Can You Lose Weight By Drinking Coffee?

Being active, I thought the extra weight I was carrying would just fall off me. I've never been overweight and it was a real shock to my system when it started to creep up on me.

The truth was though, that being over 40 (I have since turned 50 last October!!), losing weight wasn't going to be so easy thanks to my hormones and life's stresses. I needed a helping hand 😏

I came across a guy offering samples of a coffee that claimed could help give me more energy and curb my appetite. I enjoy a coffee, but due to caffeine giving me palpitations, I only drank decaffeinated. However, I was willing to give it a try.

After reviewing the ingredients (I'm not willing to put just anything into my body), I was satisfied they met with my approval and requested my samples.

They arrived and after my first cup, I felt jittery but surprisingly, I didn't feel so hungry. The guy who sent me the samples told me to just use half of the sachet until I got a little more use to the caffeine, and also to make sure I was keeping hydrated. I was impressed with it so far so bought a tub. It came with a 30 day money back guarantee, so I felt I had nothing to lose (except some weight 😂).

I have been impressed by my energy levels AND losing some weight (a stone or more). I've stopped weighing myself and just go by how my clothes feel.

                                                  Before                                  After

The weight has stayed off and I only use the coffee now and again, mainly when I feel I need an energy boost. Love it! 👍

Try for yourself, coffee or capsules

How To Trim Your Waist And Burn Calories

Get Your Hoop HERE

Exercise You Can Take Anywhere....

If you're anything like me I like to exercise even when I'm away. Doing some exercise as part of my weekly routine is important to me, so having items I can use to exercise with and pack easily into my suit case are a must.

I have recently been asked to try out a hula hoop. Not your solid circular hoop but a weighted, flexible type.

I really didn't know what to expect, let alone even see how it could possibly be effective but I was willing to give it a try.

My initial thoughts were that it would be difficult to use but I liked the idea of being able to take it with me on my travels AND it was easy to store at home, so I reserved all judgement.

It took me only a short time to get the hang of using it and because of the weight and design I could really feel it working. Not only did it work my waist and hips but I also felt like I'd had a cardio workout and felt slightly breathless and sweaty (all good signs in my eyes!!)

I was really impressed by this piece of equipment and could definitely feel a difference.

Not only could you use it to trim your waist but it was cleverly designed to enable you to also work other parts of the body including your arms (all will be revealed).

I'll be sharing a video on how to use it.

If you can't wait that long, then here is the link to the hula hoop HERE

It really is amazing, easy to use and store, so it ticks all of the boxes for me 👍

Think Hula Hoops Are Toys? They Could Change Your Life...

As told by Jenny Wood.......

Going through my wardrobe recently, I found a pile of brightly coloured bikinis languishing in a drawer. They can go straight to the charity shop, I thought glumly, stuffing them into a bin bag. 

When I gave birth to my little boy 18 months ago, I gained something else as well - a wobbly belly, or, as it’s affectionately known, a ‘mum tum’. So, I was pretty sure my bikini-wearing days were over.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate my body. Long walks with a buggy, breastfeeding and running after a toddler have actually helped me lose more than the three stone I put on during pregnancy. But, while the rest of me has slowly shrunk back into shape, my tummy hasn’t followed suit. Wearing anything body-hugging  still fills me with fear.

I’d love to have abs like Olympic athlete Jessica Ennis. And, it would seem, I’m not alone. In a recent survey of 3,000 women, 58 per cent said their stomach was the body part they most wished they could change. 

The problem is, like most people with children or busy lives, I can’t spend hours in the gym or afford to hire a personal trainer. But now, thanks to the latest celebrity fitness craze, I may have found an unlikely solution: hula hooping.

‘I’m all about hula-hooping right now!’ tweeted Kelly Osbourne recently. ‘Five mins in the morning, five mins at night ... in five days I lost two inches from my waistline!’ Michelle Obama, who can apparently hula while kneeling, Grace Jones, who hooped throughout her Queen’s Diamond Jubilee performance last year, and Beyoncé have all credited the humble hoop for their fantastic figures. If they can do it, I reckon, so can I.

So I arrange to meet hula hooping expert Anna Drury, 30, at a gym in South London. Anna first picked up a hoop in 2006 after seeing them used in a performance at a music festival. 

 

She’s been hooping professionally for five years now and teaches in schools, runs adult classes and performs at events worldwide, often using several hoops at once and even setting them on fire. Crikey.

