TIPS ON WALKING TECHNIQUE
Start slowly to give your body a chance to adapt to the demands of walking. Once you’re in full swing, bear in mind the following tips:
DAY 3
Today’s mantra: I feel energized
Today’s step target: 9000
Tip/testimony from volunteer: Read the whole day’s eating plan first thing so you have time to stock up and/or make contingency plans for anything you don’t like to eat or won’t have time to cook. Sam, 33
| 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 (see page 22) |
| Breakfast | 2 glasses of water fruit and yoghurt: chop up 1 apple, 1 peach, 1 pear and 1 plum (or substitute ⅓ cup of red grapes for any of these), add a 4oz pot of natural yogurt and sprinkle with a tablespoon of sunflower seeds |
| Mid-morning spruce juice | choose a juice from those listed on page 14 |
| Suggested activity zone | 15-minute walk (step target 1800–2000) |
| Lunch | 1 glass of water a lunch from the options suggested on pages 71–9 |
| Mid-afternoon | 2 glasses of water |
| snack | a snack from the options listed on page 17 |
| 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 on pages 80–97 | |
| Suggested activity zone | 15-minute walk (step target 1800) |
| Bedtime drink | chamomile tea, hot milk or soya milk, or hot water and lemon |
PERFECT POSTURE
The way we stand says a lot about us. It can portray our emotions as well as the general health of our bodies. Lifestyles today erode our natural ability for good posture – driving for hours or spending all day at a desk can all affect our posture. Long term, these misalignments can have a big impact on the health of our spines. Safeguarding your spine and posture does not require a large investment in terms of time.
To perfect your posture, stand with your feet hip-distance apart with your weight evenly distributed. Soften your knees as you pull up through your legs. Keep the hips square and level. Lengthen through the spine and contract the abdominals, sucking the belly button into the back of the spine as you extend tall. Drop the rib cage, pulling the lower ribs towards the pubic bone. The shoulders should be down and relaxed, so the neck is as long as possible. Breathe smoothly.
DAY 4
Today’s mantra: I feel strong and focused.
Today’s step target: 10,000
Tip/testimony from volunteer: When you first set out to lose weight, keep as busy as possible with other things so you don’t keep thinking about it – and keep out of the kitchen so you aren’t tempted to open the fridge all the time! Robyn, 52
| On rising |
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