Weight-loss exercise program

The point of this program is to help you burn fat, but also to detox the system by stimulating the lymph flow and blood circulation. As a result, you will be combining aerobic exercise with a fat-burning and detox yoga program. For each week you are on the weight-loss diet, carry out the following.

Monday: 30-60 minutes of aerobic exercise (you can break this up into ten-minute bursts if it makes life easier).

Tuesday:  20-30 minutes of brisk walking, plus the fat-burning and detox yoga program.

Wednesday:  30-60 minutes of aerobic exercise.

Thursday:  20-30 minutes of brisk walking plus the fat-burning and detox yoga program.

Friday:  30-60 minutes of aerobic exercise.

Saturday:  30-45 minutes of walking plus the fat-burning and detox yoga program.

Sunday:  have a rest.

Fat-burning and detox yoga program

This program helps tone the body’s muscles. You can do this with traditional exercise, but by using yoga moves you will also help calm the body and deal with the potentially stress-induced elements of weight gain.

Yoga breathing. Lie down with your legs straight, and press your lower back into the floor. If you find this hard, bend your knees instead. Put your fingers on your navel, and breathe in and out a few times. This time when you inhale aim to fill your lungs from the bottom so your tummy balloons out, then fill the middle of the lungs and finally the chest. Aim to breathe in for a count of five. Now exhale for a count of ten, letting the air out of the belly first, then the middle and finally the top of the lungs. Repeat the whole process five times.

Mountain pose. Sit cross-legged and breathe in and out deeply. Inhale and stretch your arms up close to your ears and then press your palms together. As you do this, your abdominal muscles will pull in; hold this position for as long as you can, breathing regularly as you do so. Then exhale and bring your arms back to the starting position.

Stick posture. Stand with your feet about 25cm (10in) apart. Bend your knees as if you are preparing to sit, but then turn them slightly outwards. With your hands on your thighs, keep your torso as erect as you can and breathe in and out. Now exhale, and with the air still out of your lungs pull your abdominal muscles back towards your navel and up towards your ribs. Hold this position until you need to inhale, then inhale and straighten your body. Repeat the whole thing once more.

Side leg raise. Lie on your side, supporting your head with one hand, and with the palm of the other hand on the floor to aid stability. Inhale and slowly raise your upper leg; it should come straight up, not slightly back or to the side. Also try not to bend the leg at the knee. Hold the leg in this position for as long as you possibly can, remembering not to hold your breath but breathe regularly. Exhale and lower your leg. Repeat this leg raise on the other side.

Half-moon. Stand up straight, with your feet together, and your arms by your sides. Inhale and bring your arms upwards, close to your ears, and press your palms together if you possibly can. Exhale and slowly bend to one side as far over as you can. Hold this position for as long as possible, breathing regularly as you do so. Return to the center and repeat the process again, this time bending to the other side.

Finish the program by repeating the yoga breathing techniques from step 1.