The advanced fitness programme: Week six

De-cluttering your life will make you feel more energetic, refreshed and ready to face existing and new challenges. If the thought of clearing out your desk, your kitchen cupboards, your dressing table or your wardrobe is something you just can't face just yet, then start with one task at a time. Look at it like a meal in a restaurant - if the waiter brought the starter, main course, dessert and coffee all in one go - you think `how will I ever get all through that?' but as it's brought one course at a time you pace yourself. When de-cluttering if you come across something that you haven't used in the past year, throw it away or donate it to charity. When you get up the next day you'll be surprised how eager you are to start your day and start your workout.

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 use a bodybar hold it behind the head, resting 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.

Tuesday
Rest or easy yoga class. If there isn't a yoga class available and you feel like a stretching exercise, go through the stretching routine in the work out at home programme.

Wednesday
Cardio training (either an aerobics/combat class, treadmill or a jogging/cycling session of about 40 minutes - with warm up and cool down either side)

Thursday
Repeat Monday's assignment

Friday
Interval training: After warming up, repeat any of the following interval cycles (4 minutes in length) 8 times and then remember to cool down and stretch.
Running: Moderately for 3 minutes and fast for 1 minute
Cycling: 3 minutes at light to medium resistance, 1 minute and slower and heavier resistance On the treadmill: 3 minutes at a moderate speed, then one minute fast or at a moderate speed on an incline.
Swimming: Breaststroke for 3 minutes, crawl for one minute.

Saturday
Clear the clutter and have a rest.

Sunday
Brisk walk, cycle ride or skipping session.