Why do most New Years' resolutions fail when it comes to health and fitness goals? Because most people set too lofty of goals and don't write out a clear-cut plan to attain these goals!
As we approach the New Year and ponder about where we want to be on the fitness scale, ask yourself these questions:
1. What is a REALISTIC time frame to accomplish this goal? (This is an important one)
2. What small, attainable steps and goals can I set for myself in this time table to reach the final goal? (ie. Final goal=run a 1/2 marathon by Oct 2009 Small goals=participate and run in a 5K by April, 10K by July, etc)
3. How am I going to do it? (PLAN OF ACTION)
4. What resources can I enlist or use for help to accomplish this goal? (ie. friend, sister, hubbie, books, tapes, Personal Trainer, etc)
5. What bumps in the road and challenges can I expect to come along and how do I plan on attacking them? (ie. lose motivation, get off routine for 2 weeks, etc)
6. How am I going to reward myself when/if I reach this goal? (ie. trip to Hawaii)
7. How am I going to feel about myself if I accomplish this goal and how will this affect and improve my life?
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
10 Tips to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain
Let's face it, we all like to eat around the holidays and then we're kicking ourselves come the New Year! Here's some helpful, common-sense tips to avoid the holiday weight gain!
1. Stay active.
One of the major causes of weight gain during the holidays is lack of activity. Time is spent doing holiday errands, which makes us more tired, less motivated, and not wanting to stick to our routine. Best thing to do is stick to your regular schedule! Not only will it help keep weight gain down, it will give you more energy and it will reduce your stress!! And if you're not exercising already, try walking outside for 30 min a day-can't beat the fresh air too!
2. Don't starve yourself.
One of the most common mistakes people make is to go hungry all day so that they can "afford" the calories later on at the holiday party they will be attending. Big no-no! You will be so hungry by the time you get to the party, that you will forget about any sense of the word moderation or control. You are setting yourself up for a major binge. Make sure to eat your normal (healthy, hopefully) meals and keep your hunger at bay so that you can enjoy the food at the party without going overboard. Another thing to do is have a snack before you go the party. A piece of fruit or something along those lines will keep you somewhat satiated.
3. Don't let your food diary go.
If you stick to your normal routine of writing down what you eat, you will be able to monitor your caloric intake better. Research shows that people who keep a fod diary actually consume 20% less food than those who do not!
4. Choose healthier options.
There are some healthy options that you can eat during the holidays. White meat turkey is a great lean protein. Vegetables that aren't laden with butter, salad not drenched in dressing, sweet potatoes, and cranberries are also options. You can also make other typical dishes healthier by changing the ingredients slightly. Try making mashed potatoes with reduced-fat or low-fat milk, yogurt or sour cream. Dips and spreads, same thing. Really think about the ingredients that you normally use and then think about how you can make the dish healthier. But, on that same note..
5. Enjoy what you love.
Yep, you heard me. We all have those certain dishes or items that just bring us back to childhood and make the holidays special. Go ahead, indulge! Be choosy about what you indulge in though. Don't choose the pumpkin pie just because it is lower in fat than the pecan (which it is). If you want the pecan, choose the pecan! You don't want to set yourself up for binges later. That one piece of pumpkin pie may not satisfy you, so you may have another when, really, you could have had just one piece of pecan and been completely satisfied. Give yourself permission to enjoy the holidays. Just enjoy with a sense of moderation. If you want to splurge on dessert, maybe you are a little more careful with your entrée choice.
6. Don't try a new diet during the holidays.
That just screams binge! You will only be setting yourself up for disappointment, resentment, and depression. Stay healthy, but don't be too restrictive.
