A lot of women ask me how to lose weight from the tummy or thighs or arms or butt or xyz.

Although it would be fantastic if we could press a button and lose the fat from the desired area of our body but sadly that is anything but true. Spot reduction is not possible. Period.

No matter what anyone tells you, you cannot lose weight JUST from a particular area. When our body loses weight, it does so overall. We might feel like only a certain area of our body has lost weight but that's not true. Depending on the amount of fat in that area the result can be seen. Usually your tummy is the last area to lose the fat because the layer of fat tissue there is the hardest. That is why your ab muscles are the last to show when you begin to lose weight. Hence the chase for the elusive flat stomach.

Disappointed? Don't be. I said it’s difficult to get a flat stomach not impossible!

So what is the key to flat abs? (Although I still don't have them myself, I think I am well on a journey to achieve those. So I hope you might be able to benefit from these tips.)

The answer is simple. Exercise and weight loss.

First and foremost, go through my self healing wellness project post which will give you an idea of setting up a daily routine. Once you have done that you can follow the exercise plan I am going to talk about in today’s post.

Although I am a yogi, I won’t be giving asanas as such because it is always better to learn and practice under the guidance of a teacher. This plan is for a complete beginner who wants to start a regular exercise routine.

Requirements: An optional yoga mat, workout clothes( T-shirt-tracks, loose kurta-pyjama, water bottle and most important -a well fitting sports bra.)

Time limit approximately 45 mins including warm up and cool down.

• Warm up:

Start with doing a few stretches to wake up your muscles.

a. Gently turn your neck from left to right with full range of motion- 5 times.

b. Now move on to neck rotation. Again aim for complete range of motion. Do clockwise and then anticlockwise- each direction 5 times.

c. Shoulder rolls. Circle your shoulders from front to back and vice versa. Exaggerate the movement slowly. Repeat 5 times.

d. Arm swings- Gently swing your arms by crossing them in front of you. Alternate the arm that comes on top every time. Repeat 5 times.

e. Knee raises- Gently lift your knee and raise it to your waist or chest and place it down. Arms can be on your waist. Repeat both sides 5 times each.

f. Jogging- Start jogging in your place. Start slow and gradually pick up the pace. You can count up to 20 while doing this.

g. Jumping jacks- If you feel comfortable do 15 jumping jacks. If you feel that your knees might hurt you can try simple hopping instead. Just stand at one place and hop for 20 counts. You don't have to hop too high. It is only to increase your heart beat. Not faint and die!



• Total body workout:

So I will be giving out a list of exercises that will give your entire body a good workout. If at anytime you feel dizzy or feel any pain please stop and take rest. It is always advisable to listen to your body.

a. Standing toe touch: Stand with your feet hip width apart and raise your arms. Exhale and lift the right leg while bringing down your arms to touch the toes. Keep the leg straight and don’t hunch your back. Inhale and place the leg down while raising the arms. Your don’t have to lift your leg all the way up if you find your knee bending. Lift your leg only till it remains straight. Repeat each side for 10 times.

b. Arm Circles : These are silent killers. They are as simple as the name suggests. Stand or sit and lift your arms to shoulder level. Keep them straight. Now circle your arms clockwise. Your circle should be as big as a football and the pace should be for one breath.(inhale and exhale) Repeat each direction for 25 times. Do 2 sets.

c. Donkey kicks: Come down on the floor or your mat on your palms and knees. You can clasp your hands or keep the palms flat down. Exhale and kick your leg behind you with the toes pointing towards the ceiling. Inhale and bring knee to the chest. Repeat for 15 counts on each side. After the last count if you want you can keep the leg in the raised position and pulse for 5 counts.

d. Push-up: These are extremely useful for arm , core and back strengthening. Begin with your palms and knees on the ground. Palms should be directly under your shoulders and place them shoulder width apart. Gaze slightly ahead of you. Keep the back neutral. Inhale and go down. Try to keep your elbows close to your body. Exhale and come up. Keep a slight bend in your elbows. Do 3 sets of 5 each.

