Eight important tips to get fit in 2013!

Struggling to hide that paunch or those flabby arms this party season? Jasmine Chabria tells you how to flaunt a healthy, toned body when the clock ticks 2013.

Getting into shape is about thinking healthy. Equip yourself with positive self-talk like "I will turn fit"; and then move on to these suggested exercises.

Walkathon

Thirty-minute jog helps lose calories. But if you hit the jogging track straightaway for 30 minutes, you will lose more of your breath than your calories. Start with a daily 30 to 45-minute brisk walking session, out of which jog for five minutes. Gradually increase your jogging time until you're able to continuously jog for 30 minutes.

Courtesy:YouthIncMag.com

Choose a dance form that involves high energy levels. The higher the energy levels required, the more calories you burn and the faster you take the shape of a swan or peacock. Bellydancing or even just an awkward belly shaking (unlike Shakira) will suffice for now. The party is around the corner!

Resistance training like weightlifting helps you lose more calories and promotes muscle growth. The increased muscle mass aids toning. It is well known that by increasing the amount of muscle you have, your body becomes more efficient at burning calories.

 Initially start with small weights and gradually increase the weight and frequency with the help of a trainer. Cardios and crunches at occasional intervals are good at sucking in the flab.

A workout two or three times per week -- 30 to 60 minutes per session -- gives good results by the end of the second week. Don't curb your diet before or after any workout!

By starving your body, skipping meals and evading chocolates, cheese and many other edibles, you are just making your metabolism worse and preparing yourself to enter the 'most emaciated zombie' contest. You could give the chocolates to me, at least!

EAT EVERYTHING HEALTHY. Eat healthy home food by incorporating a lot of HYGIENIC proteins, calcium, vitamins and even fat into your diet. Having meals at proper timings helps to have a good metabolism, which prevents putting on weight. At least four litres of water everday is another health booster.

• Add fruits to your regular breakfast sandwich.
• Add sev to your salads (no, a little sev sprinkled will not add to your weight).
• Bay leaves enhance the flavours in your normal bhaji and dal.
• Spices do spice things up for many.
• Give up guilt after every meal. Go for baking and cooking items in non-stick pans, instead of deep-frying them.

Digital fitness

Resolutions are meant to be broken! Use your life partner (ie your phone) to help you throughout. Get shaped by getting some fitness apps:

• Lose it
• Runtastic Fitness Collections
• G oodFoodNearYou
• Nutrition Tips

And wake up early, you lazy bum, if you want to make a statement. Perform the traditional fitness technique, Suryanamskar (19 out of 20 people you know will know how to perform it, but never perform it; learn it from them). It uses 95 per cent of the body's muscle and is great for the cardiovascular region. For ideal results, perform this during sunrise on an empty stomach.

Thoughts that focus on mental and spiritual stability have proved to aid weight loss, toning and glowing skin. Take 20 minutes of your time daily to meditate. Choose any word (religious or non-religious, even nonmeaningful, for example, Om or Jil), sit in a relaxed position, close your eyes and chant your hosen word in your mind. You'll find that gradually external distractions lessen, and with regular practice, you will have no distractions that entire 20 minutes. This means your concentration and will power are improving, paving the way for a healthy lifestyle.

• Take two stairs at a time when you enter and exit and step out during breaks.
• Butt clenches are in for today's booty-conscious society. Tighten your buttocks, hold, hold and then relax. Repeat this 15 times. Perform ab squeezes in the same way, just switch the butt with abs.
• Do a football-like drill of running in place for 60 seconds. Let the knees go high. Or skip instead.
• Sitting in your chair, lift one leg off the seat, extend it out straight, hold for 2 seconds, then lower your foot (stop short of the floor) and hold for several seconds. Switch legs. 10 times per leg.
• Set the back straight in your chair, stretch both your arms over your head and reach for the ceiling (or reach for the sky, if your college/office has a hole in the ceiling).
• Assign a little time to walk during your lunch break. It's better than gossiping!

2013 FITNESS RESOLUTIONS

I WILL:

•  Shake my belly daily - 5 mins
• Meditate sans X-rated thoughts daily - 20 mins
• Eat nuts (duh! dry fruits) daily - at least 10
• Eat outside only on 15 outings
• Do at least 4 college/office workouts daily
• Jog (oggling allowed) daily - 30 mins

Once past 40 years of age, the basal metabolic rate and body fat percentage increase, making developing a six-pack extremely difficult. But SRK did it. Arjun Kapoor, Parineeti Chopra and Sonakshi Sinha also made it from fat to fit. Your muscles are still young and more ready to shed and shape quickly.

So make jaws drop post the 4,3,2,1 Happy New Year countdown!