7. Holidays are DAYS.
Yes, days, not weeks, not months, but DAYS. Treat them that way. Enjoy yourself on the particular holiday, but then go right back to your normal healthy eating plan. Just because it's the day before, the day before Christmas Eve, doesn't mean it's a holiday! :)
8. Take time for you.
It goes without saying that this season is all about stress! Between trying to shop, trying to schedule in all your holiday parties along with your kids' plays and concerts and still dealing with day-to-day stressors, it is important that you take some time for yourself. Schedule a massage, buy a new book, treat yourself to a yoga studio membership, learn to meditate, whatever. Find something that will curb your stress that is not eating! This is the EASIEST time to turn to food for comfort. There is a ton around and it is all super-indulgent. Give yourself another method to deal with stress; you more than deserve it!
9. Give (and ask for) the gift of health.
Gym memberships, exercise equipment, athletic apparel or shoes, gift certificates to a spa or personal trainer, etc. There are many "health" related gifts that you can give or ask for that would help someone you love or yourself stay healthy all year long. It will give a great jump-start to those New Year's Resolutions that we normally give up by February. Make a commitment to your body and teach others to do the same.
10. Eat, drink, and be merry!
It can't be said enough. This is a season that is full of joy, love, and many good things if you let it be just that. Let your body and mind tell you what it needs, wants, and can do without. Live a little, but don't go overboard if it is only going to make you miserable the next day. It is supposed to be fun and it will be if you stay true to yourself and your needs.
source: www.supermarketguru.com
1. Stay active.
One of the major causes of weight gain during the holidays is lack of activity. Time is spent doing holiday errands, which makes us more tired, less motivated, and not wanting to stick to our routine. Best thing to do is stick to your regular schedule! Not only will it help keep weight gain down, it will give you more energy and it will reduce your stress!! And if you're not exercising already, try walking outside for 30 min a day-can't beat the fresh air too!
2. Don't starve yourself.
One of the most common mistakes people make is to go hungry all day so that they can "afford" the calories later on at the holiday party they will be attending. Big no-no! You will be so hungry by the time you get to the party, that you will forget about any sense of the word moderation or control. You are setting yourself up for a major binge. Make sure to eat your normal (healthy, hopefully) meals and keep your hunger at bay so that you can enjoy the food at the party without going overboard. Another thing to do is have a snack before you go the party. A piece of fruit or something along those lines will keep you somewhat satiated.
3. Don't let your food diary go.
If you stick to your normal routine of writing down what you eat, you will be able to monitor your caloric intake better. Research shows that people who keep a fod diary actually consume 20% less food than those who do not!
4. Choose healthier options.
There are some healthy options that you can eat during the holidays. White meat turkey is a great lean protein. Vegetables that aren't laden with butter, salad not drenched in dressing, sweet potatoes, and cranberries are also options. You can also make other typical dishes healthier by changing the ingredients slightly. Try making mashed potatoes with reduced-fat or low-fat milk, yogurt or sour cream. Dips and spreads, same thing. Really think about the ingredients that you normally use and then think about how you can make the dish healthier. But, on that same note..
5. Enjoy what you love.
Yep, you heard me. We all have those certain dishes or items that just bring us back to childhood and make the holidays special. Go ahead, indulge! Be choosy about what you indulge in though. Don't choose the pumpkin pie just because it is lower in fat than the pecan (which it is). If you want the pecan, choose the pecan! You don't want to set yourself up for binges later. That one piece of pumpkin pie may not satisfy you, so you may have another when, really, you could have had just one piece of pecan and been completely satisfied. Give yourself permission to enjoy the holidays. Just enjoy with a sense of moderation. If you want to splurge on dessert, maybe you are a little more careful with your entrée choice.
6. Don't try a new diet during the holidays.
That just screams binge! You will only be setting yourself up for disappointment, resentment, and depression. Stay healthy, but don't be too restrictive.