The last time I picked up a hula hoop, I had ankle socks and pigtails, so I’m understandably nervous as I join the 12 other women in the evening’s class. Anna believes that everyone - even those who are hopelessly uncoordinated like me - can learn to hula hoop. 

The secret is lots of practice and the right equipment - the larger and heavier the hoop, the easier it is to control and the more it’ll help you tone up. 

As for what to wear, apparently the fewer or tighter the clothes the better. That way the hoop sticks to you rather than the fabric, so I opt for a purple vest top and blue leggings. 

As the class starts, Anna explains that hooping is like riding a bike - it’s all about finding your own personal rhythm and once you’ve got it, it never goes. Music helps you relax, making the whole process much easier, so she turns on the stereo and off we go. 

Getting the hula hoop ‘in flight’ (to use the technical term) is actually easier than I’d thought - I just hold it around my waist and fling it sideways - but keeping it twirling for more than a few rotations is going to take some practice. 

Anna’s tip is to stay positive - just concentrate on trying to keeping the hoop from falling. That’s easy for her to say, casually spinning her hoop around her neck, but I get countless knocks as mine keeps clattering to the ground. 

Anna cheerfully explains that bruises are par for the course when learning, and that my stomach will toughen up, so I should look at them as war wounds. 

Slowly, I start to get the hang of it, although I find it much easier to hoop in an anti-clockwise direction than a clockwise one (apparently this is normal for right-handed people). However, if I can learn to hoop in both directions I’ll get better-looking abs, because I will then be working the muscles on both sides of my body. 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2333002/The-10-minute-workout-rolled-away-spare-tyre-weeks-Think-hula-hoops-toys-They-change-life-.html#ixzz4wKPS5HLv 


I will be doing my own trial of a different kind of hula hoop in the next few weeks with a video so wacth out for that!!

Beauty And The Beach

With Christmas well and truly out of the way, light nights here, your thoughts may turn to getting away for a summer holiday.

If like most people you may have hibernated over the cold winter months, well it's time to dust off those trainers and start exercising and eating healthier in time for baring all (well not literally) as you jet off in search of the beach and sunshine.

Often people make the mistake of leaving things until last minute and then fret about how they will look in a bikini or mankini!!!! I exercise all year round so although my body still needs close care and attention, I feel good about myself and whether I look it or not, that makes all the difference.

If you are one of those who are already panicking about getting your beach wear out, fear not.

Starting on Monday 11th April, I will be taking you through a series of exercises and eating advice to get you on the right track to being ready for that holiday, all for FREE Monday to Friday for the next 6 weeks (or maybe longer) for ALL ages.

I love exercise and what I do so I am more than happy to share my advice with you. I understand that some people need a little bit of daily coaching and motivation to keep them on track.

Get the information delivered straight to your inbox every Mon-Fri so no waiting around. This offer is only available to subscribers.

There will be lots of eating advice, exercise tips and plans for beginners to intermediate, whatever age or shape you are.

There will be easy to follow exercise video's to watch and lots of other tips on looking and feeling great from the inside out.

Get on board and sign up using the form on right hand side of the page. As a special thank you and to get you started, I have arranged access to FOUR free reports that I know you will love.

Looking forward to helping you get started.

Your friend

Franky

Fasting Weight Loss Update

I am a little bit later with my weight progress update due to life getting in the way.

I weighed myself and was pleasantly surprised to learn I had lost 3LB. I tend not to worry too much about what I weigh and prefer to use how my clothes fit and feel as a guide. However, I was curious as to whether or not doing the over night fasting was actually making a difference.

As I have said previously I do feel less bloated during the day.

I am trying not to use this method of keeping my weight in control as an excuse to eat junk during the day. I do like to eat what I feel like but still follow the rule of everything in moderation.

Everything does become harder as you get older i.e weight loss, toning up, but keeping on top of it certainly helps me to feel better and look better. For me exercise and good eating habits are a way of life, not just something I do to get in shape for a holiday or special event.

If you have yet to get started then I can only stress that the sooner you make a change, the sooner you will see changes.

Good luck :)

Active Christmas

I must have been a good girl last year as Santa was very generous in my presents. I love exercise and are always happy to receive gifts that help my daily activity and motivation.

So at Christmas I was very happy to receive some new wrist/ankle weights (my old ones were that old, the sand was leaking out of them), a new bike and a fitbit. I felt like a child wanting to play out with their new toys that day.

