Diet & Fitness 

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The advanced fitness programme: Week five

Hang in there - we're now in week five. Let's focus this week on time management. There always seems so much to do and so little time to do it in. Finding time to workout and having to be at work, or look after children (or both!) is a huge challenge in itself. You need to prioritise. Work out what's important and what is urgent. At work, when you leave each night, leave a tidy and organised desk behind ready for the next day. And use your time travelling between places, whether it's on the train or bus, to slowly unwind and relax. Sit tall with feet hip distance apart and use the time to focus on your breathing - close your eyes for a few minutes and just breathe. If driving, play some gentle music, or turn off the radio completely and consciously relax your shoulders. Concentrate on taking deep inhalations and exhalations to stay alert but calm. Before going to bed, get your bag and clothes organised for the next day. If having to make packed lunch for the children for school, do this the night before too. Schedule your workout into your diary. Manage time rather than letting time manage you!

Monday
Complete either the workout at the gym or workout at home programme. To make it more challenging try holding dumbbells, or a can of baked beans in each hand when doing the squat exercises. When doing the lunges hold a bodybar behind the head, resting it on the fleshy part of the shoulders. If you can get hold of some ankle weights then use these when working your inner and outer thighs.

To advance your tummy crunches, place the feet further away from your bottom. To blast that area further, take your legs up to a table top position, hips and knees at right ankles and crunch in this position. To advance even further, take the arms from behind the head and extend them so the upper arms are in line with the ears.

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