7. Holidays are DAYS.
Yes, days, not weeks, not months, but DAYS. Treat them that way. Enjoy yourself on the particular holiday, but then go right back to your normal healthy eating plan. Just because it's the day before, the day before Christmas Eve, doesn't mean it's a holiday! :)
8. Take time for you.
It goes without saying that this season is all about stress! Between trying to shop, trying to schedule in all your holiday parties along with your kids' plays and concerts and still dealing with day-to-day stressors, it is important that you take some time for yourself. Schedule a massage, buy a new book, treat yourself to a yoga studio membership, learn to meditate, whatever. Find something that will curb your stress that is not eating! This is the EASIEST time to turn to food for comfort. There is a ton around and it is all super-indulgent. Give yourself another method to deal with stress; you more than deserve it!
9. Give (and ask for) the gift of health.
Gym memberships, exercise equipment, athletic apparel or shoes, gift certificates to a spa or personal trainer, etc. There are many "health" related gifts that you can give or ask for that would help someone you love or yourself stay healthy all year long. It will give a great jump-start to those New Year's Resolutions that we normally give up by February. Make a commitment to your body and teach others to do the same.
10. Eat, drink, and be merry!
It can't be said enough. This is a season that is full of joy, love, and many good things if you let it be just that. Let your body and mind tell you what it needs, wants, and can do without. Live a little, but don't go overboard if it is only going to make you miserable the next day. It is supposed to be fun and it will be if you stay true to yourself and your needs.
source: www.supermarketguru.com
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Healthy weight loss goals
One of my readers asked me what was a good healthy weight loss goal/week. The answer: 1-2 lbs/week. We're talking BODY FAT here (which is what you're trying to lose, right?), not muscle mass or water weight. If you do the math, to lose (or gain, for that matter) 1 lb. of body fat, you have to consume 3500 calories LESS than what you put out (opposite to gain). If you divide 3500 into 7 days/week, that comes out to 500 calories/day! For example, if you normally eat 2,000 calories a day without exercising and you're MAINTAINING your weight, than you will need to eat approx. 1500 cal/day in a weeks span to lose 1 lb. of body fat. If you add exercise in and burn 500 cal/hr, 5 days a week, then you'll lose a little more than that (unless you're eating more). Make sense?
It's all about calories in vs. calories out. When you see these diets where people are losing 7 lbs/week, let's face it, it's not all body fat. If you do the numbers, that would look like nearly 25,000 calories/week that they're burning (impossible unless you're expending calories like Lance Armstrong or Michael Phelps and spend hrs a day burning loads of calories!) And let's face it, although that would be nice, I GUARANTEE if you're losing more than 1-2 lbs/week, you're going to gain it back because that's water weight! So, if you're looking for real weight loss, steady wins the race!
It's all about calories in vs. calories out. When you see these diets where people are losing 7 lbs/week, let's face it, it's not all body fat. If you do the numbers, that would look like nearly 25,000 calories/week that they're burning (impossible unless you're expending calories like Lance Armstrong or Michael Phelps and spend hrs a day burning loads of calories!) And let's face it, although that would be nice, I GUARANTEE if you're losing more than 1-2 lbs/week, you're going to gain it back because that's water weight! So, if you're looking for real weight loss, steady wins the race!
Monday, November 24, 2008
PLEASE COMMENT/ASK ?????
I know I have SOME readers out there, but due to lack of questions/comments lately, I haven't been updating my blog as regularly. If you would like more posts, please comment or email me a question regarding fitness or nutrition, so I can know you're out there and can generate some ideas to answer your questions. Most likely, if you're wondering something, someone else is too!!!!
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Boot Camp 101
Here's one of my sample "boot camp" workouts that combines multiple muscle groups and keeps your heart rate up at the same time to scorch fat and calories! If you have questions, email or comment me. (Sorry for the lame pictures!)
1. Lunge with dumbbell lateral/front raise combo: While holding 5-10 lb. dummbells, do walking lunges while raising arms out to side shoulder heighth. Do 20 alterating legs and then turn around and repeat only raising arms to front, shoulder heighth. Do another 20 reps.
