THE PELVIC FLOOR NEEDS A WORKOUT TOO!
When following a fairly strict exercise and diet plan, you’re pushing your body and your mind, so you need to know how to relax them too. Feeling fit is about looking after yourself and unwinding.
THE RULES
1. YOGA is key. I’m passionate about it as a tool to keep the body physically mobile and strong. But not only that: yoga teaches us how to breathe, too, which allows us to relax and stay calm no matter what life throws at us.
Yoga plays a major role in my weight-loss and fitness plan. Don’t worry if you find it hard at first — I found it a real challenge. One session a week is enough to kickstart a practice for life. Do it at home with my book or look online for virtual classes.
2. DON’T neglect your pelvic floor — and this is especially important for women in midlife when it can start to weaken. If you’re going to get fit, you need your pelvic floor to be fit too. Your weekly yoga session is a great time to focus on toning and controlling it.
Throughout the session, I want you to implement what’s called the ‘mula bandha lock’ or the ‘root lock’, and consciously squeeze the perineum to strengthen the muscles.
3. MEDITATE every day. Meditation is another core element of the plan, not only to improve concentration and reduce that brain fog, but to help control stress. Start with just a few minutes — say, three to five — and increase it by one minute each day until you’re doing ten minutes of meditation a day.