Lose weight while you sleep!

Men’s Health magazine is persistently dishing out positiveended promises to its readers through its pages. ‘Drink Beer to Lose Weight’, ‘Eat More, Weigh Less’ and ‘Work Less, Earn More’ may sound incredulous at first sight. But each of these cover lines—we call them promises to our readers—connect to stories that offer simple ways to turn these fantasies into reality. One of the most challenging promises we’ve made, however, has been the one on the cover of our current issue ‘Lose Weight While You Sleep’.
It’s just not possible,” remarked a friend of a friend whilst checking out the magazine after a heavy Italian lunch at Khan Market recently. “It’s a marketing tactic that reeks of exaggeration.” Slightly offended, I offered him an instant solution. I pointed to our common friend, who is 5’9’’ tall and rarely crosses the 60 kg mark, and said: “Do you know why Rajat doesn’t put on weight despite all he eats? His metabolism is really high. If you figure out a way to supercharge yours too, you can torch body fat; yes, even while you sleep!”

This festival season, when statistics show that even the fitness-conscious tend to skip their regular gym schedules, a good way to keep off unwanted flab is to simply increase the rate at which your body burns calories. What follows is a simple, yet gruelling, four drill sequence put together by Men’s Health’s fitness experts to help you incinerate Diwali mithai and other indulgences. Do each exercise for 30 seconds, then break for one minute. Repeat the circuit, this time performing each move for 45 seconds. Rest for 90 seconds, then repeat once more, doing each move for 60 seconds. Whatever time of the day you do this, your body will continue burning fat for the next 20 hours relentlessly. Side-toside shuffle
Stand facing a wall from 5 feet away, holding a medicine ball at chest height. Throw the ball at the wall 3-5 feet to your left and at eye level. As the ball bounces off the wall, shuffle sideways and catch it on a hop before firing it back to your right.

2. Overhead lunge walk
Stand holding a medicine ball overhead at arm’s length. Keeping your arms straight, take a large step forward until both knees are bent 90 degrees and your back knee is an inch or two off the floor. Stride forward with the opposite leg.

3. Medicine ball 180
Stand with your ankle facing the wall about 5 feet away. Hold a medicine ball in front of your chest, arms straight. Rotate your torso away from the wall slightly, then rotate forcefully toward the wall, throwing the ball at the wall and slightly behind you. Turn around and catch the ball, then repeat the move in the opposite direction.

4. Push-up shuttle
Assume the classic push-up position, but instead of placing both hands on the floor, place your left hand on a medicine ball. Bend your arms to lower your body towards the floor. Push yourself up with enough force to propel your hand off the ball. Land with your right hand on the ball and your left hand on the floor, to the left of the ball.