Aim for at least 2-3 workouts per week, focusing on consistency rather than frequency 

Contact me at aniko@anikopowersquad.com

No! Muscles burn fat for energy. Building muscle boosts your metabolism. When you increase your metabolism, you burn more energy, calories and fat. That's why a cardio programme that incorporates weight training will help you slim down even faster.

You've gone down a trouser size because you've slimmed down. You've lost volume (from fat) but have gained weight (from muscle). Muscle weighs more than fat, which is why the scales haven't changed. This reflects the difference between volume and weight. Remember that what's important is how you feel and look - and not the number on the scales!

Tip: Rather than weighing yourself, use a tape measure to check your waist and hip circumference - or better yet, try on your summer trousers from time to time to keep you in check all winter long! NB: This tip is for those who have just a couple kilos to lose. For anyone who is very overweight, using scales to keep tabs on your weight is very important.

The only way to reduce tummy flab is to work the entire body - especially big muscle groups. Ab muscles are very small and working them alone won't give you a flat stomach. They are, however, very important in helping keep back problems at bay and improving posture and balance.

Muscle training will give you stronger muscles. But you can slim and lengthen them by stretching! Never use heavy weights during your fitness sessions. Instead, do more reps to draw from your energy stores followed by a stretching routine to lengthen and slim your muscles.

Diets are often very restrictive and will mainly cause you to lose muscle mass, without affecting your body's fat stores (or very little). When you start eating normally again, you put back on the kilos because you never actually got rid of the fat! This is why you need to do sport and maintain a balanced, low-calorie diet to get the body of your dreams

You should never hold your breath when doing sport. Often, you breathe in during the prep phase, and breathe out during effort. For example, when doing squats, breathe in as you bend your knees and go down, and breathe out when you straighten your legs to come back up. There is one exception to this rule: for exercises that require effort as you expand your chest (such as horizontal pulls), you should breathe in during the effort

Getting in shape means working out on a regular basis. It's better to work out two to three times a week rather than just once in a while. Working out regularly is more fun and gives you results. If you only hit the gym once in a while, you'll end up tired, sore and demotivated, which leads to quitting!