Fitness, exercise and movement.

I managed to get in shape.

This is what works.

1. Start by walking. If u drag yourself out of the house everyday and walk away from it, keep walking away for 25 min so it will take u 25 min to get back.

2. Use music if u like but remember music makes it very difficult to walk in traffic. You are walking to improve your health, not to get into a road accident that prevents you from walking.

3. If u find an uphill path take long strides on it.

4. If u find a building climb the staircase. Take the lift down. Up stair walking, good for muscles. Downstairs, bad for knees.

5. In a week or two, carry a bag with a couple of kilos in it.

6. Now start to roll out a yoga mat everyday.

7. Try these basic moves- a) jumping jacks. b) high knees. c) push ups. d) gentle crunches supporting the neck. e) butt kicks f) plank. g) squat h) side plank. i) wall sit j) lunges k) step up on a chair l) triceps dips or table position. This is also called the official 7-minute workout. It’s also an app. Even they recommend three cycles, 21 minutes.

9. You may or may not be able to do them all. All have to be done for at least 30 seconds.

10. If u can do them all, advance to modifying each move so it becomes a wee bit tougher. Dig deeper.

11. If u run out of breath, raise your knees instead of high knee running. Kick you butt one heel at a time, instead of running it.

12. While doing the lunges, if u lose your balance, touch a wall.

13. While doing squats, try to get your butt to go low enough to go parallel to the knees. If u can’t, keep focusing on going lower and lower on the wall sits. They will strengthen them and let u do squats soon enough. Also there is no exercise where the knees are allowed to cross the toes.

14. Ah, the plank. Looks so easy. Try it.

15. Bonus before bed is the superman. Try to raise the arms above the head and the legs too while lying on your stomach. This should be maintained for 30 seconds. Somehow holding a superman makes you sleep really well, and it conditions your spine/core.

16. You could also try a butt lift on all fours lying on your back. This also, when u finally tire, makes u fall asleep.

17. As far as possible keep moving for a full hour.

18. If u r trying to lose weight download an exercise video and do it everyday. No excuses for the rainy days or the days u slept through the alarm and it is “too hot to walk now”

19. Good videos: Jillian Michaels Banish Fat Boost Metabolism. Entirely body weight. Needs a good thick mat and shoes. Takes 54 min with warm up & cool down.

20. When u can do the BFBM start doing NMTZ No More Trouble Zones which needs 1–2 kg dumbells. If u don’t initially have dumbells, grab a bag of salt, flour or sooji in each hand. Spend money on dumbells only after u have attained the habit of exercising regularly with your makeshift weights.

21. Alternate BFBM NMTZ every day.

22. Devote 30 min-1 hour per day to exercise, no more, NO LESS!

23. TAKE ONE DAY OFF EVERY WEEK.

24. Apart from the day off, resist the temptation to miss a day when it first pops up in your mind.

25. Resist every temptation whenever it comes to miss a day, after that.

26. When you are exercising, every interruption is an excuse to slow down and breathe. Avoid interruptions.

27. Tie up your hair. Sellotape the mat to the floor to prevent bunching if needed. Keep water nearby. Eat a banana beforehand. When u hit play, WORK OUT!

28. Eat a full breakfast afterwards. If u have a protein shake, best of all. Also have two glasses of water even if u don’t feel thirsty. This is also a great time to have any supplemental vitamins, when the body is warm.

29. Don’t count every calorie or start to write down what you eat. The caution will make u eat so less you will miss a workout and become weak. At the same time, don’t buy fried snacks or sweets. They are too much temptation.

30. If needed, buy socks with separate toes. Corns prevent good workouts.

31. If you don’t like one trainer, you’d be amazed at how many wonderful workouts are available for free. Pick anyone YOU like.

32. If you’re able to follow a chart, you could do the Royal Canadian Air Force’s XBX plan for women or 5BX plan for men, they take 12 & 11 minutes everyday. Many charts are available online and if you can do them, be sure to boast about them.

Best of luck!