Party time tone-up: Get Bey's butt, Shilpa's abs in 3 weeks!

Fitness expert Brinda Sapat presents a 21-day workout and diet plan to have you look smashing by New Year's!

Want to look toned and radiant in your party dress this December 31?

Well, three weeks' notice is fairly last-minute, but it's enough time to tighten up your muscles, shed a little flab and obtain good posture.

To keep yourself motivated, take a picture of yourself in your New Year's outfit today and peg it where you can see it when you work out. Then you'll see the difference when you put it on for D-day!

Your workout programme is two-pronged:

1. Walking to burn the flab
2. Resistance training to tone up the body

You'll need to walk briskly five days a week for at least 30 minutes nonstop. Make sure you walk on a walking track or an even surface, wearing proper walking shoes. Your pace should be fast enough for your heart rate to go up. The first and last five minutes of the walk should be at medium pace.

As for resistance training, we've outlined the ones you'll need to work on in the following pages.

But before you start, you'll need to do a five to seven-minute warm-up by jogging on the spot, climbing stairs etc. And remember to take a one-minute break between two sets of exercise.

Brinda Sapat is Group Exercise Instructor at Gold's Gym, Napean Sea Road, Mumbai. Certified with Training Zone & Progressive Fitness (USA), she has been a fitness instructor for over a decade.

This is for your thighs and butt.

Stand with your feet together and hands on the waist. Take a large step forward with the right foot and lower your body down by bending both knees. Come up by pushing with your right foot and bring the right foot back. Then take the left foot forward and repeat. Keep alternating legs. Do two sets of 12-16 reps.

Stretch:

• In standing position bring your right heel in towards the hip. Hold for 10 seconds and then do it with the left leg.
• Do a straight-legged, bent-over toe touch stretch, holding for 10 seconds.

For your butt.

Get onto the floor in doggy position. Extend your right leg behind you. Keep the leg straight and the foot flexed. Lift your leg as high as you can, squeezing your butt. Make sure your back doesn't arch by holding your abdominals in tight. Slowly lower the leg.

Finish off one set (12-16 reps) with the right leg, and then do the left. Follow it up with a second set.

Stretch: Repeat the toe-touch stretch.

For your calves and ankles.

Stand and come up as high as you can on your tiptoes, lower the heels and before you contact the floor, lift up again.

Do two sets of 12-16 reps.

Stretch: Sit on the floor and flex both your feet.

For your chest, front shoulder and back of the upper arms.

Lie on a mat. Hold a pair of dumbbells (no heavier than 3 kilos) or water bottles in both hands. Raise your arms up at chest level with palms facing each other. Do not lock the elbows. Lower your arms till they almost touch the floor, and then lift them up by squeezing the chest muscles.

Do two sets of 12-16 reps.

Stretch: Place your hand behind your back and link your fingers. Raise both your arms up, behind you, as high as possible, while pushing the chest forward. Hold for 10 seconds.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh

For your back.

Stand in a lunge position holding your dumbbells or water bottles in both hands. Let your hands hang down by your sides. Bend the elbows and lift the weights up till your shoulders. The elbows should graze past your waist. Lower the arms, without locking the elbows.

Do two sets of 12-16 reps.

Stretch: Raise your arms overhead and link your fingers. Bring both arms down to the right, keeping the left arm over your ear. Hold for 10 seconds and then change sides.

For your upper back, back of the shoulders and good posture.

Stay in lunge position with weights by your sides. Keeping the upper body almost parallel to the floor, raise both arms up as if they are wings. Squeeze the shoulder blades towards each other and then lower the arms.

Do two sets of 12 reps.

Stretch: Hug yourself! Pull your shoulder blades away from each other.

For the top of your shoulder.

Stand holding the dumbbells in both hands and hang your hands by your hips. Raise both arms to shoulder height. The palms should be facing the floor and your arms should be in a straight line from shoulder to elbow to wrist, without locking the elbow. Lower the arms.

Do two sets of 12-16 reps

Stretch: Drop your head to the right, then to the left. Feel the stretch from the base of your ear till the top of the shoulder.

For the upper arms.

Stand holding the dumbbells in both hands. Place your hands against your thighs with the palms facing in. Raise the lower arms by bending at the elbow to your shoulder and as you do, turn your wrist inwards so that the palms face your shoulders as the hands go up, then rotate the wrist outwards as you bring your hands down.

Do two sets of 12-16 reps.

Stretch: Repeat the chest flyes stretch.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh

For the back of your upper arm.

Recline on the floor with your knees bent. Bend your elbows till they form a 90 degree angle. Now raise your hip and straighten the elbows. Bend the elbows and lower your hips. The important movement is in the elbows, not the hip, so focus on the arms.

Do two sets of 12-16 reps.

Stretch: Bend your right arm behind your head and pull the elbow back with your left hand. Hold for 10 seconds and then repeat with the left arm.

For your tummy.

Lie on your tummy and come up on your elbows and toes. Holding this position, crunch your tummy muscles. Then release.

Do two sets of 12-16 reps.

Stretch: Lying on your tummy and feet relaxed on the floor, come up on your elbows. Pull your body forwards and upwards.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh

For your back.

Lie on your tummy and place your hands under your nose. Raise your chest off the floor as you squeeze your back. Slowly lower.

Do two sets of 12-16 reps.

Stretch: Come up into doggy position and round your back up towards the ceiling.

Perform this workout on New Year's Day too. Your will feel energised and all set to party!

Breakfast: Have a bowl of cereal with skimmed milk, wholegrain toast with a low-fat spread, egg white and fruit/juice.

Mid-morning: A handful of nuts or dry fruits

Lunch- Roti, vegetables and dal OR a wholegrain sandwich with a low-fat filling.

Evening snack: Choose from fruits, raw veggies with a low-fat dip, low fat yoghurt etc.

Dinner: Chicken/fish/lentils, soup and a salad (Eat dinner three hours before bedtime)

Drink plenty of water through the day.