For those of you that does not know what a fitbit is, this is what is does:-

• Records steps taken, distance travelled, calories burned
• Track your goals with online and mobile tools
• Record active minutes, hours slept, quality of sleep
• Set your goals and sync your stats
• Silent wake alarm, water resistant

Basically it records all of my daily activity which I can view and set goals using my mobile phone.

This also helps to me to gain more Bounts (see past post of the beauty of Bounts and its rewards - link below)

Rewards for Exercising - Bounts

I can't think of a better motivation and reward scheme for keeping fit and healthy. Who needs an expensive gym membership!

Take a look at the fitbit for yourself. Even if you decide not to use one the Bounts scheme is definitely worth joining.

7 Day Intensive Exercise Routine

Two days ago I decided to try an intensive 7 day all over body workout. I am currently on day 3.

Why am I doing this you may ask?

I have always enjoyed exercise and still enjoy it to this day. However, I do enjoy upping the stakes every now and again and thought I would challenge myself a little more. Also I wanted to know if it would make any difference to my body shape after only 7 days.

My thoughts so far are that it is VERY intense. So much so I have had to improvise some of the movements to enable me to get through it. I have not always managed to complete the full amount of circuits they have suggested (but have tried to do as much as my body would allow me to).

This is not for the faint hearted and would take someone of immense fitness, in my opinion, to complete it all to the exact scale they are suggesting.

Having said that I find the challenge enjoyable and are hoping that the end results will be worth the pain. Yes that's right pain! It doesn't come without some aching my muscles are feeling right now.

Having a change in your exercise routine is good. I change my own routine every 6 weeks at least so that my muscles have to work harder and so I am working different muscles too.

This current routine comes with a 7 day food menu to follow. I must confess that I have not been following it as I feel my diet is healthy already. I have been making sure I take in extra healthy calories to feed my muscles along with taking beetroot juice which I know from personal experience is good for stamina and energy.

Along with this routine, I also do my daily Yoga stretches just to help keep the pain in my muscles to a minimum. After showering I finish off with a cold rinse to help with lactic acid (the stuff that causes the pain of over working the muscles).

My final conclusion is that these routines are not for the newbie to exercise and not to be used as a quick last minute fix before a holiday.

I will keep you informed of my progress and final thoughts after the 7 days are complete.

Detox

For these days avoid all starchy carbs including wheat, potatoes, rice, bread and pasta. This will heighten your weight loss and limit bloating.

Eat plenty of green leafy veg like spinach and watercress, to keep your calcium intake up. You can also have soya or rice milk with added calcium.

The most important thing is to avoid wheat, dairy, sugar, alcohol and caffeine and fill up on vegetables (except root veg, unless raw carrots), fruit like berries, pears and apples and lean proteins like chicken, turkey, unprocessed ham, fish and eggs.

Eat small portions of seeds too, they are rich in healthy fats. Make salads big; not just leaves. Include sweetcorn, beetroot, olives, tomatoes and mushrooms.

Avoid shop-bought salad dressings, just use lemon juice and a teaspoon of olive or flax oil.

Tuna salad for lunch on Day One

DAY ONE

Breakfast: Smoked salmon and scrambled egg.

Mid morning snack: A pear and one tablespoon of pumpkin seeds.

Lunch: Tuna salad.

Mid-afternoon snack: A small bowl of prawns.

Dinner: Grilled chicken and vegetable stir-fry.

DAY TWO

Breakfast: Smoothie made with a handful of mixed berries, half a banana, half a glass of rice or soya milk, one heaped tablespoon of seeds.

Mid-morning snack: A hard-boiled egg.

Lunch: Ham salad.

Mid-afternoon snack: A punnet of blueberries.

Dinner: Roasted salmon with streamed green beans and curly kale.

DAY THREE

Breakfast: Natural soya yoghurt (about 150g) with fresh berries and one tablespoon of sunflower seeds.

Mid-morning snack: One hard-boiled egg.

Lunch: Avocado salad; slice up one ripe avocado and mix with onions, watercress, tomatoes, cucumber and salad leaves.

Mid-afternoon snack: An apple and one tablespoon of pumpkin seeds.

Dinner: Roast turkey with vegetable stir-fry

Drink detox tea to help the process

Source:dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-3162210/How-flat-stomach-just-24-HOURS.html#ixzz3g3pkL5PA 

Quick Weight Loss & Looking Younger Ideas

Recommended Products for Quick Results

Click the link and take a browse

Diet-Friendly Frozen Dessert Recipe

Cantaloupe-Basil Granita

Granitas are a combination of fruit, water, and sweetener frozen into a scrape-able mixture. This recipe includes only a minimal amount of honey, a natural sweetener containing small amounts of nutrients, allowing the natural sweetness of the fruit to really shine through.