2. Alternating lunge jumps: While in place in lunge position, jump off ground and switch feet landing back down into lunge. Do for 1-2 min.
3. Plie squat with dumbbell bicep curl: Standing feet wider than shoulder width apart with toes pointed out, squat down to 90 degrees while tilting pelvis/butt back (like sitting in chair). Make sure not to "round" back and to keep heels planted on ground to avoid knee pain. Hold 5-12 lb. dumbbells in between legs and do bicep curl as you come up.
4. Plie jump hops: Same position as above (only without weights), jump in place for 1-2 min.
5. Medicine ball torso rotations: Sitting on ground, lean back with feet off ground (preferably) and while holding 6-10 lb. medicine ball, rotate torso/ball from hip to hip for 1-2 min.
6. Push-up row combo: In a push-up position with 5-10 dumbbells in hands on ground, do a push-up and as you come up, bring one dumbbell up into row while squeezing shoulder blade back. Then do another push-up and switch sides, alternating for 20-30 reps.
7. One legged squat: Standing on one leg, squat down while pointing opposite hand towards toe. Do 15-20 reps each side.
8. Speed skaters: Stand on one leg and then hop laterally (to the side) onto the other leg, while squatting slightly (think Apollo Anton Ohno). Move quickly side to side for 1-2 min.
9. Mountain climbers: In push-up position, step feet in alternating quickly while holding upper body stationary.
10. Step-up with medicine ball/or dumbbell overhead press: With chair or bench and holding 6-10 lb. dumbbells/ball, step-up with one leg while pressing ball overhead at same time. Don't touch other leg to bench, bring knee up and do 20-25 reps each side.
11. Alternating fast step-ups: Step-up and change legs to come down and repeat quickly. Do 1-2 min.
12. Bench dips: While facing away from bench with hands on bench (facing out), lower body and bend elbows to 90 degrees. Do 20-25 reps, holding every 5th rep for 5sec.
13. Wall sits: Sit back against wall with knees at 90 degrees. Hold for 30 sec, then rest for 10, hold for 45 sec, rest for 10, hold for 60 sec, rest for 20.
14. Bench jumps: Standing in front of bench, squat down and jump up on top of bench using legs and momentum. Do 1-2 min.
15. Ball crunches & side crunches: Laying on ball on back, do crunches while squeezing belly button in and holding at top for 3 sec/rep. Do 25-50 reps. Then, lay on side on ball with feet against wall (staggered) and do 15-20 side crunches and repeat on other side.
16. Jump rope: Jump rope 30 sec, double time 30 sec, one leg 30 sec, other leg 30 sec.
17. REPEAT ENTIRE SEQUENCE WITHOUT REST!!!!!!
1. Lunge with dumbbell lateral/front raise combo: While holding 5-10 lb. dummbells, do walking lunges while raising arms out to side shoulder heighth. Do 20 alterating legs and then turn around and repeat only raising arms to front, shoulder heighth. Do another 20 reps.
2. Alternating lunge jumps: While in place in lunge position, jump off ground and switch feet landing back down into lunge. Do for 1-2 min.
3. Plie squat with dumbbell bicep curl: Standing feet wider than shoulder width apart with toes pointed out, squat down to 90 degrees while tilting pelvis/butt back (like sitting in chair). Make sure not to "round" back and to keep heels planted on ground to avoid knee pain. Hold 5-12 lb. dumbbells in between legs and do bicep curl as you come up.
4. Plie jump hops: Same position as above (only without weights), jump in place for 1-2 min.
5. Medicine ball torso rotations: Sitting on ground, lean back with feet off ground (preferably) and while holding 6-10 lb. medicine ball, rotate torso/ball from hip to hip for 1-2 min.
6. Push-up row combo: In a push-up position with 5-10 dumbbells in hands on ground, do a push-up and as you come up, bring one dumbbell up into row while squeezing shoulder blade back. Then do another push-up and switch sides, alternating for 20-30 reps.
