Читать книгу Drop a Size in Two Weeks Flat! plus Collins GEM Calorie Counter Set - Joanna Hall - Страница 36

Today’s mantra: My body feels tall and poised.

Today’s step target: 10,000

Tip/testimony from volunteer: When I first started the plan I had to completely re-think my eating habits. Towards the end of the first week I was getting to grips with it – I’d lost 3lb and my energy levels were increasing. Elaine, 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
Breakfast	2 glasses of water porridge: ⅔ cup oatmeal cooked with ⅔ cup of semi-skimmed milk and garnished with 4 chopped dried apricots 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
Mid-afternoon	2 glasses of water
snack	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 on pages 80–97
Suggested activity zone	15–20-minute walk (step target 2200)
Bedtime drink	chamomile tea, hot milk or soya milk, or hot water and lemon

STRETCHES FOR WALKING

It’s important to stretch out your muscles after walking, to reduce stiffness, maintain flexibility and aid recovery. Here are some of the key stretches you may find helpful.

Standing Hamstring Stretch

Stand with good posture. Extend one leg out in front of you with the heel on the floor. Bend the back knee and flex forward from the hips. Make sure you contract your abdominals as you extend forward. Lift up out of the hips and check they are level. Imagine you need to balance two glasses of water on each side of your lower back to help you.

Joanna’s top tip: To progress the stretch, lift your leg and rest it on a bench or low step or chair. Lift your tailbone up behind you to feel a greater stretch.

Standing Quad Stretch

Stand with good posture. Lift one leg, bending at the knee, and hold the laces of your shoe in your hand. Keep the knees together. Gently press your hips forward as you extend up through your spine.

Joanna’s top tip: If you are less flexible or feel pain in your knee, rest your foot on a chair instead and press your hips forward.

Standing Hip Flexor Stretch

Start in a lunge position. Make sure your front knee is over your ankle and your kneecap is in line with your second toe. Extend the back leg, and push the pelvis forward, using a chair for support or placing both hands on your front leg.

Joanna’s top tip: Keep the body upright rather than leaning forward. Drawing up through your pelvic floor muscle will help with your balance.

Seated Buttock Stretch

Sit on the edge of a chair with good posture. Place your arms on the back of the chair, fingers pointing back. Cross one ankle and rest the leg on the other knee. To progress this stretch, place your hands on the side of the chair. Support your body weight and lift yourself off the chair, slowly lowering yourself toward the floor. You should feel a deep stretch on the buttock of the crossed leg.

Joanna’s top tip: Make sure you extend through your spine as you sit. If you suffer from knee pain, try the lying buttock stretch instead.

Lying Buttock and Hip Stretch

Lie on your back with neutral posture, abdominals contracted and knees bent. Cross one ankle over and rest it on your knee. You may feel a stretch in this position. To increase the stretch, draw one knee into the chest, holding behind the thigh. If you are very flexible you may need to take the supporting leg slightly closer to the chest to feel the stretch.

Standing Calf Stretch

Stand with good posture. Take a large step backwards, keeping both feet facing forwards and the front knee over the ankle. If you draw an imaginary line down through the middle of the kneecap it would be in line with the second toe. Press the back heel down to the floor. Make sure the body is in line from the top of your head to your back foot. Use a wall for support if you need to.

Joanna’s top tip: To stretch more into the lower calf, bring the back leg in a little and bend the back leg at the knee.

Achilles Stretch

Crouch down to place one foot on the ground and rest the other knee on the floor beside the flat foot. Keep the foot flat on the floor and lean forward over your knee until you feel a stretch on the Achilles of that foot.

Joanna’s top tip: Press the front knee forward and diagonally toward the floor to feel a more effective Achilles stretch. This is a good stretch to do if you are a lover of high heels!