Fitness With Ramona: Star-Worthy Advice

This month we debut a new series with celebrity fitness trainer, Ramona Braganza who will be answering questions from masalamommas readers about fitness, exercise and ways to stay fit with simple exercises inspired from her 321 workout!

All you will need is:

• A timer
• Running shoes
• A sturdy chair
• 2- 1 liter Water bottles

With my workout you will be doing 3 Cardio segments, 2 Circuits of strength training and 1 Core exercise at the end. Try to do each exercise for 1 minute, move from one exercise to the next without taking a break. This will train your heart and lungs and build stamina!

My workout will have you burning calories and building lean muscle tissue at the same time- Excellent for weight loss!

• 2 minutes of Cardio move- Speed squats- Standing in front of a chair, arms extended, sit down and back, barely touching the chair, then standing back up, squeezing glutes at the top of the move. Do these as fast as you can, keep weight in your heels to work the backs of the legs rather than the front.

Circuit exercises – do each exercise for 1 minute.

1) Wall Pushups: Stand a foot or two in front of a wall, Lean forward placing hands chest height on the wall, then perform as many push-ups against the wall, as you can for 1 minute

2) Wall Squat: Face away from the wall , place feet a foot or two away from the wall hip width apart, lean your body against the wall, arms extended forward. Lower your body down until your knees are at a 90-degree angle, hold this squat position for 1 minute

3) Tricep Dips: Stand in front of a chair, lower yourself down to place heels of hands on the seat of a sturdy chair. Slide your butt off the seat and support your weight with your hands. Straighten or keep legs bent, bend elbows and slowly lower your butt towards the floor. Next push back up to straighten arms. Repeat for 1 minute.

Cardio Move:  Alternating lunges Begin standing feet together hands on your hips or extended forward . Take a giant step forward with your right leg landing knee bent, make sure the step is large enough that your knee does not go over your toe. Push off your feet and return back to start. Repeat on your left leg , alternate for 1 minute.

Circuit exercises

• Shoulder Press- Holding a pair of liter water bottles, stand feet hip width apart, bend elbows 90 degrees holding the water bottles about ear level palms facing forward. Keep abs contracted knees slightly bent straighten arms pressing water bottles above head to touch. Then lower slowly to return bottles to elbows bent 90 Degrees. Repeat for 1 minute.
• Reverse Flyes -Holding water bottles in each hand, bend slightly forward at the waist with arms hanging down below your chest palms facing in. Raise arms to sides shoulder height , slightly rounded elbows, and hold momentarily then lower. Repeat 1 minute.

3) Wall Flatteners- Begin standing with our back against the wall, bend knees slightly but try to keep lower back pressed against the wall. Raise arms to 90 degrees keeping elbows and wrists and head touching the wall. Slowly lift arms about 6-8 inches then lower back to 90 degrees. Repeat move slow and controlled for 1 minute.

Cardio move: for 1 minute – Curtsey Lunge. Begin standing with feet hip width apart

Take a giant step back on your right leg and place it down on a diagonal lunge behind you making sure you keep the leg straight and your back flat your hands can touch the ground and head should be up.

Once foot touches down then return to start position. Repeat this on the other side, keep repeating for 1 minute..

Core – Plank- Begin facing the seat of a sturdy chair, place hands on the seat. Extend legs back, dig toes in to balance on hands and feet, and form a straight line on an angle from your head, torso, hips and legs. Hold this modified plank position for 1 minute.