7. One legged squat: Standing on one leg, squat down while pointing opposite hand towards toe. Do 15-20 reps each side.
8. Speed skaters: Stand on one leg and then hop laterally (to the side) onto the other leg, while squatting slightly (think Apollo Anton Ohno). Move quickly side to side for 1-2 min.
9. Mountain climbers: In push-up position, step feet in alternating quickly while holding upper body stationary.
10. Step-up with medicine ball/or dumbbell overhead press: With chair or bench and holding 6-10 lb. dumbbells/ball, step-up with one leg while pressing ball overhead at same time. Don't touch other leg to bench, bring knee up and do 20-25 reps each side.
11. Alternating fast step-ups: Step-up and change legs to come down and repeat quickly. Do 1-2 min.
12. Bench dips: While facing away from bench with hands on bench (facing out), lower body and bend elbows to 90 degrees. Do 20-25 reps, holding every 5th rep for 5sec.
13. Wall sits: Sit back against wall with knees at 90 degrees. Hold for 30 sec, then rest for 10, hold for 45 sec, rest for 10, hold for 60 sec, rest for 20.
14. Bench jumps: Standing in front of bench, squat down and jump up on top of bench using legs and momentum. Do 1-2 min.
15. Ball crunches & side crunches: Laying on ball on back, do crunches while squeezing belly button in and holding at top for 3 sec/rep. Do 25-50 reps. Then, lay on side on ball with feet against wall (staggered) and do 15-20 side crunches and repeat on other side.
16. Jump rope: Jump rope 30 sec, double time 30 sec, one leg 30 sec, other leg 30 sec.
17. REPEAT ENTIRE SEQUENCE WITHOUT REST!!!!!!
Monday, November 10, 2008
Common Strength Training Questions Answered
I get a lot of these questions from people about strength training, so I thought I would answer a few...
1. Is it best to split muscle groups and work different muscle groups on different days?
For most people (probably about 90% of the population) that just want to lose body fat, firm up, and strengthen and tone their muscles, the answer is NO. The most common mistake people make here is they REST TOO MUCH in between sets because they're only working 1-2 muscle groups. How efficient is that? The only people that benefit from these kind of workouts are body builders! Plus, how many calories are you really burning (keeping your heart rate up) when you split muscle groups like this. A total body workout is the best way to go.
When you combine all the muscles (esp major muscles such as legs, back, torso, etc), you are going to burn more calories=burn more fat AND you will still see the same results as far as toning and strengthening the muscle groups. Essentially, you're getting strength training AND cardio when you workout this way!
2. How often do I need to strength train?
If you do the above workout with little to no rest, EFFICIENTLY, combining muscle groups and moving quickly from one exercise to another, you really only need to do this 2-3Xweek (for most people twice/week is plenty). Committ a good hour too and make sure you rest 2 days in between strength workouts.
3. If I'm trying to tone up my abdominal muscles, should I do those everyday and how many repititions?
No, just like every other muscle group, abdominals need rest days too. They need to recover and rebuild in order to see improvement. 3 days/week is good, and make sure to always mix it up by doing different exercises, at different angles, with different resistance levels, etc. I don't think there's really a good "goal number" of reps and sets to reach, because it's more about efficiency, HOW you do the exercise, HOW LONG you hold each repitition, and the kind of exercise. You should work them until failure (until you can't do anymore).
4. Am I going to bulk up if I lift heavy weights?
This a common misconception in women when it comes to strength training. The answer is NO, and the reason is without high levels of testerone, or human growth hormone (like men, or women who take these as supplements), it's nearly impossible to increase muscle mass like our male counterparts. Women who think they're bulking up are deceived by the extra "fat layer" on top of the muscle they need to shed to see real definition!
