1 Wake up early. A balanced sleeping schedule is very important not just for fitness but also because it gives you ample time for your day’s schedule, leaving you stress free.
2 Drink ample water and eat water-based fruits like cucumber and water melon. Keeping your body hydrated is crucial as any fitness exercise leads to a loss of body water content due to sweating.
3 Put in an hour of cardio in the morning. Running is the best form of cardio and it not just keeps you in shape, it also builds lung capacity. Hit the treadmill and the cross trainer with some music plugged in and your sipper close at hand. If you can’t hit the gym, go for a run outdoors. Take the stairs whenever you can.
4 End your day with an hour of weight training in the evening. As weigh training can tire your muscles, it is better to do it at the end of the day. If you don’t want to put on too much muscle mass, keep an easy regime with lesser amount of weight and more repetitions. Shoulder lifts and cross lunges are effective for toning up. Do squats and sumo squats for toning your glutes and thighs.
5 Add a lot of protein to your diet and limit carbs. Replace your chapatis with ragi. Seasonal fruits and vegetables are a good idea. Pair it all with yoghurt to give your metabolism a boost.
— As told to Sayantika Majumder
