Eight weeks to a firmer body: Week seven

Just two weeks left to go - hang in there. I can hardly believe we have come this far already, and I really hope you have enjoyed the programme. This week I want to talk to you about some common fitness myths.

First of all, don't be misled by people who tell you that when it comes to weightlifting you need to do a certain amount of reps for toned arms or that lifting heavy weights will bulk you up. In actual fact, to get lean, sculpted arms you need to concentrate on intensity and form. Aim to lift a weight that makes you feel tired after eight to 10 reps. Make your movements slow and controlled during the contraction and the release.

Secondly, don't be led astray by those who tell you that working out for long periods of time at a lower intensity will burn fat more efficiently. The key to burning fat is to workout at a high intensity, for a short amount of time, i.e. 30 minutes to one hour maximum during any training session.

Here's this week's assignment:

Monday
Prepare yourself mentally before starting your workout at the gym or workout at home.

Think about what you want to achieve before you begin. Picture in your head how you'd like your body to look. You are at a point now where just going through the motions, i.e. carrying out a certain number of exercises on a set number of machines, isn't enough to get you where you want to be. You need to focus your mind and put 100% effort into everything you do during your training session. However, never push yourself to the point of extreme pain or discomfort during your workout.

Tuesday
45 minutes to one hour of cardiovascular work of your choice. Remember, this doesn't have to be running or cycling. You can walk briskly and still get cardiovascular benefits.

Wednesday
Repeat Monday's assignment.

Thursday
Rest day.

Friday
Repeat Tuesday's assignment.

Saturday
Repeat Monday's assignment.

Sunday
Rest day.