Unfortunately, there’s no magic trick to losing weight healthily.
It takes hard work and will-power.
Given how sedentary our lifestyles are (we spend an average of 9.5 hours sat on our tush), the odds can sometimes seem stacked against us.
But even being sat a desk for five days a week need not be an obstacle to achieving your fitness and weight-loss goals.
Shona Vertue is a former personal trainer who has worked extensively with David Beckham, and she has a five-minute desk yoga sequence to help you tone up AND shed those lbs.
All you need to do is set aside are regular five-minute intervals (say every 45 minutes) to "enter the break zone".
The break zone subscribes to the theory that the human brain can usually only focus for around 45 minutes, before needing to take a short break.
So during this break, follow these steps…
1. Take three deep breaths
Not just regular breaths, either. Close your eyes and take three seconds to inhale and three seconds to exhale.
"The breath is very closely linked to the state of your nervous system, so keeping a calm and rhythmic breath can help to relax your body while awakening the mind," Shona tells the MailOnline .
2. Turn your head
With your eyes are still closed, take your head towards the left, keeping your chest lifted – and allow the opposite shoulder to pull gently away.
Repeat this movement on your right-hand side.
3. Lift your chest up
Interlace your fingers behind your head and lift your sternum to the sky, and make sure you don’t drop your head too far backwards.
4. Do this stretch
Place your right hand on the outside of your left leg for a seated side stretch.
Shona then instructs: "Raise the left arm, turn your head towards your armpit and lean to the right. Rather than compressing the right side, think about lengthening the left".
Repeat doing this on the other side.
5. Seated twist
Next, take a seated twist to both the left and right, keeping your chest lifted as you do this.
6. Yawn!
The simplest move yet – did you know yawning is really good for you?
"It helps the brain to reset, in fact when you yawn, you’re actually stimulating a neural area of the brain that plays a significant role in being more conscious and alert," Shona explains.
7. Reach for the sky
Once you’re done yawning, interlace your fingers and stretch them towards the sky, holding them there for several seconds.
8. Roll your ankles and wiggle your toes
This stimulates the blood pooling at the toes and creates good energy.
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