Which is the best fat-burning routine for every decade of your life?

Jumping jacks for 30s: Exercising for strength is just as important as for fat-burning. It’s not necessary to only use weights, one may also train using their own body weight. This can be aided by yoga, functional training and calisthenics. Every year, every person loses 5.1 per cent of their muscular mass. Strengthening ligaments and joints while maintaining and gaining muscle mass are all benefits of weight training and toning.

I would probably do jumping jacks. The soft bouncing above the ground and landing back gently is a very good cardiovascular exercise to be done 12, 15, 20 times. Four to five sets, if done well in a regulated and calibrated way, can help you circulate better, oxygenate better and can assure output of calories.

Suryanamaskar for your 40s: Hormonal changes during this phase of your life mean weight gain and a higher chance of developing chronic diseases. It is important to stay flexible and stress-free. So, I would recommend Suryanamaskar. It is a great exercise which works the entire body gently. It involves going forward, backward bending, side bending and twisting. Suryanamaskar works on dimensions, gravity with gentle movements and creates a kind of calibrated exertion, which is a great workout with a challenge.

Windmill for the 50s: One is usually battling flexibility, balance and joint health issues. Including flexibility-focussed workouts in one’s routine, like yoga and stretching, helps preserve a range of motion and helps one stay injury-free. Windmill is a gentle exercise. Its lesser compound movements of the leg and hip joints save your knees, ankles and hips. Yet there is movement with the upper body and in coordination with breath. This too is a very mild and gentle cardiovascular exercise which can help your calorie output, increase your metabolic rate and energise your body.

Strength training for 60s: Strength training is crucial for preserving muscle mass and independent functions. So, bouncing, slow spot jogging interspersed with breaks every two to three minutes and repeating the same for three to four times is good. Other than that yoga and some Pilates drills with expert guidance can help in fat-burns.

As much as these exercises accelerate your metabolism, they are also exhausting. So do not push yourself over the edge and stress out your muscular-skeletal frame. Watch your knees, hips, ankles, shoulders or lower back. Exercises have recreational value; they help you remain younger but please do them in a calibrated way for a sustained effect. A workout should be a celebration and not a punishment.

(Dr Mehta has trained Bollywood superstars Akshay Kumar, Preity Zinta, billionaires, politicians, Miss World/Miss Universe candidates and the Maharashtra Police. A best-selling author, his latest book is called ‘Weightless.’ He has been appointed FIT India Movement Champion by the Sports Authority of India)