There are just four days to go for New Year’s eve and now that the party plans have been fixed, the outfits bought, the accessories co-ordinated it would be a damper if one doesn’t shine at the big bash. While one might think that such a short span of time is not enough to shed some flab, experts beg to differ and say that there are some shortcut methods one can adopt to look svelte and sexy on December 31.
“Look at this as a challenge, you’ve got four days and you can split them up like this — cardio, weight training, abs and core strengthening. This combined with a healthy, balanced diet can actually do the trick,” says Mrinalini Vaze, a certified fitness training consultant, “It is important to understand that a fitness regime is not all about time, you can do just a 30 minute high intensity workout every day and that is more that enough. Also, while cardio does guarantee a more faster weightloss it is effective when it is combined with either weight training or abs to get a more well-rounded effect.”
Experts say that one can also look at specific problem areas and work on them. Niyati Thakkar, a yoga instructor and personal trainer, shares, “If you have a flabby stomach then work on floor exercises that target the abs, follow a low-carb diet with lots of fibre and this will help your stomach look much flatter in just a matter of three days. On the other hand if you’re pear-shaped then apart from a 20-minute cardio do some weight training that targets your lower body. This helps to firm up the area, you might not have a smaller butt in three days, but it will definitely not look loose and be more toned up.” Another thing that experts advise is to look beyond the gym. “When you are looking at a shorter span of time, the gym is not the best way to lose weight. Go in for a salsa session one day, swimming the next day, play tennis on the third day and finish this with a session of power yoga. Not only will the weight loss be more instant but you will also have a lot of fun by the end of it,” comments Mrinalini.
As far as the diets go, experts vouch for the concept of mini meals. “That’s the safest and healthiest way to lose weight. Crash dieting is such a no-no because you will be paying for it later! Snack on something every two hours and include a lot of fruits, vegetables and whole grains in your diet. Sip on beverages like green tea or even a jasmine tea, this also helps to detox your skin and will leave you calm at the end of the day,” quips Niyati.