Personal programmes
By following these tailored diet and fitness programmes, which are based on expert advice, you can improve and protect your physical and mental health
Programme one
Follow a six-week healthy living plan, tailored to your fitness level, and reap the benefits from day one
Getting started
Read an explanation of what to expect in programme two of your healthy living plan. Expert, week-by-week advice will help you become more active, burn calories and tone your body.
Week three
Diet
People who eat breakfast tend to be slimmer and have healthier levels of blood cholesterol, so this week’s challenge is to eat a healthy breakfast on as many days as possible.
Perfect start
A good breakfast is the perfect start to the day, but many people skip it, either to save time or calories. However, missing breakfast and eating at irregular times is a recipe for excessive snacking, food cravings and unhealthy diet choices.
A good breakfast should include:
Cereal with semi-skimmed milk, or toast with a low-fat spread and jam, marmalade or honey.
One glass of fruit juice or a smoothie.
A portion of fruit, such as a banana, passionfruit, a handful of grapes or four to six dried apricots.
Tea, coffee or water.
Portable food
If you really can’t face that much for breakfast or don’t have time, try small portable types of food, such as oatcakes, cereal bars, breadsticks, bananas, rice cakes or jam sandwiches.
Avoid grabbing a greasy pastry or croissant too often. These are high in fat and low in important vitamins and minerals.
Three reasons to eat breakfast
Skipping breakfast makes you hungrier later in the day and less able to resist snacking on high-calorie foods.
Bread and milk are vital sources of calcium, which builds bone. Low calcium levels can lead to osteoporosis, a condition that causes brittle bones that break easily.
The brain relies on glucose, a sugar found in bread and cereals. Missing breakfast starves the brain and leads to poor concentration.
| Sat | Sun | Mon | Tues | Wed | Thurs | Fri |
| 1 x 10-minute walk and 1 x 15-minute walk |
1 x 10-minute walk and 1 x 15-minute walk |
1 x 10-minute walk and 1 x 15-minute walk |
1 x 10-minute walk and 1 x 15-minute walk |
Rest | Rest | 2 x 10-minute walks OR 1 x 20-minute walk |
Exercise
This week, another ten minutes will be added to your weekly walking quota, and you’ll learn an exercise to work your bottom and thighs.
Your week
Your aim this week is to add five minutes to another two of your walks, so you’re doing four walks of 15 minutes and six walks of ten minutes - a total of two hours’ exercise.
You can combine two of your ten-minute walks into one 20-minute one, if you prefer.
Your week could look like this:
The benefits
A more prolonged walking session teaches your body to become more efficient at supplying the muscles with energy, boosting your stamina.
You may start to notice an increase in your energy levels, more restful sleep and improved digestion and circulation.
Cushion squeeze
This is a simple but effective exercise that strengthens the muscles of the bottom and inner thighs, as well as the small muscle that helps to keep the kneecap properly aligned, reducing the risk of knee joint pain and degeneration.
Do it every day, alongside the rolldown exercise from week two.
Sit upright on a chair, with your feet flat on the floor and holding a cushion between your knees.
Squeeze the cushion for ten seconds, contracting your bottom muscles as if you were trying to hold a pound coin between your buttocks.
Release gradually, but don’t let the cushion drop. Do ten repetitions.
