Fitness 2011: Get Carmen's curves, Shweta's legs!

Fitness expert Brinda Sapat presents a plan to have you look smashing all through this brand new year!

Out with the old and in with the new! The New Year is the perfect time to start a new fitness plan. This regime is all-encompassing, making you fit overall. Not only will you lose weight, but also get great muscle tone and increased flexibility and you will feel strong!

A little about the benefits

The advantages of such a routine are not just superficial; they boost the internal health of the body too. The heart and lungs get stronger, increasing your stamina and lowering the risk of heart and breathing diseases. The muscles and bones become stronger, supporting the joints better. Posture improves and prevents joint problems, along with having you look great.

Psychologically too, you will feel happier and confidence levels will rise.

Now that you are all motivated and ready to get started, it is important to make sure the enthusiasm lasts till you get fit and fab! Write down your fitness goal and pin them up where you can see them all the time. Also put up a recent photograph of yourself. This will act as a constant reminder and keep you on track.

Timeline

You will start to notice some changes by the end of the month. Typical changes to look out for:

• Feeling lighter
• Starting to see definition when it comes to your body shape
• A better complexion
• An overall feeling of wellbeing

Give yourself three months to notice bigger changes.

Get going!

Go for a brisk walk five or six days a week, for 30 minutes nonstop.

After a couple of weeks, switch the routine at intervals -- 10 minutes of walking, followed by10 minutes of jogging and then 10 minutes of walking again.

Note: If you suffer from any joint problems, do not jog.

Shape up!

Work on the body contours and get a toned and tight body with the muscle strength and endurance exercises outlined in the following pages. Do them four days a week.

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.

The abs, back and hips are the powerhouse of your body. Collectively they make up the 'core'. A strong core leads to an overall strong body. Start the routine with these exercises:

The plank

Lie face down on a mat, then prop yourself up on your elbows. Tighten the tummy muscles and hold your body in a straight diagonal plane, head to heel. Hold this position for 30 seconds. Relax.

You need to follow the plank up with upside down crunches, outlined on the following page and then come back to it.

Get back into the plank position. Crunch your tummy muscles and release. Make sure you use the abdominals and are not simply raising and lowering your hips.

Do 12 of these, then repeat the plank, as previously mentioned and then do another set of crunches again.

Stretch by coming up on your elbows and pulling the upper body forward and upward.

Sit in a reclining position and push yourself up into a straight diagonal line, head to toe. Hold this position for 30 seconds. Be careful not to let your hips start dropping!

Follow up with a set of hip lifts, outlined in the following page and then come back to the reverse plank.

Get back into the reverse plank position. Now drop your hips towards the floor and then lift them up as high as possible as you squeeze your back, butt and back of the thighs (hamstrings).

Do 12 of these, then repeat the reverse plank, as previously mentioned and then do a set of hip lifts once again.

Stretch by doing a toe-reach in a seated position.

Lie on your back with your right arm and left leg outstretched. Keep your right knee bent and your left hand supporting your head. Now reach the right hand and left leg up to meet each other, as you raise your upper body up and twist to the left to reach. Slowly lower.

Do 12 on each side, and then repeat.

Stretch by lying on your back and dropping both knees to the left and both arms to the right. Hold for 10 seconds, then reverse.

After the core exercises are done, it's time to focus on your gams. Here's what you need to do:

Walking lunges

Hold a weight in each hand and let them hang down by your sides. Now take a large stride forwards with the right leg and lower your body as you bend both knees -- your left knee comes toward the floor. Come up and then take the left foot forward and repeat. Keep alternating legs as you move across the room.

Do about 16 lunges. Rest and repeat.

Stretch by pulling your right heel in to the hip. Hold for 10 seconds, then repeat with the left leg.

Lie on your left side. Bend the left leg and keep it relaxed on the floor. You can prop your head up on your hand, or keep it on the floor. Raise the top leg and make slow large circles with your toe as if you are trying to paint a circle in the air. As your leg moves, make sure you keep your tummy muscles contracted.

Do six reps going clockwise, then six anti-clockwise. Repeat with the left leg; then do it on the right and then the left again.

Stretch by relaxing the top leg on the floor with the knee bent.

Jog in place for a count of 50, then follow up with 10 jumping jacks.

For those of you who don't know what a jumping jack is, here's what you have to do -- stand with your legs together and arms by your sides. Then jump a little off the ground, spreading your legs wide as you jump. When you land, your feet are apart and your palms are together above your head. Then you jump again to bring your feet back together and as you do so, bring your arms back down to your sides.

Repeat the cycle of jogs and jacks three times.

Jump into a wide squat, going low, and then jump to bring legs together. Do five. Rest and repeat.

It's now time to switch to upper body exercising.

Push ups

Lie on your tummy. Come up on your hands and toes. Place your hands wide. Maintain the body in a straight line. Lower the body by bending your elbows. Bring the chest towards the floor. Push yourself back up by squeezing the chest muscles.

Do 12 reps, rest and repeat.

Stretch by linking the fingers of both hands behind your hips and then raising them as high as possible behind you as you push out your chest. Do not lean forward.

Stand in the lunge position. Lower your torso till your body forms a diagonal line from head to heel. Hold weights in your hands and let them hang by your sides. Raise both arms up to the sides in line with the shoulders and give your shoulder blades a tight squeeze. Slowly lower.

Do 12 reps, rest and repeat.

Stretch by rounding your back and linking your fingers in front of you with the arms extended. Curve your spine backward.

Hold a pair of light dumbbells in your hands. Bend the elbows near your waist and lift your hands to shoulder level, with the weights facing inward, toward your shoulders. Now extend your right arm as if you are punching. The palm should face down as you extend the arm. Do not lock your elbow. Bring the right arm in, and then punch with the left.

Do 16 reps. Then do another set of punches, but this time take the arms out to the sides, in line with the shoulders.

Stretch like you did after the push ups, by linking the fingers of both hands behind your hips and then raising them as high as possible behind you, as you push out your chest. Do not lean forward.

Repeat the same shadow boxing exercises outlined on the previous page, but in a bent over lunge position.

Repeat the same stretch too.

Now that you've got the workout in place, boost up the fitness plan with healthy eating!

• Trim the fat: Cut out foods like fried stuff, high fat dairy products, colas and sweets. Lower the amount of oil in home-cooked meals.
• Eat often: Perk up your metabolism by eating five to six small meals in the day.
• A big breakfast: Start your day on the right note. Have a wholesome breakfast of cereal, wholegrain toast with a low-fat spread, fruit and egg white.
• A light dinner: This is pretty much the key to weight loss! Fill your dinner plate with a portion of fish, chicken or lentils, salad and soup.
• Choose your foods well: Pick natural foods like vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts etc. When eating out, opt for steamed, grilled or tandoori foods.
• Up the protein: Make sure you are getting enough protein. Include chicken, fish, lentils, pulses, soya, eggs and low-fat dairy products.
• Drink! Have plenty of water. Drink juices that include pulp and fibre.

Stick with it!

Getting fit takes time, so keep at it. Once you start noticing the changes, you will feel more encouraged!