abdominal and core stability exercises
EAT TO GET SLIM
If you’ve followed the plan correctly it’s likely that you haven’t felt hungry. You may even have felt tempted to skip your spruce juice or miss out an afternoon snack. After all, the more calories you can cut, the better, right? Wrong! The very process of digestion actually increases your metabolism and contributes significantly – roughly 5 percent – to your daily energy expenditure. So skipping meals and snacks denies your body the chance to rev up its metabolism in order to digest them. If you feel over-full and really don’t want to eat as much as is suggested, try reducing the amounts at all meals rather than cutting out specific ones altogether.
DAY 12
Today’s mantra: I feel like a new person!
Today’s step target: 10,000
Tip/testimony from volunteer: Don’t get disheartened if, from time to time, you fail to stick with the plan. A realistic and flexible approach is just as important as being disciplined. Tom, 29
| On rising | 1 glass of water plus cup of coffee, green tea or tea, or hot water and lemon |
| Suggested activity zone | 15-minute walk (step target 1800) plus abdominal and core stability exercises |
| Breakfast | 2 glasses of water |
| 3 rye crispbread with 1 mashed banana and 2 tablespoons peanut butter cup of tea or coffee | |
| Mid-morning spruce juice | choose a juice from those listed |
| Suggested activity zone | 20-minute walk (step target 2400) |
| Lunch | 1 glass of water a lunch from the options suggested in this book |
| Mid-afternoon snack | 2 glasses of water a snack from the options listed |
| Suggested activity zone | 30-minute walk (step target 3600) |
| Satisfying soup Dinner | 1 bowl of FOG or Immune-boosting soup |
| 2 glasses of water | |
| a Starch Curfew meal from the selection in this book | |
| Suggested activity zone | 15–20-minute walk (step target 2200) |
| Bedtime drink | chamomile tea, hot milk or soya milk, or hot water and lemon |
EVERY STEP COUNTS
Walking is about the best exercise we can do. It is the simplest, least expensive and most effective exercise for the vast majority of individuals. The health benefits of walking have been known for a long time, but now research has quantified the number of walking steps we should be taking each day to achieve specific activity goals. It has been shown that 4000 steps a day is the minimum we should all be taking to have a positive impact on our health, whereas 7000 steps a day can positively improve our fitness levels and 10,000 steps a day can contribute to weight loss. Hopefully, you’re beginning to see opportunities for quick walks throughout the day, so that you can break the 10,000 steps down into bite-size chunks.
DAY 13
Today’s mantra: I’ve come a long way in 2 weeks!
Today’s step target: 10,000
Tip/testimony from volunteer: I feel so proud of what I’ve achieved. I feel so much more active and I’m still keeping to the diet and exercise. I have bad days, but when I do, I just get back to the plan the next day instead of giving up. Tracy, 30
| On rising | 1 glass of water plus cup of coffee, green tea or tea, or hot water and lemon |
| Suggested activity zone | 15-minute walk (step target 1800) |
| Breakfast |
2 glasses of water apricot and banana smoothie: soften 6 dried apricots in boiling water then place a ripe banana, a 4oz pot of natural yogurt, a spoonful of honey and ⅔ cup semi-skimmed milk into a blender, add the softened apricots and blend until smooth
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