Ingredients:

• 1 cantaloupe, seeds and rind removed, cut into chunks
• 1/2 cup water
• 2-3 tablespoons honey, based on sweetness of fruit
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 4 basil leaves, divided, plus extra for garnish

Directions:

1. Add water, honey, lemon juice, and two basil leaves to a saucepan over high heat. Use a spoon to press down on basil leaves a few times to help release their flavor.
2. Bring mixture to boil, remove from heat, remove and discard basil leaves, and allow mixture to cool.
3. Add cantaloupe and liquid mixture to a food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
4. Add two remaining basil leaves, and blend until incorporated into mixture.
5. Place mixture into a shallow glass pan and place in freezer.
6. After an hour, remove pan and use fork to scrape mixture around. It should have begun to freeze by this point, but may still be in a fairly liquid state. Place pan back in the freezer.
7. Repeat this process after another hour, and repeat hourly as needed, until reaching desired consistency.
8. Serve in individual bowls, and garnish with basil leaves if you’d like.

*You may want to leave several hours of freezing time before serving the granita

Source:shape.com/healthy-eating/healthy-recipes/10-diet-friendly-frozen-dessert-recipes/cantaloupe-basil-granita

Off The Floor Ab Exercise #5

5. Slip A Punch

(PHOTO BY ERICKA MCCONNELL)

Why: Another benefit to working your oblique muscles: shrinking your stubborn sides. 

How: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent slightly. Bend arms so fists are at about chin level, like a boxer. Keeping shoulders relaxed and lower body still, bend at waist and lean torso to right as if you were trying to avoid a punch. Repeat, bending to left. 












Source:prevention.com/fitness/6-floor-ab-exercises

Off The Floor Ab Exercise #3

3. Knee Twist

(PHOTO BY ERICKA MCCONNELL)

Why: This twisting move works your waist-whittling obliques.

How: Squat with hips and knees bent, feet shoulder-width apart, and hands behind head. As you stand up, raise left knee as you twist to left and pull right elbow toward left knee. Lower and repeat with right leg.












Source:prevention.com/fitness/6-floor-ab-exercises

Off The Floor Ab Exercise #2

2. Cross Punch

(PHOTO BY ERICKA MCCONNELL)

Why: Firms your lower belly by targeting the transverse abdominal muscle. The twisting also slims your waistline. 

How: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and abs pulled in. Bend arms so fists are at about chin level, like a boxer. Keeping feet planted, twist to right and punch with left arm, then return to start. Contract lower abs with each punch. Repeat, alternating arms.











Source:prevention.com/fitness/6-floor-ab-exercises

Off The Floor Ab Exercise #1

Enough with the endless crunches that never seem to make a difference anyway (except for making your lower back sore...ouch). The following 6 moves will help tone and slim your abs from every angle—no sit-ups in sight. 

Do each move for 30 seconds. If it works only one arm or leg, do 15 seconds on each side. Add these to your usual workouts at least 3 times a week.

Keep following for each new exercise starting with number 1.

Combine these with some other exercise such as walking, cycling or anything that gets you moving daily.

1. Side Pull-Down

(PHOTO BY ERICKA MCCONNELL)

Why: Targets the obliques on your sides to give you a more defined waistline. 
How: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms extended overhead. Shift weight to right foot and contract left side of torso, lifting left knee out to side. At the same time, bend left arm and pull elbow to left thigh. Extend arm and leg back to start, but tap toe on ground and repeat. Switch sides. 

Source:prevention.com/fitness/6-floor-ab-exercises

The Dreaded Cellulite and Holidays

Yes it's getting to that time of year when I must dig out my bikini and make sure it still fits before baring myself beside the pool.

One of my worries each year, is how much cellulite I have gained over the winter months (aswell as pounds!).

Well this year I have been preparing in advance. I have been walking more (and at a faster pace), to help tone up my legs. Imagine the shock I got when I looked in the mirror and saw that my arms had now been 'blessed' with the dimply stuff, gggrrrr.

So here I am once more with time not on my side. I body brush and vigorously massage a quick 'miracle' cream into my dimpled bits on a daily (well almost) basis. There has been some improvement albeit slow and not quite the results I was hoping for, but on the plus side, it hasn't got any worse.

