2. Measure your vital statistics.
3. How do you feel physically? Stronger, lighter, leaner, etc
4. How do you feel mentally? Happy, confident, calmer, etc
5. Check your posture.
You will do a final check at the end of the Week VIII so make sure to record this.
Brinda is the head of the Group Exercise Department at Gold's Gym, Napean Sea Road, where she also runs her classes. Certified with Training Zone & Progressive Fitness (USA), she has been a fitness instructor for the last nine and a half years.