VARIATION: Wall Push-ups.

Stand at arm distance from the wall with your feet hip width apart. Inhale and lean forward; as if you are pushing the wall away, keeping your body in a straight line. Exhale and come back. Do 3 sets of 5 each.

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You can take a water break here. Have only a few sips.

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e. Calf Raises: Although not high impact, these are extremely useful for strengthening your leg muscles. Stand with your legs hip width apart. Inhale and raise your heels to come up on your toes. Exhale and come back to neutral. Do 4 sets of 10 each. You can do some more if your calves are not hurting yet.

f. Wall chair squat: This is very helpful in making your quads super strong. Lean your back flat against a wall and sit as if on an imaginary chair. Your knees should be 90° to the floor or higher. Keep your core strong and tight. Breathe normally. Count till 25 and repeat for one or two more sets.

g. Plank: This is my personal favourite. Plank and it's variations can do wonders for your whole body. For this lie down on your mat and come up either on your elbows directly below your shoulders or palms. The rest of the body remains inline. Tighten your core and suck in your belly button to your spine. Keep your back neutral and gaze down. Breathe normally. Hold for 25 counts and do 2 sets.

h. Boat pose or navasana: Sit on your mat with your legs stretched in front of you. Keep you back straight and gaze forward. Inhale and lift your legs with your knees bent while sitting on your tailbone. Keep your spine neutral and tummy tight. Place your palms either lightly on the floor or extended in front of you. Breathe normally. Hold for 10 counts. Hug your knees. Repeat for 2 more sets.

This is the end of your; main workout. Your body would most probably be sweating quite well by now.

• Cool down:

a. You need to calm down your heart beat. So breathe gently. Do a few slow neck rotations and shoulder rolls.

b. Stretch your right arm across your chest and hold with the left hand. Hold for 5 breaths and repeat on the other side.

c. Raise your right hand and bend to place the palm in the centre of your back. Hold your elbow with the other hand. Hold for 5 breaths and repeat on the other side.

d. Stand with your feet wider than hip width. Inhale. Exhale and bend at the waist. Your palms can touch the floor or dangle wherever depending on your flexibility. Hold for 5 to 7 breaths. Slowly come up with an inhale.

e. Get into a downward dog. Palms and feet on the floor. Bend your knees lightly one by one to get a good stretch. Stay for 5 breaths.

f. Move into a cobra pose. Shoulders away from your ears. Palms below your shoulders and torso raised pointing to the wall in front of you. Stay for 5 breaths.

g. Gently move into a child's pose. Stay for 5 breaths.

h. Now lie down on your back and hug one knee to your chest while keeping the other leg straight. Hold for 5 breaths. Repeat on the other side. You can now hug both the knees and gently rock for a few times.

i. Now stretch the full body. Legs; and arms spread to mat distance. Close your eyes and lay down in shavasana for a few breaths till you feel relaxed.

Gently come up and take a moment to appreciate what your body has achieved. You just finished your total body workout.

Drink lots of water and eat a good healthy protein rich meal within 30 minutes.

You can always run these exercises by your doctor to get medical clearance. At no point should you feel dizzy or any pinching pain.

Workout 6 days a week. You can refer this guide for the first month. And then feel free to make changes. There is a lot of information online. Fitness Blender is a; youtube channel I follow a lot.

You can see from the photo I have shared that I have made pretty good progress in coming back to how my body was before I had my baby. The top one was taken two years back. I still have a long way to go, but I am quite happy with my journey.



If working out in silence bores you, you could motivate yourself by putting on some or getting a friend to workout with you.

Hope this helps you guys. All the best! And remember, motivation is only one word away. You say it out loud and I know that you will believe it.



Have a safe practice.

Stay healthy, stay happy.
#slayfitmama