SANTOS’ TOP TIPS TO BLAST AWAY FAT AND BUILD MUSCLE

1 Use your body weight instead of machines to build strength.

Santos suggests doing 30 to 100 push-ups (above), pull-ups (right) and squats, repeating each round of exercises for five to 10 sets. Start out once a week and build to three times a week. If you’re out of shape, start with five reps of each exercise and build up. “This will get you much better results than anything a weight [machine] can offer,” he says.

2Combine aerobic (with oxygen) and anaerobic (without oxygen) exercise for the fastest results.

Try running at a comfortable speed of about six miles per hour (or whatever you can handle) on the treadmill for 30 minutes for your aerobic workout. The next day, do eight to 16 rounds of sprinting at high speed for a minute or two, then walk for one minute at 4 mph for a 16- to 32-minute workout.

3 Eat complex carbs for energy.

This means having fiber-filled foods such as fruit, whole grains and sweet potatoes. Avoid the unhealthy carbs of sugars and refined-white-flour products.

4 Drink lots of water.

Santos suggests drinking it at room temperature while working out for better absorption, and cold water when at rest, which forces the body to expend more calories.

5 Don’t forget to stretch.

“If you want the best results possible, you need to be flexible,” he says. “Commit to it, make it part of your routine. If you don’t like it, go to a place with yoga or pilates or hire a trainer to stretch you. As we get older, we lose flexibility. The best combatant to feeling your age is to increase flexibility.”