Your Three Week Guide To A Better Body

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.
Get Skin Smart For Summer
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."

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