Christmas is over and we’re looking a bit porky. But sticking to a New Year’s
resolution to shift the flab isn’t easy.
Fear not – we’ve created the speediest, easiest fitness plan in town. Thanks
to celebrity trainer James Duigan, this simple eight-minute exercise regime,
when combined with our diet plan, will help you lose 7lb in two weeks.
“Anyone can fit eight minutes of exercise in,” says James, who founded
Bodyism, a super-gym in west London, and trains Elle Macpherson and Rosie
Huntington-Whiteley.
“It’s way better for you to do eight minutes of focused exercise per day than
a half-hearted slog on the treadmill. It means your body will lean up in
just 14 days.”
You heard the man. Get your trainers on, pronto!
The Exercise
2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 8. No jokes, gimmicks or tricks, this is your easy exercise
formula. Do two minutes per day of each of our simple exercises and send
those flab rolls packing.
One-legged plank
Works abs. Loads
- Lie face down with your forearms touching the floor and your hips and legs on
the ground. - Raise your hips, keeping your stomach muscles tight. Your head should be in
line with your upper back and hips. You’re aiming for a straight line
from your head to your ankles. - Lift one leg off the floor so that the foot dangles. Keep hips level. Hold for
10 seconds (A). - Slowly lower your body to the floor for 10 seconds.
- Repeat with the other leg (B).
- Build up the time you hold this for a little more each day. Pros can go for
two minutes, mere mortals should aim for 30 seconds to a minute per
side.
Push press
Tones legs and upper body
- Squat down with your thighs parallel to the floor while holding a 2kg weight
or a 2 litre bottle of water at chest height (A). - Slowly stand up, pushing the weight up over your head (B).
- Do 20 repetitions.
Dynamic rotation lunge
Burns fat and improves balance
- Stand with your head up, back straight and shoulders rolled back into their
sockets (aka perfect posture). Hold your arms out in front of you,
palms together, and keep your feet hip-width apart (A). - Alert your core muscles, by sucking in your abs. Imagine you’re pulling your
belly button towards your spine. - Step forward and bend your front leg keeping the shin straight while your knee
hovers over your foot (B). - Rotate your hips to the right, then the left, all the time keeping your tummy
muscles tight. - Finish by pushing up through your front leg to return to standing position.
- Do 15 reps on each leg.
Tube walk
Sculpts bottoms
- Put a resistance band around your ankles (A).
With feet shoulder-width apart, carefully walk sideways, crab-like, for 20
steps, keeping the tension in the band and making sure your upper body
as still as possible (B). - Place the band above your knees, then squat down and walk for 20 more steps.
The food commandments
Stick to these, and you’ll notice a difference within a few days. Honest.
1 Ditch the junk. We mean caffeine (milky coffees especially), refined foods
(like white bread), alcohol (at least you’ll lose the hangovers, too!) and
processed food (burgers, etc).
2 Add as much fibre to your diet as you can. It’s great for cleansing the
system, detoxing your body and helping with digestion. Get your fibre fix
with broccoli and oats. Or try a supplement like BodyBrilliance (£60,
Bodyism.com) for extra fibre goodness.
3 Try to eat when you’re feeling calm as this will aid digestion.
4 Eat lots of green leafy veg. As well as being low in calories, it’s great
for getting rid of nasty acids that inflame joints and organs.
5 Eat a protein-packed breakfast every day. Scrambled eggs and spinach is a
great start to the day – it’ll rev up your metabolism, help to build lean
muscle and fill you up.
6 Don’t deny yourself – feed your hungry body with good food.
7 Take a fish oil capsule daily. Omega 3 Fish Oil (£4.55, Boots.com) helps
metabolise fat, while boosting hair, skin and nails.
8 Drink lots of water. Staying hydrated will flush out toxins. 
9 Limit sugar. Cutting back on the sweet stuff is the fastest way to burn fat
and lose weight. Also try to stay away from sweeteners (that includes diet
fizzy drinks) – they’re full of nasties.
10 Sit down when you eat. Chomping on the hop means your body isn’t geared up
to digest food properly, so won’t get all the nutrients from your meal.
You’ll feel fuller if you pay attention to what you’re tucking into.
- Clean & Lean Diet by James Duigan (£12.99, Kyle Cathie)
