Tone It And Own It: Body And Soul Week 2
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It's week 2 of the Body And Soul plan. Find out what personal trainer Joslyn Thompson, has in store for you this week
Day 8 Day 9 Day 10 Day 11 Day 12 Day 13 Day 14
Pushed for time? Many people find that time is a huge factor affecting their ability to exercise. If I have a busy day ahead, I try to focus on how I can still fit exercise into my day without taking up too much time. So I walk to work.
Walking is aerobic, it burns calories, and it's an ideal fat-burning activity. It conditions the heart, improves muscle tone and strength, and relieves stress. Exercising in the morning boosts your metabolism for the rest of the day, giving you the energy to get on with that busy schedule!
For a brisk walk to work, all you need is a good pair of walking shoes or trainers. Ensure your bag can be carried on both shoulders e.g. a ruc sack, so that you can walk comfortably without being too weighed down. Get hold of a pedometer to track those steps; a great reminder of how effortlessly active you have been throughout the day.
If walking the whole way to work would take too long, travel by transport part of the way, and walk the rest.
Make sure you're getting your posture right with our walking troubleshooting guide
The ancient art of Tai Chi, often described as 'meditation in motion', is a series gentle flowing movements connecting the body and soul. The slow movements boost your mood and energy level, as you gracefully pass through each sequence. Forget resting between sets, this non-stop graceful art, means you are toning with each breath. So try these great moves to add some Eastern energy to your day.
Hip mobilisation
Stand with your feet wider than hip width apart, with your knees soft, and your hands on your hips. Make large circular movements with your hips really stretching and breathing into the motion. Do 10 circular motions in one direction, and then 10 circular motions in the opposite direction
Floating arms
Stand with your feet a little wider than hip width apart, and your hands down by your sides. Slowly float your arms out to the sides and up in the air, letting your finger tips trail through the air as if through water. Then float your hands back down again, keeping your fingers trailing behind.
The Chinese believed that this energising art helped to boost immunity keeping your system stronger through the winter months.
Do you get a little peckish around 11am, or feel a bit sluggish around 3pm? This probably has something to do with the kinds of foods you are eating. If you eat carbohydrates (rice, potatoes, quinoa, oats) on their own without any protein (meat, fish, dairy, eggs) or good fats (oily fish or fish oil capsules, nuts, seeds), you will find that you have a burst of energy, followed by an energy lull and more hunger. A vicious cycle that leaves you reaching for that next chocolate biscuit.
Adding protein or good fats to your meals prevents this from happening, stabilising your blood sugar levels, increasing your metabolism, and keeping you more energised throughout the day.
Eating 5-6 small meals a day is also a great way to keep energy levels high, and to keep your metabolism boosted throughout the day. And a boosted metabolism means that your body is a fat burning machine!
If eating 5-6 small meals a day proves too difficult, follow this mantra:
Eat breakfast like a Queen
Eat lunch like a Princess
Eat dinner like a Pauper
And don't forget, if you do snack in the day, add some yoghurt or seeds to keep that body burning!
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