Nutritionist and fitness coach Anshul Dhamande tells you how to start with small exercises, build a routine so you can lose fat, build muscles and tone your body.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Bani J/Instagram
Work-life balance sounds very ideal in theory but managing it in real life can get challenging.
A woman plays many roles simultaneously. She is a homemaker, a daughter, wife, mother and a professional working 9 to 5.
Her day begins early and her nights end late.
She prioritises and manages almost everything for her family and at work but forgets to prioritise her own health.
The hectic schedule coupled with social events, irregular eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle lets her health spiral down further.
If you are planning to hit the gym with a trainer or simply start at home and take it slowly, here are a few points to keep in mind.
Start with basics
First you have to assess your strength, capacity and stamina.
Begin by including simple bodyweight exercises.
For example, you could start with a routine that includes exercises such as knee assisted push-ups to build upper body strength, bodyweight squats and lunges for your lower body, planks and crunches for the core to name a few.
These exercises will help you form a solid base just like the foundation of a building.
Getting Stronger
If you are serious about your health, a few sets of adjustable dumbbells and resistance band will be a good investment.
They are affordable, easily available and don't take up much space either.
With added resistance, your body will learn to lose fat and build muscles.
This will not only make you look good but it will also make you stronger, taking off pressure from your joints during strenuous activities such as walking and running etc.
HIIT
High-intensity interval training is especially advantageous for people who have limited time.
These short burst sessions include performing exercises with very limited rest period resulting in torching a lot of energy and taking a toll on you in just 30 minutes!
Here's a routine for beginners:
These exercises need to be performed one after the other without any rest/breaks:
1. 45 seconds butt kicks
Stand as if you are about to jog in place.
Keep the part above your abdomen straight and aim to kick your heel to your butt and make contact.
If you are unable to do it the first time, keep trying and go as high as you can.
2. 15 burpees
Squat with your hands on the ground just in front of your feet.
Extend your arms and kick your feet behind you, like you are in a raised plank position.
3. 30 seconds Mountain Climber
- Get into a plank position.
- Maintain a straight line from head to shoulder to hip to feet.
- Don't arch your back or let your hip to rise up.
- Bring your right knee in towards your chest and extend it back again.
- Bring the left knee in.
- Keep alternating legs going as fast as you can while maintaining the proper hip position.
4. 40 seconds Plank Hold and rest
Hold the plank position for 40 seconds and rest.
Non-workout tips
Once you have established a regime, don't ignore your body the rest of the day.
Here are some simple tips you can follow:
Increase activity level throughout the day
Majority of us have a very sedentary lifestyle.
Contrary to what many believe, we barely burn 400 to 500 kcal in an exercise session.
Our body utilises much more by non-exercise activities such as moving, talking, walking etc.
Habits such as taking stairs instead of the lift, walking around after your meals, tracking and improving your step count throughout the day will further help you reach your healthier self.
Protein
One of the most important as well as neglected macronutrients that our diet lacks is protein.
Protein is not made only for people who go to the gym, it's actually a building block for the body.
The dietary recommended dosage is around 0.8 g per kg of your body weight.
Food sources such as chicken, fish, eggs, paneer and soya are some protein options to include in your diet on a daily basis.
Protein bars and whey protein are good options as well.
Don't say no to carbs
Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy, from supplying energy to the brain to strenuous workouts.
You do not need to go anti-carb or follow in-trend 'Keto' to lose fat.
You can do just the same with the proper amount of carbohydrates.
All you need to do is keep a check on the quantity and try to include food items such as rice and oats which are more satiating.
Watch what you eat
While it is a good idea to eat at intervals to boost metabolism, do watch out for what you are eating.
Try to avoid deep fried oily food which may be easily available at the canteen. They may be filling and tempting, but are very calorie dense.
Even a small piece of quantity when consumed daily could overshoot your calorie intake and would lead you to gain unnecessary fat.
Please remember that green tea doesn't help you lose fat. But it does help curb your hunger.
Hunger doesn't mean that you have to eat all the time. Sometimes, you also feel hungry if you are not drinking enough water or if you have irregular meal timings.
If you want a perfect and healthy body, fix a routine.
Plan your diet in a way that it includes a good amount of protein with proper fat and carbohydrates, that also suits your lifestyle. Remember sustainability is the key.
Lead image published for representational purposes only.
Anshul Dhamande is a nutrition and wellness consultant at FITTR, an online transformation platform.
