Move over yoga and gym! THIS is how you lose weight

Try these simpler, affordable routines for a healthier you, says Dr Manoj Kutteri.

Having fitness goals is important.

But to achieve these fitness resolutions one doesn’t always have to go extravagant with the spending.

It is not always about expensive gym memberships or heavy equipment.

Have you ever realised that fitness can come free of cost too?

Yoga happens to be a favourite among people who dislike working out at the gym or using an equipment.

But is yoga the only no-cost workout routine to try for fitness? The answer is NO!

You have a wide world of choices to make from to work on your body and attain a level of fitness.

Move over yoga, and try these simpler, affordable routines for a healthier you!

1. Walking and running

Beat the thrift of a cardio machine by indulging into a little walk before beginning your workout.

This can be as simple as putting on the earphones and going to a nearby park to walk for 30 minutes.

Keep up with your speed to continue feeling the thrill of indulgence into swift workout. For people who love running can speed up and turn your 30 minutes into a running session.

Walking and running is a much beneficial cardio routine as compared to the treadmills.

These offer fresh air, full body workout and the flexibility to alter the speed depending upon one’s capability.

2. Squats and lounges

After a great cardio session, comes some muscle toning exercises that make your muscles strong and burn the fat.

Squats and lunges are perfect for toning the legs, getting the hip shape and even burning some fat around the lower abdomen.

Raise arms in front of you and sit back until you reach a 90-degrees angle with your knees.

Repeat this in sets of 10 three times for a squeeze into the glutes and tone the muscles.

For lunges extend one leg on the front while keeping another on the back.

Bend the front leg and push your body core to low positions and squeeze on the hip joints and thigh muscles.

Repeat this in sets of 10 three times for a complete toning session.

3. Planks

Plank is a full body exercise that tests your resilience, strength and muscle tone.

To do this extend a mat or towel on the floor and lie facing downwards.

Rest your arms on the floor and raise your body on its strength while the toes keep touching the ground.

Hold it for a good 45 seconds, or may be more if you can, and let your body and glutes squeeze.

Planks are great for building up body strength.

The magnitude of this workout can be seen in the amount of sweat you get after a 45 second routine.

Don’t forget to repeat it 3 times during your workout routine.

4. Strength circuit

Strength circuit is all about sculpting your entire body in athlete style.

And to do this you need to indulge into a quality routine of alternate exercises with movements that target different areas of your body.

Start with wall sits that keep your back straight against the wall, and squeeze in your body into a downward sitting position with your knees bent.

It helps burn the calories and imparts flexibility on the legs and back.

Alternate these with sets of lunges, bridges, jumps and crunches to work on different areas of your body.

You can put up a chart including 30 seconds of wall sit, 30 lunges, 30 squats, 30 V-ups, 20 bridges.

With this routine going consistently well, you can expect your fitness levels change.

5. Push ups

Pushups are full body workout burning fat and toning the muscles in one routine.

It requires strength and agility with proper positioning, but once you get a pose and start practicing it helps burn fat faster and lose weight.

Much like plank, push up is done with palms and toes touching the ground while the body creates a bridge.

By pushing the body towards the ground and pulling it back up without losing the grip -- push up take all body strength while helping you tone your body.

Thirty pushups in a day and you are on with a good fitness routine!

6. Crunches

To work on your upper body, crunches have been the best exercise to indulge.

From gym to yoga and athlete training, crunches have been a basic exercise to tone the abdomen, burn fat around the upper body and aid flexibility in the upper part of the body.

To do this, lie on your back and bend your knees with your feet touching the ground.

Put your hands on the back of your head. Breathe out and raise your upper body to rise into a sitting position or touch your knees with head, breathe in to go back to resting position.

Repeat this 10 times in fast repetitions to really feel the burn. Practice these in sets of 3 to begin with and extend as and when you grow with your flexibility.

7. Swimming

Swimming is one of the profound activities to indulge in when you want to burn fat, enjoy water splashing and get some tan too.

Swimming is known to be one of the exercises which helps in gaining height, toning the body muscles and burning fat faster.

The pressure of floating in water and the strength of pushing back the water splashes add up to the fun while being an excellent workout that doesn’t cause sweat.

As swimming needs no gear, one can practice it at their comforts.

8. Zumba

Zumba is a musical workout that includes powerful moves while enjoying the music.

It combines dance and aerobic movements into energetic routine as an exercise regimen that burn fat faster.

A Zumba routine is like a fitness party that makes one sweat while enjoying international rhythms.

A routine of 30 minutes of Zumba burns 500 calories in a session. Indulging into Zumba three times a week is a great way to start with fitness goals.

Still looking for an excuse to postpone your fitness? We bet not!

Dr Manoj Kutteri is wellness director, Atmantan Wellness Centre, Pune.