THE SHOPPING BAG WORKOUT

Make sure each bag has equal amounts of weight. They should be heavy enough that you can feel resistance when you lift them up, but not so heavy that it causes you discomfort or you are unable to carry out a repetition. In each bag we have used one large leek, one large butternut squash and two 450g (1lb) cans of baked beans.

1 The ‘shop lifter’

This is great for strengthening the shoulders and banishing those bingo wings! Lead the exercise from the elbow rather than putting pressure on your wrists. Aim for ten repetitions to start with, or however many you can comfortably manage.

1 Stand with feet hip-width apart. Pull your stomach in to protect your lower back. Get a firm grip on each bag with your palms facing towards your body. Keep your neck and shoulders relaxed.

2 Pull one bag up, leadingwithyour elbow, not your wrist. You should feel it in your shoulder and theback of your arm. Return to starting position and repeat.Aim for ten repetitions.

3 Repeat on other side. Aimforthree sets of ten on both sides.

2 Shopping ‘on the side’

Lunges are a great lower body toner and doing them sideways instead of forwards puts less pressure on the knees. The side lunge is a great exercise because it works the sides of the glutes (the gluteus medius), which are important stabiliser muscles for the hip joint. It’s also good for toning the inner and outer thighs. Using a weighted bag adds more resistance and helps to increase your core strength.

1 Stand feet hip-width apart, toes pointing forward. Step out with your left foot as wide as is possible. Bend your left knee slightly and sink your hips back, as if you are about to sit in a chair. Keep your right leg straight but not locked. You should feel a stretch in your right inner thigh and groin.

2 Make sure your left knee is kept in line with your left foot and not jutting out. Push off your left foot from the heel and return to the starting position.

3 Aim for up to ten repeats on one side, or however many you can manage comfortably.

4 Repeat on the other side. Start with one set and try to build up to three sets over time.