5. What is best, machine weights or free weights?
Really, machines are a waste of time, a wasted workout, and do little for you. Why? One, machine weights only work one muscle at a time (and usually seated, how does that raise the heart rate to burn calories?), and two, they only work the muscle in a limited range of motion. Real life isn't in one plane of motion, so we need to challenge our bodies and muscles (and balance) in different ranges of motion!
On the other hand, free weights, which consists of dumbbells, bars, cables, stability balls, BOSU balls, rubberbands, etc are awesome because they will challenge you in different planes of motion (you have to balance and maintain good posture), there is more variety, and the most importantly, you can combine an endless number of exercises (and muscle groups) to get an efficient workout (and kill two birds with one stone).
Stay tuned for next weeks' post-I'm going to give you a SAMPLE WORKOUT that will do ALL of these things. It will be hard if done correctly and with no rest, and you will feel a DIFFERENCE! Keep in mind, you won't want to do this everytime because you need to always change it up to challenge the body, but for those of you out there lacking the knowledge, experience, and/or creativity, this will be a good start. Pictures included!
OH, and please leave me comments and questions, I will be more motivated to post more if I know I have readers out there (hence part of the reason for my slacking lately!)
1. Is it best to split muscle groups and work different muscle groups on different days?
For most people (probably about 90% of the population) that just want to lose body fat, firm up, and strengthen and tone their muscles, the answer is NO. The most common mistake people make here is they REST TOO MUCH in between sets because they're only working 1-2 muscle groups. How efficient is that? The only people that benefit from these kind of workouts are body builders! Plus, how many calories are you really burning (keeping your heart rate up) when you split muscle groups like this. A total body workout is the best way to go.
When you combine all the muscles (esp major muscles such as legs, back, torso, etc), you are going to burn more calories=burn more fat AND you will still see the same results as far as toning and strengthening the muscle groups. Essentially, you're getting strength training AND cardio when you workout this way!
2. How often do I need to strength train?
If you do the above workout with little to no rest, EFFICIENTLY, combining muscle groups and moving quickly from one exercise to another, you really only need to do this 2-3Xweek (for most people twice/week is plenty). Committ a good hour too and make sure you rest 2 days in between strength workouts.
3. If I'm trying to tone up my abdominal muscles, should I do those everyday and how many repititions?
No, just like every other muscle group, abdominals need rest days too. They need to recover and rebuild in order to see improvement. 3 days/week is good, and make sure to always mix it up by doing different exercises, at different angles, with different resistance levels, etc. I don't think there's really a good "goal number" of reps and sets to reach, because it's more about efficiency, HOW you do the exercise, HOW LONG you hold each repitition, and the kind of exercise. You should work them until failure (until you can't do anymore).
4. Am I going to bulk up if I lift heavy weights?
This a common misconception in women when it comes to strength training. The answer is NO, and the reason is without high levels of testerone, or human growth hormone (like men, or women who take these as supplements), it's nearly impossible to increase muscle mass like our male counterparts. Women who think they're bulking up are deceived by the extra "fat layer" on top of the muscle they need to shed to see real definition!
5. What is best, machine weights or free weights?
Really, machines are a waste of time, a wasted workout, and do little for you. Why? One, machine weights only work one muscle at a time (and usually seated, how does that raise the heart rate to burn calories?), and two, they only work the muscle in a limited range of motion. Real life isn't in one plane of motion, so we need to challenge our bodies and muscles (and balance) in different ranges of motion!
On the other hand, free weights, which consists of dumbbells, bars, cables, stability balls, BOSU balls, rubberbands, etc are awesome because they will challenge you in different planes of motion (you have to balance and maintain good posture), there is more variety, and the most importantly, you can combine an endless number of exercises (and muscle groups) to get an efficient workout (and kill two birds with one stone).
Stay tuned for next weeks' post-I'm going to give you a SAMPLE WORKOUT that will do ALL of these things. It will be hard if done correctly and with no rest, and you will feel a DIFFERENCE! Keep in mind, you won't want to do this everytime because you need to always change it up to challenge the body, but for those of you out there lacking the knowledge, experience, and/or creativity, this will be a good start. Pictures included!
