Patricia Weston presents her easy-to-follow exercise plan for complete fitness in six weeks without the need for expensive gym equipment.
The plan includes a walk-to-run programme, a strength-training programme, that incorporates Pilates movements, to tone and build strength and a stretching programme to ensure muscles remain flexible and injury free.
Both the strength training and stretching parts of the plan can be performed in the comfort of your living room.
The walk-to-run plan is specifically designed for beginners and those at an intermediate level. By combining walking and running over six weeks you can build up to 30 minutes of non-stop running.
Rest is also an important part of the programme. You need to rest in between training sessions to allow the body to recover.
Warming up beforehand and cooling down after exercise is also vital. Before you run, warm the muscles by walking gently for 10 minutes and at the end of your session cool down by walking again for at least 10 minutes.
And ensure you wait at least a half an hour after you have eaten before you exercise and drink plenty of water during your workout. Stop if you feel ill, tired or dizzy and always consult a physician or qualified healthcare provider before beginning any exercise regime.
STRENGTH TRAINING
Here's a strength and toning programme that you can do at home without the need for gym equipment. All you need is your well-ventilated sitting room, the staircase, two tins of beans, one chair from the kitchen, a bottle of water, an exercise mat and some up-beat music playing in the background. Also, wear comfortable clothes and a good pair of trainers.
To begin, push back the couch in your sitting room and leave yourself plenty of space to perform these exercises in a circuit in the middle of the room.
All the body's major muscles will get a workout from this programme; the legs, chest, shoulders, back, biceps and triceps in the arms and the abdominals and lower back.
Each circuit should be performed in decreasing repetitions. Begin by doing 12 repetitions of each exercise, then decrease to 10, then eight, then six and finally four, then begin to count up from four, six, eight, 10, 12. This should take 35-45 minutes to perform.
Drink lots of water in between and don't stop between sets.
WARM UP
Warm up all your muscles for 10 minutes by marching on the spot, then march forward and back in the room and clap your hands. Walk forward and kick and walk back and kick, repeat six times. Perform knee lifts with bicep curls for your arms for 30 seconds. Do hamstring curls by kicking your legs back towards your bottom.
Combine these curls with pec decks by holding your arms bent, up and out to the side and squeeze your elbows in together, repeat 10 times. Take two steps to the right and two to the left and repeat six times.
Once all your muscles are warm and stretched, you're ready to start building strength.
EXERCISES
Strengthen the muscles in your legs by doing leg lunges. Stand with your feet together then step one foot forward and lunge. Hold a tin of beans in each hand. Repeat on each leg.
Kneel your right leg on the side of the kitchen chair. Hold a tin of beans in your left hand and bending your elbow pull the tin up towards your chest. Hold your abs in tight and keep your back straight. Repeat on each side to strengthen the back.
Leg squats will also strengthen the legs and tone the inner and outer thighs. Stand with your feet hip distance apart and facing forward. Hold in your abs tight and keep your back straight and your neck straight by keeping your chin off your chest.
Bend your knees and squat down, keeping your bum parallel to your knees. Raise your arms out in front to shoulder level holding both tins as you squat down.
Kneel on all fours and hold your tummy muscles in tight, bend your elbows and press your head towards the floor to work the chest, shoulders and biceps. Then as you raise your back up, stretch out your legs on your toes and hold for six seconds and repeat.
Tighten up the abdominals with this Pilates movement. Lie on your back on the mat, keep your lower back pressed into the floor and bend your knees. Contract your abs and lift both legs off the mat ensuring your lower back is in contact with the floor. Bend your knees in towards your chest and straighten them out, then raise your head and neck off the floor supporting your head gently with your hands. Hold your head up as you bend and straighten your legs.
Do bicep curls using the cans of beans, alternating between arms.
The Swan Dive is a Pilates exercise that strengthens the lower back muscles. Lie on the mat on your stomach. Bend your elbows and keep your forearms in contact with the floor, imagine your arms and head make an E- shape if you were looking at yourself in this position from the ceiling.
Keep your head straight, looking down on the floor and then gently raise your head and shoulders off the mat.
Sit on the kitchen chair or a few steps from the bottom of the stairs then slide your bum off, keeping your palms facing in behind you, dip your bum towards the floor bending your elbows. Keep your back straight and your abdominals held in tight. This tones and tightens the triceps muscles at the back of your the arms.
Cool down as you warmed up.
STRETCHING
These stretches should be performed in a flowing sequence and take up to 30 minutes to complete. Play relaxing music in the background. Hold each stretch for 20-30 seconds to increase your flexibility and avoid injury and do not bounce whilst stretching.
The roll down stretches all muscles. Begin in a standing position, round out your shoulders and place your chin on your chest, roll forward bringing your hands towards your feet.
When your hands are at your toes, hold to stretch out the hamstrings at the backs of the legs and the arms and back muscles. Gently roll back up into the standing position and repeat slowly six to eight times.
On your last roll down, crawl onto all fours. Breathe in and arch your back, rounding out the shoulders, breathe out and tilt your neck back and gently curve your lower back towards the floor.
Repeat for four to six breaths to stretch out the back muscles and abdominals.
Remain on all fours and rise up on your toes, breathe in and gently push your heels into the floor to stretch out the hamstrings at the backs of your legs. Hold this position breathing evenly.
Crawl back onto all fours and sit back on your heels with your head down on the mat and extend your arms to stretch the back and shoulders.
Staying in this position with your head tucked in, bring your arms around to the back and breathe deeply and relax.
Remain kneeling but sit up and stretch your arms up over your head and clasp your hands together.
Hold this position to lengthen and stretch the torso.
Lie on your back with your knees bent. Allow both knees to fall to the right and stretch your arms over your head. Hold and relax, repeat on the opposite side.
In that same position, bring your knees together and then open out your legs and let them fall towards the floor.
Gently roll back up into a standing position with your feet together, bend your knee in front and take it behind holding onto your foot to stretch out the quadriceps muscles at the front of the thigh. Hold and repeat on the opposite leg.
Come back into a standing position, clasp your hands behind your back and bend forward to stretch out the chest muscles.
Bring your arms around to the front and clasp your hands to stretch out your upper back.
Bend forward and take a deep breath and then bring your arms up over your head and breath out, repeat four times.