1. Setting a goal

Setting a goal is a promise you make to yourself that you want to change how you look and feel. It is important that your weight loss goal is realistic, tangible and achievable in the duration of time you provide for yourself.

5 key questions to ask yourself when setting a weight loss goal:

- Why do I need to lose weight?
- Why now?
- What can I expect from losing weight/exercising?
- What are my other priorities other than losing weight?
- How important is this to me?

2. Keeping a journal

Keeping a journal is a helpful way to keep track of your progress. When I decided I wanted to lose weight, I got a journal to list my goals, keep track of my daily activities (energy consumers such as 30-min run in the morning, taking the stairs or walking home) and food consumption.

It may seem over-calculating to some, but until you can practice self-control over your in and out (in= food consumption; out= energy consumers), having a journal keeps you conscious of what you eat and how you use your energy.

For instance, I realized I had an unhealthy habit of eating chocolates everyday and this did not look good in my food journal. So, instead of seeing ‘a bar of chocolates’ almost everyday in my daily food journal, I decided to cut down and hence only have it as an occasional treat. You will feel a greater sense of self-control when you see that you’ve listed healthier foods in your food journal.

Listing your ‘energy consumers ‘also helps you to realize what you need to do more of in terms of your daily activities. Are you being active enough?

3. Wearing the right shoes

Wearing the right pair of good workout shoes is the first step (yes, pun intended) to getting the most out of your workouts. It is the most vital accessory you need to ensure comfort, support and stability as you exercise.

I choose cross trainers as they are great for anything that requires quick movement, direction changes or high impact such as running, cardio and weight training. If you’re more of a runner, pick proper running shoes as they are lighter and are specifically designed to cause less impact on your joints when you run. Choose a pair of shoes depending on what type of exercise you do the most.

For example, someone who does high impact aerobics and lifts weights 5 days a week will need a totally different type of shoe than someone who walks 20 minutes 3 days a week.

4. Wearing gloves

If you want to lose weight more effectively and achiev a more toned look, you have to lift weights. A common misunderstanding that women have about weight lifting is that they are afraid of looking buff or bulky like Arnold. This will not happen unless you do not watch your diet and eat more than your body needs.

Wearing training gloves prevents moisture formation (especially helpful if you get sweaty palms), thus allowing you to get an enhanced grip on the handle of the barbells. Sweating causes the hands to become slippery and you face a high risk of injury when you lose proper grip on your training equipment.

Another one of the reasons why I wear training gloves is to avoid having that rusty, iron smell on my hands from holding the barbells .

5. Staying hydrated

As I’ve mentioned under the rules of thumb of ‘The Explode Program’, staying hydrated during any workout or activity is important to your body. Drink at least 2 liters of water a day; do not be afraid of bloating! Make sure you drink a small cup of water for every 20 minutes you spend exercising.

If you continue to exercise without proper fluid intake, you may experience a drop in blood pressure, feel faint, dizzy or nauseous. These are the symptoms of heat exhaustion. If you keep going, your body’s ability to dissipate heat is further impaired and you may suffer heat stroke!

6. Listening to fast-paced music

Listening to fast-paced music while you’re working out increases your energy and motivates you to work harder. Whether it’s Pussycat Dolls or Prodigy, create a list of upbeat music that will help lift your mood and give you better concentration while you exercise. Remind yourself of your goal every time you step into the gym or start your workout.

It is important that you are in the right state of mind and not worrying or stressed out about work. Now, hit the ‘Play’ button on your mp3 player and get in the zone!

7. Controlled breathing

Have you ever found yourself feeling a stitch in your side while working out? This happens when you do not practice controlled breathing. The more rigorous the activity, the more you should concentrate on steady breathing.

You should not hold your breath, especially when weight lifting as this can push blood pressure up significantly and you reduce blood flow to your brain while increasing pressure in your chest – which can cause injuries.

Breathing properly while you exercise will help supply your body with the right amount of oxygen and give you something to focus on. And, your brain will function better too. Always remember that it is wise to slow down when you cannot catch your breath instead of continuing.

8. Maintaining your form & going full-swing

Maintaining a proper form with controlled movement is a key factor in getting the most from weight lifting. If you can’t maintain a proper form while lifting, the weights are probably too heavy for you and this could be a dangerous set-up for an injury.

Make sure you choose weights that you are comfortable with. It should not be too light but heavy enough that it builds resistance that so that your last few reps are not as easy as the first few. If you are breezing through your sets, you may have the perfect form, but you are not getting the most out of the workout.

9. Stretch at the end

The best time to stretch is after you have warmed up. Improved circulation can also speed up recovery after muscle injuries.

A few ways to burn more calories when exercising:

- Exaggerating each movement in the exercise (Go full-swing!)
- Exercising the major muscle groups such as legs, back & buttocks
- Exercises such as jogging, walking, dancing require extra energy for balance better than cycling or rowing.
- Calorie burning is increased when movements in an exercise are continuous.

Don’t forget to give your body a break! Having rest days in your exercise week will not only build better muscles and prevent injuries, but it’ll also prevent you from hitting a plateau.