I needed something a bit quicker and with more guaranteed results that wouldn't cost the earth. After much research, I think I may just have found the answer.

Have a look and tell me what you think.......Click Here

A quick tip you can do whilst laying on the beach, is to gently massage your legs and arms with the grains of sand. This will help to get rid of any dead skin and gently give you a free exfoliation. Be careful not to scrub too hard though and especially not if you have over done the sun bathing. Doing this just once or twice over a week will be enough. It can help prolong your tan by getting rid of dead skin that would shed and take your newly aquired tan with it. Once you have had a gentle scrub, wash off in the sea and blather on plenty of suncream, not forgetting to moisturise all over later on after showering.

Diet & Exercise Plan for Toning Buttocks & Thighs

Getting toned buttocks and thighs is a tough but rewarding goal. Be realistic in your expectations -- any significant change is likely to take at least six months and will require total consistency in your diet and training. Despite the hard slog you will have to put in, the satisfaction and pride you will feel once you've achieved your goal will make it all worthwhile.

Nutrition Comes First

Out of all the actions you can take, what you eat will have the most significant impact on your lower body. Focus on eating natural, wholesome foods in sensible amounts for your body and levels of activity. Eat lean meats, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts, seeds, vegetables, fruit and limited dairy and whole grains. Consume grains and fruits either just before or just after your workouts to make sure the carbohydrates are used as energy rather than being stored as fat. Eat until you are satisfied, not until you are over-full, and drink plenty of water throughout the day, avoiding sugary drinks.

Lift Heavy, Lift Often

Lifting weights is an excellent way to tone the buttocks and thighs. In order to get a tight, defined look, you need to lower your total body fat and increase your lean muscle mass. Weight training is the best way to do this. Incorporate weightlifting into your routine three times per week, using lower body exercises such as the squat, lunge, deadlift, leg press, leg extension, calf raise and hyperextension. Complete three sets per session, selecting weights that will let you perform eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise.

Run Like the Wind

High intensity interval training, HIIT, is extremely effective for burning fat and building lean muscle in the lower body. HIIT workouts can be as short as four minutes, or as long as 20 minutes, depending on how intense you make them. The shorter the session, the more intense they should be. A popular HIIT workout is the Tabata sprint: Eight rounds of 20-second sprints at 100 percent effort, followed by 10-second rests. Doing Tabatas two to three times a week will help you shed body fat all over, but the emphasis on lower body activity will help you build lean muscle in your legs and buttocks to create the desired tone.

Take It Easy

Overtraining will stall your progress and undo all your hard work. If you are doing three weight sessions and two Tabatas, for example, your body will be under a remarkable amount of pressure. Your central nervous system and your musculoskeletal system will need increased amounts of sleep every night -- at least eight hours -- as well as leisure time in relaxing environments, such as slow walks through parks or forests, to reduce stress hormones once or twice a week.

Source:livestrong.com/article/541861-diet-exercise-plan-for-toning-buttocks-thighs/

3 Ways To Burn More Calories On Your Next Walk

While a regular walking routine is a great way to stay in shape, nearly all fitness experts agree that mixing up your workout is crucial if you want to keep seeing results in the mirror and on the scale. An obvious way to increase your aerobic activity and challenge your body in new ways? Pick up the pace!

Want to take your walking workout to the next level? Follow this advice from celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak, author of 5 Pounds:

1. Brisk walking, meaning a speed of about 4 miles an hour, clearly burns more calories and increases oxygen intake more than a 2-miles-an-hour stroll. Gradually build up your speed by increasing the pace for a minute or two, reverting to your accustomed rate for 5 minutes, and so on. Over time, increase the length of the faster-walking periods until you're maintaining that rate overall. Compared with jogging, faster walking is easier on the hips and knees and diminishes the risk of injury.

2. Jogging isn't the best choice for everyone. Unlike brisk walking and running, which are more horizontal in nature and therefore not as likely to jar your torso, jogging involves moving your body up and down, which taxes your joints more. For some people, if done too long or too often, it can lead to injury. On the other hand, if you like to jog, be sure to wear shoes that give you the right support. If you're a runner, feel free to continue and/or blend it with walking.

