<p class="title"><strong>I am in my early 20s. What kind of exercise should I practice to shape my abs? </strong><em><span class="bold">— Prajna</span></em></p>.<p class="bodytext">You can start by doing a lot of crunches, sit-ups, criss-cross, ball crunch to work on upper abs. Then progress to alternate and double leg raises, reverse crunch, ball jackknife, plank for lower abs. Do not compromise on your form.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><span class="bold"><strong>I am 51 years old. I am 5 ft 8 and I weigh 77.5 kg. I work as a sales manager and travel for about 4 to 5 days a week. I exercise half an hour daily with 20 </strong><strong>surya</strong><strong> namaskars. I have no history of ailments. I wish to lose about 8 kg.</strong> <em>— Raghu A</em></span></p>.<p class="bodytext">You’ll have to include some form of cardio with your <em><span class="italic">surya namaskar</span></em> like walking, jogging, skipping or jumping jacks. To see visible changes, you have to break out of your comfort zone. Also, consult a dietician for a specific food plan. It can make all the difference as exercise and food go hand in hand.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><span class="bold"><strong>I am in my 30s and I lack stamina. I am neither overweight nor too lean. I hold a desk job with the minimum amount of physical activity. What kind of exercise should I take up?</strong><em> — Divakar</em></span></p>.<p class="bodytext">Start with low-intensity workouts comprising walking for 30 minutes a day. It is important to introduce your body to short workouts gradually to help it adapt and make a habit of it. Follow this for the first week and gradually increase from 30 minutes to 40 minutes for 3 to 5 days a week. Once you start feeling stronger and fitter, you can add other exercises to your routine.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><span class="bold"><strong>I am 32, 5 ft 5 and I weigh 60 kg. I walk for 45 minutes every morning. Is walking alone enough to lose weight and tone the body?</strong> </span><em>— Vishalakshi</em></p>.<p class="bodytext">Body hits a plateau if a similar workout is done over a period of time. Surprise yourself and your body by adding variation to your cardio routine and also add some bodyweight workout to tone your body.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong><span class="bold">I am in my 50s and I have suffered a few falls in the last couple of months. Are there any exercises that can help improve balance?</span></strong> <em>— Jayashree</em></p>.<p class="bodytext">Start working on your core muscles to strengthen them. Pilates is a great way to get that. It will also help in creating overall awareness about your weight placement and balance which will help you in your everyday life.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><em>The author is a celebrity fitness expert and founder of Body Image & Fitocratic. </em></p>
<p class="title"><strong>I am in my early 20s. What kind of exercise should I practice to shape my abs? </strong><em><span class="bold">— Prajna</span></em></p>.<p class="bodytext">You can start by doing a lot of crunches, sit-ups, criss-cross, ball crunch to work on upper abs. Then progress to alternate and double leg raises, reverse crunch, ball jackknife, plank for lower abs. Do not compromise on your form.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><span class="bold"><strong>I am 51 years old. I am 5 ft 8 and I weigh 77.5 kg. I work as a sales manager and travel for about 4 to 5 days a week. I exercise half an hour daily with 20 </strong><strong>surya</strong><strong> namaskars. I have no history of ailments. I wish to lose about 8 kg.</strong> <em>— Raghu A</em></span></p>.<p class="bodytext">You’ll have to include some form of cardio with your <em><span class="italic">surya namaskar</span></em> like walking, jogging, skipping or jumping jacks. To see visible changes, you have to break out of your comfort zone. Also, consult a dietician for a specific food plan. It can make all the difference as exercise and food go hand in hand.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><span class="bold"><strong>I am in my 30s and I lack stamina. I am neither overweight nor too lean. I hold a desk job with the minimum amount of physical activity. What kind of exercise should I take up?</strong><em> — Divakar</em></span></p>.<p class="bodytext">Start with low-intensity workouts comprising walking for 30 minutes a day. It is important to introduce your body to short workouts gradually to help it adapt and make a habit of it. Follow this for the first week and gradually increase from 30 minutes to 40 minutes for 3 to 5 days a week. Once you start feeling stronger and fitter, you can add other exercises to your routine.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><span class="bold"><strong>I am 32, 5 ft 5 and I weigh 60 kg. I walk for 45 minutes every morning. Is walking alone enough to lose weight and tone the body?</strong> </span><em>— Vishalakshi</em></p>.<p class="bodytext">Body hits a plateau if a similar workout is done over a period of time. Surprise yourself and your body by adding variation to your cardio routine and also add some bodyweight workout to tone your body.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong><span class="bold">I am in my 50s and I have suffered a few falls in the last couple of months. Are there any exercises that can help improve balance?</span></strong> <em>— Jayashree</em></p>.<p class="bodytext">Start working on your core muscles to strengthen them. Pilates is a great way to get that. It will also help in creating overall awareness about your weight placement and balance which will help you in your everyday life.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><em>The author is a celebrity fitness expert and founder of Body Image & Fitocratic. </em></p>