Five at-home exercises that can transform your body

Jun 19, 2022 News

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Fitness Tips…

By Davina Ramdass

Kaieteur News – If you’re like me, a wife with a hundred other daily tasks to get done, with absolutely no spare
time to hit the gym, you’ll find this article interesting. For women, keeping our bodies well-
shaped and healthy should be a priority for loads of reasons and I’ll elaborate on the most
important one to me – the fact that it boosts your self-esteem.Now, to get to the exciting part; losing weight. I tried for months just walking in the afternoons
under the cool sun and calm winds, as I adjusted my body to daily exercise. At about 5 feet, six
inches tall, I was almost near the overweight line for my Body Mass Index (BMI) and this triggered my new hobby.
As a young wife, I feared losing my husband’s attention and got right to work. Not to say chubby
women aren’t interesting, but I know my husband’s preference. I realised that walking was not
helping me achieve what I wanted to; even though the internet said it was an excellent ‘whole
body’ exercise.
I did my research and ended up working out right at home, losing at least 10 pounds over a
month’s time, with no special equipment and no major changes to my regular diet. I
incorporated these five exercises I am about to share and even had to put these on pause for a
while because I felt that I was beginning to disappear!
Jumping jacks
I use jumping jacks as one of my warm-up activities that take me into the more hard-core stuff.
Many of you may remember this from Physical Education (PE) classes, but what you may not
know is that jumping jacks may be a good alternative to jogging miles on a treadmill or an
exercise bike, as it helps your body out of its normal plane of motion.
Additionally, research shows that jump training may be good for bone health too. Some analysts
believe that a 150-pound person doing just a single two-minute session or approximately 100
repetitions of jumping jacks may burn around 19 calories.
If you’ve never heard of jumping jacks, here’s what you do. Stand with your legs straight and
your arms to your sides; next jump up and spread your feet bringing your arms above your head,
nearly touching; jump again lowering your arms and bringing your legs together. Return to your
initial position and repeat. It is recommended that beginners start off with about 20 to 30 reps
at a time.
Squats
Squats are my absolute favourite. Ladies this single work-out helps shape your hips and butt! If
you don’t believe, maybe you should try them for yourself. Another joyous reward from this
activity is that it reduces the size of your tummy over time. Start by standing with your feet apart
and make sure your toes are facing the front, rather than sideways. Next, bend your knees, and
keep your hips back and you shift your body into a sitting position. Be sure to keep your heels
and toes on the ground and your chest and shoulders back. After holding the position for just
about three seconds, you can press into your heels, straighten those legs and return to a standing
position. If you’re new to exercise, start off doing about 10 squats at a time. You may try other
exercises and return to squatting to get about as many as you want in!
Plank
I did say you’d enjoy your rewards, but I didn’t say it’d be easy. The plank is where you take
things up a notch. It’s a great activity for men and women that help to reduce belly fat and
improve your metabolism, which simply means it’ll help you will burn more calories and
regulate a healthy appetite.
Begin by laying face down on the ground. Place your elbows and legs flat like you are about to do a pushup. Push your body upward and keep your chin tight to your neck. Hold the position for
about 10 seconds and repeat for about three times for the best results.
Sit-ups
Doing a sit-up oftentimes make me feel as though I am undergoing training to enter the navy. It
makes me feel tough and I absolutely revel in the sensation. This activity is a well-known cardio
that helps burn tummy fat. Here in Guyana, our diet is packed with carbohydrates that settles
right around the stomach area, causing a rather unpleasant look when we choose to wear our
tight dresses and other fancy garments, hence my focus on exercises that can help address these
issues.
To perform a sit-up, find a comfortable spot in your home and lay flat on your back. Bring your
knees up and slowly lift your back off the ground, using your hands to help you touch your feet
as you get off the ground. Return to your position and repeat. You may use your hands at your
ear, but I personally tried it that way and ended up straining my shoulders instead for some
strange reason! Be sure you feel that burn in your tummy.
Crunches
Tired of the floor yet? Maybe it’s time to get on your feet again. I enjoy standing crunches
because most times, I do this in front of my mirror so I get to wink at myself for doing a good job. But seriously, doing crunches is another great activity to help you get rid of some tummy fat. Again, men and women can do this right at home. Simply stand with your legs slightly apart and bring your hands to your ears. Next, bend and lift your left knee, bringing your right elbow close to create that crunch. Beginners can start off with about 10 reps at a time.
Friends, I implore you to take a shot at these five simple exercises I have shared. I assure you
that you’ll see changes in your body in the first two weeks if you maintain consistency. Start your day off by incorporating these moves for about 15 minutes and be sure to drink lots of water. In my next article, we’ll discuss the phenomenal weight changes water can effect!

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