Jenn's Losing It

Abs aren’t always the problem, sometimes it’s your core that needs a little attention.  Check out these core strengthening moves: SUMO SQUAT JUMP – targets core, butt and legs Stand with feet slightly wider than hip width apart Squat tapping floor or shins with hands From Squat jump as high as you can, landing feet together, then jump back out, landing in sumo squat position. Do 12 reps TEASER –targets core Lie face up with legs and arms extended towards ceiling Lower legs toward floor and arms behind head about 45 degrees until you feel your back arching slightly Return to start Do 8 reps KICKED UP CURTSY LUNGE -targets shoulders, core, butt and legs Stand with feet hip width apart, arms by sides Lunge right leg back, crossing it behind left and bend both knees 90 degrees to do a slight curtsy Stand up on left leg, lifting right knee out to side and extend arms out at shoulder height with elbows bent at 90 degrees Return to curtsy and lower arms to sides D...

Tone up in no time from your ticker to your tush with these easy tweaks. Get more go with a cup of joe.  You’ve heard that coffee can kick start your workout, but how much does it take to net the effect?  According to recent studies from the Australian Institute of Sport, even small amounts of caffeine-1.4 milligrams per pound of body weight, or about two cups of coffee a day for the average 140 pound woman, can help boost speed during cardio, swimming and cycling.   Switch up your workouts for max results.  Attention runners and fans of other high impact cardio classes, build in 30 minutes of full body strength training followed by 20-30 minutes of walking or low impact cardio twice a week to ease up on your muscles and joints. Tighten you abs with balancing tricks.  Exercising on wobbly surfaces forces you to engage your core more, flattening your belly.  Do your bicep curls standing on one leg on a Bosu ball or this pike more with a stability b...

Use these secrets to peel off pounds! Fire up your metabolism with intervals, one study found that doing 10 four minute speed bursts with two minutes of slow walking or cycling after each (60 minutes total) three times a week upped the body’s ability to use fat as fuel during exercise by 25% after six weeks.  “Shoot for an eight or nine on an intensity scale of one to ten, when ten is an all out sprint” says lead researcher Christopher Perry Ph.D., an exercise physiologist at the University of Guelph in Canada. Jot down meals and moves.  People who used an online weight control program were more likely to lose pounds when they regularly recorded their weight loss, calories consumed and activity.   Sleep off the flab, getting between six and eight hours of shut-eye a night helped dieters shed more weight in a recent study from Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in Portland, Oregon.  “Plus consistently increasing your sleep, even if only by 30 minute...

Rev up your mojo in mere seconds. Move to improve your ‘tude.  Sneak in a morning sweat session and you’ll experience the exercise high all day: Research from the University of Vermont in Burlington shows that doing just 20 minutes of moderate intensity exercise – brisk walking or easy paced cycling, for example – gives you a feel good mood recharge that lasts up to 12 hours.  Turn your playlist into a pace maker, download the free beatscanner tool at bestworkoutmusic.com to have it pull the tunes from your playlists that match your temp, or try the sites Workout Music Studio to alter the beat of your faves to suit your pace. See green to enjoy your routine, a Swiss study of 319 city dwellers determined that they found outdoor workouts more restorative than indoor ones.  Find a walking or jogging route on mapmyrun.com or a nearby bike trail at mapmyride.com. Chill out to firm up, tale a five at the water fountain to clear your head before you rep:  less stressed...

This workout helps you sizzle mega calories even while you sleep. (yes it’s scientifically proven) Obliques and Deep Abs                CRISSCROSS – targets abs and obliques (triple the toning for your obliques compared with a standard crunch) Lie face up on the floor with elbows bent out to sides at shoulder level, hands touching behind ears and knees bent, feet flat Crunch up, lifting feet off floor and rotate torso toward right as you bring your right knee into chest, simultaneously extend left leg diagonally up at a 45 degree angle Keeping torso and legs lifted, switch sides and repeat to complete 1 rep Do 10-12 reps, then move on to the Roll – Up ROLL – UP – targets deep abs ( 26% percent more ab flattening than a typical crunch) Lie face up on floor with arms extended behind your head, palms up Engaging abs, raise arms overhead and slowly lift shoulders and then torso off floor, hinge forwa...

This workout helps you sizzle mega calories even while you sleep. (yes it’s scientifically proven) Butt and Hamstrings and Quads and Calves QUADRUPED – targets butt, hamstrings and core ( up to double the butt toning of a squat and almost double the hamstring toning) Start on floor on all fours, knees under hips, palms under shoulders Keeping right knee bent 90 degrees, lift right leg until thigh is parallel to floor.  Lower to start Do 10-12 reps, then switch sides and repeat to complete 1 set Move onto the One-Legged Calf Squat ONE LEGGED CALF SQUAT – targets quads, calves (done while standing on a step with your heel off the edge, this engages 79% of your calf muscles) Stand on the left foot, holding on to back of chair for balance if needed, right leg bent behind you Raise left heel off floor as high as possible, then bend left knee to lower into a single leg squat Return to standing, then lower heel to floor Do 10-12 reps, switch legs an repeat.  Then ...

This workout helps you sizzle mega calories even while you sleep. (yes it’s scientifically proven) Biceps and Triceps PREACHER CURL – targets biceps (better arm firming than a standing biceps curl, targeting 90% of the muscle) Holding a dumbbell in each hand, sit on a chair backward with arms hanging over its back, palms facing up Curl weights toward shoulders, then lower Do 10-12 reps, then move on to the Diamond Push-Up DIAMOND PUSH-UP -targets triceps, chest (25% more sculpting than standard triceps moves, like overhead extensions) Start on the floor in a modified push up position, balancing on hands & knees with arms extended so that body forms a straight line from the shoulders to knees, move palms close together under chest, thumbs & forefingers touching Bend elbows to lower chest towards floor.  Return to start Do 8-15 reps, then return to the Preacher Curl Continue alternating sets until you have done 3 sets of each exercise Fitness Maga...