3. Short bursts of fast running burn the most calories of all these activities. Research shows that a combination of sprinting and walking is even more effective than jogging. Like walking, sprinting is more likely to encourage good posture than jogging. Sprint interval training is a subcategory of high-intensity interval training (HIIT), which alternates low-intensity (walking or jogging) and high-intensity (sprinting) aerobic activity. As you get stronger and fitter, you can try a single 30-second burst a day, then two bursts a day, and finally three a day. Then you can increase the bursts to 45 seconds and later 60 seconds long. Always warm up before sprinting by taking a short walk or run. Again, listen to your body.

Source:prevention.com/food/cook/healthy-recipes-runners-world-cookbook

Pear Shaped Body

Everything you need to know if you're blessed with a gorgeous pear shaped body

What is a pear body shape?

The curvaceous pear usually has a small upper body with lean arms and a narrow waist. All the body fat is distributed around the lower stomach, hips, thighs and bottom, and the hip measurement will be bigger than the waist and chest. However, this isn’t always a bad thing: wide hips are a traditional sign of fertility, and are considered extremely desirable in many cultures around the world.

What happens when pear shapes gain weight?

Pears are more prone to cellulite than other shapes due to the concentration of fat around their hips. They have, however, less chance of developing medical conditions like heart disease. Pear shapes are fortunate in that they have the potential to make a big difference to their bodies if they follow the correct training programme

What type of exercise should pear shapes do?

The classic pear-shaped woman has a well-defined waistline and an enviably flat tummy, so most of their training programme should be focused on their bottom and legs. Cardio exercise will help get rid of excess body fat, but it’s the toning exercises that will help pear shapes fit comfortably into skinny jeans. Choose cardio exercises (e.g. swimming or cross-trainer) that involve the whole body, rather than legs only, to prevent your legs from bulking.

Which celebrities have pear shapes?

Jennifer Lopez, Kate Winslet and Coleen Rooney are great examples of celebrities who have made the most of their shape without having to resort to extreme crash diets.

What else should pears know about their shape?

Research shows that women with a hip measurement of 40 inches (size 14) or more appear to have some level of protection against heart disease that is absent in slimmer people. That’s because hip fat contains a natural anti-inflammatory called adiponectin, which prevents arteries swelling up and becoming blocked. Storing fat around the hips also has far fewer health risks than storing fat around the waist, although, as with all body shapes, it’s important to maintain a weight that’s healthy for your height.

Source:womensfitness.co.uk/health-and-wellbeing/970/pear-shaped-body

Tips For Getting Some Exercise Into Your Life

Work, friends, family. How does anyone find time to exercise? You know you should, but getting motivated can be a problem. However, it's important to find some way to incorporate activity into your busy lifestyle. 

Benefits of Exercise

Researchers have found that moderate daily exercise may reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis and other chronic diseases. If you are seeking general health improvement, just 30 minutes a day should do the trick. And this thirty minutes can be broken down into 10 minute segments throughout the day.

Moderate Exercise

Even exercising just three times per week (if you can't do it daily) can have benefits (mental and physical). The key is that the exercise is "moderate". Moderate exercise consists of any activity that causes an increase in breathing, forcing you to take deeper breaths. You should be able to carry on a light conversation, but should not be breathless. 

Strength Training

If you are looking for strength training, you should work each major muscle two to three times per week. Perform at least one set with 8-12 repetitions. Before exercising, stretch each muscle group (those that will be used in the activity) for 8-12 seconds. This will help to increase flexibility. You should feel some slight discomfort (not pain) while stretching. 

Set Your Goal 

To help get you started, decide on a goal and make a workout plan designed to meet this goal. Once you decide upon a plan, remember to keep a log. This keeps you motivated and "on track".

Keeping Motivated 

Becoming and staying fit is a lifelong process, so don't become discouraged. Small steps, each day is the key. Also, keep these tips in mind:

• Exercise with a friend.
• Mix your regular training with more traditional activities.
• Keep fitness magazines, books and articles on hand when you have free time.
• Keep a tight fitting pair of jeans (or any other article of clothing) around. This encourages you to exercise. It also allows you to monitor changes in your weight or body.
• Plan for bad weather. Have an alternative to your usual outdoor activity.
• Work out at different times of the day, and then write down how you feel before and after each work out. Discover the best time of day to work out.
• Combine housework with more strenuous activity. For example, shuffle, squat, jog or dance while cleaning up.
• Make exercise a priority.
• Park in the furthest corner of the car park instead of the closest you can find.
• Take the stairs rather than the lift.
• Have a walk after lunch or dinner.

Source:weightlossresources.co.uk/logout/news_features/extips.htm