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Fitness instructor Brinda Sapat takes you through this effective 20-minute workout to keep you from gaining weight.
Try it now!
Tis the season of gorging!
With all the lip smacking, irresistible goodies on offer, weight gain becomes the serious concern for all party goers.
While it's difficult to stay away from the food, you can keep the weight at bay by doing this fast and effective workout, 6 days a week.
Set aside 20 minutes every day, morning, noon or evening; 6 days a week.
The 20 minutes includes a warm up, stretching and relaxation!
Get into your workout gear and shoes.
Play some up tempo music and get going:
Please ensure you do this workout on carpeted or wooden flooring, wearing proper workout shoes.
Please consult your doctor before you begin this programme. These exercises are not suitable for people with medical problems.
Jog & Jack on the spot
Do 3 sets of 50 jogs followed by 10 jumping jacks.
Each time your foot strikes the floor, count it as 1.
Burpees
In standing position, raise your arms overhead. Squat down and get your hands on the floor. With one thrust, throw both legs back, getting into a plank position. Jump both feet in again and stand raising your arms overhead.
Do 4 sets of these of 20 seconds each, followed by 10 seconds of rest.
Dynamic Lunges
Take a large stride forward with your right leg while lunging by bending both knees. Keep your torso upright all through and hands at your waist. Bring the right leg back and repeat with the left. Keep alternating legs.
Do a total of 16 reps, two sets.
Push Ups
Lie face down on the floor. Place your hands out at the side of your shoulders. Push yourself up till your elbows are straight but not locked. This Plank position, is your start position. Now bend your elbows and lower your chest towards the floor. Press your hands into the floor and come back up to the start position.
Do 12- 16 repetitions, rest and repeat.
Frog Jumps
Stand in a wide squat position with your hands on your shoulders, palms up. Jump up as high as you can, throwing your arms overhead and land back into the wide squat.
Do 20 seconds of squats, followed by 10 seconds of rest. Repeat the cycle 4 times.
Mountain Climbers
Get into plank position as you did in the push up. Bring your right knee in towards your chest. Extend it back out and then get your left knee in. Keep alternating legs, going as fast as you can.
Do it for 20 seconds, followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeating the cycle 4 times.
Swimming
Lie face down. Raise your right arm, upper body and left leg as high as you can. Bring them down and switch sides. Keep alternating as in a swimming motion.
Do a total of 20 reps (right and left together considered as 1 rep)
Roll up
This exercise must be executed with slow and good control.
Lie face up with your arms in front of you and knees bent. Start peeling off your torso one vertebra at a time, pressing your navel in to your spine, curling; till you come up to a seated position as you simultaneously extend your legs out. Your back should be straightened up at this point. Bend your knees and very slowly roll back down, one vertebra at a time, curling backwards.
Do 10-12 reps.
Stretch & Relax
Lie face up. Pull your knees into your chest and stretch your back. Rock gently side to side. Come back to centre and raise both your legs up.
Pull them in towards you, keeping your knees straight. Now roll over onto your tummy and prop yourself up on your elbows.
Pull your upper body forwards and upwards to stretch out your tummy.
Next relax the upper body and pull your heels into the hip till you feel a stretch down the front of your thighs. Release the stretch and link your fingers behind your back. Raise your arms up as high as possible.
Now lift your torso up as well. Feel the stretch in the chest and shoulders.
Relax in any position you like for 2 whole minutes.
Lead image used for representational purposes only. Image: Dave Whelan/Creative Commons
Illustrations: Uttam Ghosh/ Rediff.com