Fast-track your summer body: how to shape up over the weekend

I’m going to show you how to fast track your body to ‘the new gorgeous you’ in just one weekend, and it can be done almost entirely in the comfort of your own home.

First of all, be prepared to follow all the instructions here. If you do, you'll get results.

Tips to start

1. Get your food arrangements in order. This also means ditching alcohol for the weekend to get maximum results.

2. Staying hydrated by drinking lots of water will rid your body of toxins.

3. Use good supplements to enhance your food (check with your doctor if you are taking any medication). A good multivitamin, fish oils, DHA and EPA will do. 

4. Get a good night’s sleep.

5. Treatment: a massage, reflexology or acupressure should do the trick.

Food

• Sorry, but it's time to get rid of all the naughties in your pantry and fridge: throw out processed foods, things like ready meals and desserts that might still be hanging around.

• Stock up on: water, lemons, fresh green vegetables (spinach, spring greens, kale, avocado and salad leaves), and fruit (green apples and watermelon). Get the good protein in, such as eggs, fish and chicken or even turkey steaks.

• Breakfast: scrambled eggs with spinach or an avocado with olive oil and lemon. Add chilli flakes for extra taste.

• Lunch: one portion of chicken or fish with salad or veggies. Choose one protein and have the other for dinner. You can add herbs and spices for variety.

• Dinner: go for fish, turkey or chicken with green vegetables, either broccoli, spinach, pak choi or green beans.

• Ensure you drink enough water - aim for 1.5-2 litres of still water per day. Add a wedge of fresh lemon to your bottle, which will help make your gut a healthy environment to digest food more efficiently.

Exercise

Build in three sessions of exercise per day, between 30-40 minutes each. The sessions are designed to give you maximum results in a short time frame. However, it is important you put as much energy into them as possible. No slacking. 

Saturday

MORNING EXERCISE SESSION

You will need:

• a chair

• 3-4 kg hand weights

• a mat

There are three exercises; do three sets of ten for each.

Squats

1. Use the weights that suit you best, start with 3kg if unsure.

2. Place a chair behind you as a guide.

3. Keep your legs hip-width apart and your elbows bent, with the weights either side of your ears , shoulder height.

4. Squat, taking the knees over into the direction of your trainers, pushing your bottom to the chair - sit, then stand up again.

5. As you stand, raise your arms up above your head and be sure to hold your core in.

Plank with raised leg lifts

1. Using the chair, assume the plank position with your toes secured onto the chair, arms extended with hands on the floor. 

2. Holding your core in and breathing normally, raise each leg alternately, counting up to 10.

Press ups

1. If you’re a beginner, go for half press-ups, hands slightly wider than the chest, flat on the floor, on the front of the knees lowering the chest to the floor and up again.

2. That’s one. Aim for 10.

3. If you’re stronger or would like to try and do ‘big boy’ press-ups, extend your arms to a plank, again with hands slightly wider than the chest. Lower the chest to the floor and up again.

4. Be sure to engage the core and breath out as you come to the up position. Aim for 10 or exhaustion.

5. Now take a one-minute rest and a sip of water, then go back to the start for sets two and three. If you’re good for time, try an extra set!

6. Stretch your legs, quads, hamstrings, calves, triceps and chest.

AFTERNOON EXERCISE SESSION

1. 20 minutes of cardio, either speed walking, running or cycling.

2. Stretch out your legs.

Afternoon snack

Juice, made in a Nutribullet or Vitamix.

• 2 celery stalks

• 1/2 cucumber

• 1cm of ginger

• A handful of parsley

• 1/2 lemon

• 1 green apple

• 2 handfuls of spinach

• Dash of water and ice

Eat eight almonds as a snack. 

EVENING EXERCISE SESSION

Walking lunges

1. Take a large step forward, bending the front knee to a right angle and keeping your back leg bent with the knee going in the direction of the floor.

2. Do 20.

Superman core

1. Get into plank position.

2. Raise your left leg off the floor and extend your right arm in front, engage the core - hold for 5 seconds and breath out.

3. Repeat on the other side. This is one set, do two more.

Plyometric jump forwards

1. Keep your legs hip-width apart.

2. From a semi-squat position with arms by your sides jump forwards, landing on two feet back into the squat position.

3. Aim for 5 leaps, which is one set.

Repeat all three exercises 3 times, and stretch.

Add in your massage treatment before or after your evening meal.

Sunday

MORNING EXERCISE SESSION

1. Make this an outdoor session if you can.

2. Go for a 30-40 minute hike, run or brisk walk.

3. Rest with a lower intensity if needed. If you’re running and you need a break, walk for a minute then start running again.

AFTERNOON EXERCISE SESSION

30-minute shadow and kickboxing session. You'll need:

• Boxing gloves (optional)

• A chair or bench

1. With a firm stance, legs wide, one foot half a step back. Soft knees and core tight.

2. Start shadow boxing, adding in two side squats and back again. Do this 10 times.

3. Using the chair as a height guide, front kick leading with the heel using alternate legs.

4. Aim for 20.

5. Repeat shadow boxing.

6. Add in another kick. This time a side kick.

7. Stand with your right side facing the chair. Bend both knees slightly, and gently lift your right leg up and out over the chair and back again. Aim for 20, and change legs for another 20.

8. Finish on a shadow box.

Stretch legs and buttocks by drawing the knees into the chest.

Remember to drink lots of water - and add anti-inflammatory cucumber to it. 

EVENING EXERCISE SESSION

Three exercises that should be done to the best of your capabilities. Just one set of each with maximum effort. 

The Walking Salamander

1. Get on all fours, and move forward with opposite hands and feet, like a lizard.

2. Choose a long area where you can move without obstruction. Keep the core pulled in.

3. Aim to get 15. As it's tough, don’t worry if you only make it to 10 or 12.

Buttock bridge

1. Lay down on your back, knees bent, hands down by your side. 

2. Lift your hips off the floor, keeping the back on the floor as much as you can.

3. Now up the intensity. Lift one foot off the floor into the air, you should be left with one foot flat on the floor, with your hands by your side and your hips raised. 

4. Lift up then down 15 times on each leg.

Plank T

1. Start in the extended arm plank position. Turn upwards with your extended arm to face the sky and hold. Breath normally.

2. Return to the plank position and change to the other arm.

3. With your arm extended, turn to face the sky reaching up, and return to the plank.

4. That's one set. Aim for 10!

Now have a look at your incredible results; you will feel amazing and look more toned and lean.

Joanna and Luke Grey are lifestyle coaches and run livingretreats.co.uk