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March Exercise program Nutrition & diet Recipe

Make sure you warm up for at least five minutes before doing any exercise. Try going up and down the stairs a few times or simply marching on the spot.

Always add time for a simple cool down stretch at the end of an exercise session. Check out the Fitness-Inspiration website if you need any guidance on what stretches to use.

Squat and front arm raise

Stand in front of a stable chair for position with your feet hip width apart. Keep your shoulders down and hands by your sides. Have your heels six inches in front of the chair, your chest lifted, and pull your belly button in towards your spine (holding your stomach tight). Looking straight ahead, slowly lower yourself towards the chair (breathing in as you do so), and raise your arms to shoulder height at the same time (keeping your thumbs facing up). Bend your knees to a 90 degree angle, until your bottom almost touches the chair, pause for a heartbeat, then breathe out as you press through your heels to come back to a standing position, lowering your arms and pulling your tummy to your spine at the same time. Aim for 10-15 repeats, keeping your back straight throughout.

What does this do?
Squats work the largest muscle group, sometimes referred to as the powerhouse area, which includes the glutes (buttocks), hamstrings and quads (front and back of thighs). They're a major calorie burner, great bottom toner and very important for protecting the back and stabilising hips and knees. Equally, arm raises work the front of the shoulder (anterior deltoid), so not only help to increase the strength for your shoulder girdle, but are also good for posture and sculpting your upper arm.

Make it work harder:
All of these exercises work your stomach, so it's important to do them slowly and with the correct alignment and technique. Add your own resistance (imagine you're moving through wet cement or treacle), and you'll be amazed at how much harder you can work. You can also add small hand weights, or small water bottles to up the intensity, but make sure you don't lose the technique.

Do the workout at home:
You can substitute weights with cans of beans or small water bottles, plus everyone has a chair or stool so there really is no excuse!

Lunge with bicep curls

Sit on the edge of a stable chair, your hands shoulder width apart and your fingers curling over the edge. Walk your feet away until your bottom is just resting against the edge of the seat. Your feet should be flat and knees above the ankles at 90°. Slowly breathe in, bend your arms at the elbows and lower your bottom towards the floor, keeping your back straight and close to the chair. Your bottom shouldn't go lower than your knees. Then breathe out, pull your tummy in towards your spine, and straighten your arms by pushing with your hands. All the work is in the arms, not your legs! Repeat 8 to 10 times, more when it gets easier.

What does this do?
Again, lunges work your lower body muscles (glutes, quads and hamstrings), so are a great calorie burner and good for body sculpting. This exercise will strengthen your lower body and help with your balance. The bicep curls work the front muscle of your upper arm, helping to strengthen arms for lifting and carrying, and again are great for sculpting and defining your arms.

Make it work harder:
Using small hand weights will add resistance, but make sure you never lose the technique.

Do the workout at home:
Again, you can substitute weights with cans of beans or small water bottles, and a folded towel will work just as well as a mat.

Table top

Kneel on all fours, with your hands in line with your shoulders and hips directly over your knees (hip width apart). Pull your tummy in to prevent your lower back dropping and hold your head in line with your spine, keeping your back completely flat. Continue to breathe as you control and hold the table top position. When stable, try lengthening one arm at a time out in front of you, but do not lose the table position. Then try sliding one foot at a time away from your body (lifting it up and out), but again don't lose your position. Eventually, you should be able to lift opposite arms and legs with no shift in body position. Start with five breaths, keeping your tummy tight and spine straight throughout.

What does this do?
This challenges the stability of your entire spine and shoulder girdle, so really works your core stability abdominals (tummy) and erector spine (back muscles). Looks very easy but is actually very tough to do correctly. Just try it and see!

Make it work harder:
You can make table top more difficult by adding further arm or leg movements (see demonstration video), but make sure you have perfected each level before moving on. If your posture is correct, you should be able to balance a small object on your back without it moving!

Do the workout at home:
All you need a solid floor. A folded towel will work just as well as a mat.

Double crunch

Lie on your back and place your hands behind your head, fingertips touching and elbows out to the sides. Bend your knees and lift your legs until your knees are in line with your hips, and your calves are parallel to the floor. Hold a rolled towel between your knees to help work your pelvic floor. Now draw your tummy button down towards your spine and raise your head and shoulders off of the floor (lifting from your breastbone, leaving a space under your chin, your head heavy in your hands and your elbows open), simultaneously bringing your knees towards your chest by rolling your hips forward. (Think of it like drawing a sheet up by its four corners!) Pause for a heartbeat at the top, then breathe out as you slowly lower yourself back down. You should feel no pain in your back or neck, and working slowly both up and down will get a full work out of the muscles. It's not how high you lift, but how controlled you do it. Aim for 5-10 repeats.

What does this do?
This is a classic tummy exercise, but so often done wrongly! Done properly, it will give you a nice flat tummy, strength in the mid-section and will also help to protect your back.

Make it work harder:
The double crunch is all about using your tummy correctly – drawing in, not pushing out. You can make it harder by holding the position for longer at the top and really slowing it down.

Do the workout at home:
All you need a solid floor and a rolled-up towel.

This month's nutritional recommendations

As we get a little older, our digestion can begin to play up or slight intolerances may begin to show, so balance is essential. Listen to your body.

Omega 3: Oily fish like tuna, sardines, mackerel and salmon are full of Omega 3. It's essential for your heart, a good antidepressant and great for your skin.

Lean protein: Go for turkey and chicken rather than all red meat. Equally you could try venison, it's leaner and contains low levels of saturated fats. To keep cholesterol down, remember a palm-sized portion is about right, and will help to keep muscles from depleting post exercise.

Strong coloured veg: These are high in antioxidants (help fight free radicals and anti-ageing), so try to have between 5-10 servings of fruit and veg a day. Good examples are broccoli, carrots, peppers and leafy green veg. Berries are great too, but try to eat them at a different time of day to protein, as they digest much faster and may get trapped in the stomach and start to ferment – hence bloating!

Fibre: Adding fibre to your diet will help to improve digestion and could prevent risk of colon cancer and heart disease. Rye bread, beans, brown rice, lentils and oats are all high in minerals and B vitamins.

Nuts: Cashews are great for snacking or hunger pangs but, again, remember – just a small amount.

Hot drinks: Try different herbal teas as a change to your regular tea and coffee. There are some great flavours to choose from, and they are good for you! Peppermint is great for digestion, camomile for relaxation and lemon and ginger for energy.

Don't forget the water! Try to drink between 1.5–2 litres a day.

 

Josh and Corrine's recommended recipe - March

See the full range of recipes

Can we help? Ask Josh and Corrine for advice on your exercise or dietary plan