GET FIT IN 15 MINUTES

WHAT TO DO

TO GRADUALLY build up strength in your legs, try ‘seated quad leg extensions’, says celebrity personal trainer Nadya Fairweather (u-shape.co.uk). This exercise is particularly good if you have lost muscle mass either from illness or age. Sit up straight on a solid chair, shoulders back and down, looking straight ahead, with hands holding the seat. Keep your left foot flat on the floor. Extend your right leg until it is fully straight, or as straight as you can make it. Slowly bend leg back down and then repeat 12 times. Now repeat on the left leg. Stand up, sit down, sit up straight and repeat again for three to five sets.

WHAT TO EAT

OUR diet can make a big difference when building muscle in the legs, says nutritionist Shona Wilkinson (shonawilkinson.com). Eat plenty of chicken breast for protein — it contains approximately 35g per portion. We need this for growth and muscle maintenance. For general fitness and low-level exercise, we need 1g of protein per kilo of body weight. Dark green leafy vegetables, such as cabbage, kale, spinach and broccoli, are packed with calcium, magnesium and potassium. We need these minerals to function properly and receive messages from our brains. Have the vegetables gently steamed to avoid destroying the nutrients. Oatcakes topped with cottage cheese make a great snack for boosting energy levels as they contain protein and complex carbohydrates.

WHAT TO WEAR