A top fitness and wellness expert devises an exclusive 4-day plan to rev up and slim down for the big day.
Rest Well
►Get enough z-z-z-z’s. “Lack of sleep makes it harder to manage carbohydrate intake,” says Watkins. “Most of us require seven to eight hours of solid sleep.”
►Limit your in-bed reading to 5 to 10 minutes, and don’t consume any liquid within an hour before bedtime.
►Lower the temperature in your bedroom to between 64 and 68 degrees.
►Launder your pillowcases the day before your four-day boost to keep them (and you) germ-free.
Amp Up
►Break your exercise into smaller bites spaced throughout the day to keep your metabolic engine revved, the better to burn calories. Aim for three sessions of 10 to 15 minutes. (If you already follow a workout plan, stay with it, but add on two quick sessions.)
►At work, “Take the stairs,” says Watkins. “It should take you between 30 and 60 seconds to briskly walk 5 flights. Try this without stopping (do more flights if you can), then take a short break, walk back down, and repeat for a total of 10 to 12 minutes.
►At home: Jumping jacks, burpees, running in place with knees high…keep moving for 30 seconds to 1 minute, rest, and repeat.