OH, and please leave me comments and questions, I will be more motivated to post more if I know I have readers out there (hence part of the reason for my slacking lately!)
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
5 great CORE moves
Again, sorry for the time span between posts, it's been super busy lately plus, I've been out of town too! I wish I could promise I will get better at posting more frequently, but I'm going to stop promising things I can't deliver (at least right now)!
For this post, I thought I would enlighten many of you out there that don't know the right strength training moves for your core. All of these moves require little to no eqiupment and work your ENTIRE midsection efficiently! Some of my faves!
1. Plank (with or without ball): For this exercise you want to be on your forearms either on the ground (or on the ball) and feet/toes on ground. With only those two things supporting your body weight, hold your body in a straight (plank) line up off the ground (incline if using ball) and concentrate on squeezing your abdominals (or belly button) in towards your spine as you hold this position 30-60 sec. Repeat 2-3 times. If using ball (which can be harder because it's more unstable), make sure you're not "resting" your upper body against your forearms.
2. Side rotations: Sitting on a mat or soft surface, lean back slightly and bring feet off ground, knees bent. Find a weight of some source (medicine ball or dumbbell preferably) and while holding position, rotate side to side (hip to hip) for 30-50 rotations. Make sure ONLY torso rotates, not legs.
3. Mountain climbers: In push-up position with hands about shoulder width apart, step feet in a little, switching quickly. Remember you don't want your butt/hips coming up-keep level, with only your lower legs moving. Do 30-50 reps/each side.
4. Ball side bends: Using a stability ball, lay on your side with ball under one side/hip. You will need to anchor your feet against a wall of some sort also, and make sure it's a wide staggered stance. With hands behind head, bend all the way over the ball (outside elbow tapping ball) and then come up all the way so that your torso on that side stretches and then bends. Do 20 or so and repeat on opposite side.
5. Reverse crunch on ball: In push-up position with feet/lower legs on top of stablity ball, roll ball in towards your hands while raising butt/hips up. Concentrate on using abdominals and not legs to do this exercise. Repeat about 25 reps.
For this post, I thought I would enlighten many of you out there that don't know the right strength training moves for your core. All of these moves require little to no eqiupment and work your ENTIRE midsection efficiently! Some of my faves!
1. Plank (with or without ball): For this exercise you want to be on your forearms either on the ground (or on the ball) and feet/toes on ground. With only those two things supporting your body weight, hold your body in a straight (plank) line up off the ground (incline if using ball) and concentrate on squeezing your abdominals (or belly button) in towards your spine as you hold this position 30-60 sec. Repeat 2-3 times. If using ball (which can be harder because it's more unstable), make sure you're not "resting" your upper body against your forearms.
2. Side rotations: Sitting on a mat or soft surface, lean back slightly and bring feet off ground, knees bent. Find a weight of some source (medicine ball or dumbbell preferably) and while holding position, rotate side to side (hip to hip) for 30-50 rotations. Make sure ONLY torso rotates, not legs.
3. Mountain climbers: In push-up position with hands about shoulder width apart, step feet in a little, switching quickly. Remember you don't want your butt/hips coming up-keep level, with only your lower legs moving. Do 30-50 reps/each side.
4. Ball side bends: Using a stability ball, lay on your side with ball under one side/hip. You will need to anchor your feet against a wall of some sort also, and make sure it's a wide staggered stance. With hands behind head, bend all the way over the ball (outside elbow tapping ball) and then come up all the way so that your torso on that side stretches and then bends. Do 20 or so and repeat on opposite side.
5. Reverse crunch on ball: In push-up position with feet/lower legs on top of stablity ball, roll ball in towards your hands while raising butt/hips up. Concentrate on using abdominals and not legs to do this exercise. Repeat about 25 reps.
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