Anuradha Varanasi
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Written By: Anuradha Varanasi | Updated : February 1, 2016 6:13 PM IST
If you re reading this, it means you survived an entire week of trying to be a healthier and fitter person. If you ve made it till here, it obviously means you are serious about leading a healthier lifestyle. Don't give in to the temptation of staying in bed longer or binge eating junk food. Now is the time to continue on the path to a better version of yourself.
Morning: Wake up by 7 am and start your day with drinking a tall glass of water. Have a tablespoon of flaxseeds and five soaked almonds on an empty stomach. These are the 6 ways flaxseeds are good for you.
Healthy recipes
It is difficult to eat a healthy and wholesome diet, especially while constantly being on the run due to work pressures and other duties at home. However, remember that you need not spend a lot of time or money on eating well. Instead, try this diet plan for the second week of 2016!
Breakfast - Before heading out for work, go for a light and healthy breakfast so you can start your day without any heaviness or bloating. On the eighth day, make your first meal beetroot dhokla. Steamed food is not only healthy but also delicious when served hot. This dhokla will be a wlecome change from the regular idli sambar.
Lunch You could try adding two healthy food items to today s diet for lunch --pumpkin and apples. Try this delicious curried apple pumpkin soup and carrot rice for meeting all your fibre requirements along with getting rid of any cravings later in the evening.
Dinner For dinner, you could try this easy and tasty recipe of fish curry, which is a rich source of omega 3-fatty acids. You could have this with a helping of rice or three rotis.
Snacks It is normal to experience hunger pangs in the evening, so you could try making a basic bhel at home. Heat a tablespoon of oil and add several curry leaves and one chopped green chilli. Add salt and let it cook till both become light green and crisp. Then add puffed rice or murmura and roast for a few minutes. Once it s done, you can add onions, lemon juice and even finely chopped tomatoes before serving. Here s how curry leaves can help you in weight loss.
Exercises for beginners
Now that you have been able to complete 45 minutes of exercise on day 7, increase the time to one hour. It could be something as simple as walking or practicing yoga.
At home You need not pull out your yoga mat today. Instead, do some standing exercises to tone your entire body without having to put too much strain on your back. Pull out your kids skipping rope and start skipping to burn off calories quickly. Try to continuously skip for 10 minutes, but if you start feeling dizzy or tired, stop after five minutes and take a break of not more than 20 seconds before you resume skipping again. After that, if you have a hula hoop at home, try hula hooping until the count of 100. This is an excellent way of toning your abs and hips. You might find it difficult to hula hoop in the beginning but don t let that discourage you because practice will lead to perfection.
Gymming If you haven t tried weight lifting before, today is a good day to begin. Start by lifting not more than 2-5 kgs, depending on your strength and endurance. You could try upper body exercises like chest presses. Lie down on the bench and raise the dumbbells over your head and bring them down at shoulder level again. Repeat this 15 times and do two sets. You can also try this while standing. Another way of toning your abs is to bend sideways as far as you can while holding a dumbbell. End your workout session by running on the treadmill for at least 15 minutes.
Yoga Once you are back home from a tiring work out session, try ananda balasana or the happy baby yoga pose. This helps to relax the body and mind and will give your hips and arms a nice stretch.
Sleep well tip
If you have managed to complete all these exercises, you will be able to fall into deep sleep a few minutes after your head hits the pillow. If you don t fall asleep easily, set your alarm clock for the next day and keep your phone away from yourself. Make a to do list for the next day on what you will eat, what kind of exercises you will do tomorrow and any other chores you will need to complete. By organising your entire day, you will stay motivated. Give yourself a pep talk before you lie down on bed. Concentrate on the parts of your body is feeling sore and while lying down, stretch and relax each muscle. Before you know it, you will start to feel drowsy and fall asleep.
Read, Fitness Plan Day 7
Well, if you are motivated to start your New Year with a bang, spread the word by tagging your friends and #NewYearNewYou and @HealthSite4U. You can even mail your pictures, and we ll post in on Facebook, Instagram and share it with our TheHealthSite.com Community.
Disclaimer: If you follow a fitness plan already, consult your nutritionist before switching to this one. If you are allergic to any of the foods/ingredients mentioned, please do not consume it. Do not follow this plan without consulting your doctor if you suffer from a health condition hypertension, hypotension, diabetes, etc. or are pregnant.
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