Read The Skinny Confidential: A Babe's Sexy, Sassy Health and Lifestyle Guide Online

Authors: Lauryn Evarts

Tags: #Health & Fitness, #Healthy Living, #Women's Health, #General

The Skinny Confidential: A Babe's Sexy, Sassy Health and Lifestyle Guide (8 page)

BOOK: The Skinny Confidential: A Babe's Sexy, Sassy Health and Lifestyle Guide
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Anyway, revert back to your childhood. Pick a sport, any sport.

And go play it. Grab some friends (and most likely a ball of some sort) and get at it.

SWEATING WHILE YOU’RE HAVING FUN? THERE’S NOTHING BETTER.

A little FYI: The more creative you get with your cardio routine, the better. If you change it up frequently, the body will be shocked.

That’s right. Shock the hell out of your body.

The last thing anyone wants is to be stuck in a plateau.

Plateaus are like being in a bad relationship for six months too long.

You’re bored, uninspired, lazy and miserable.

Leave the plateau in the dust just like that sucky ex.

Mmkay?

So every week, switch up your workouts. If you hiked last Tuesday, run this Tuesday. If you did hot yoga on Friday, do yoga with weights on Sunday.

Mix it up.

SO, HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU WORK OUT?

Welp, everyone’s different.

All of us have different genetics, different diets and different shapes.

My biggest tip? Say you’re going to work out seven days a week. Shooting for all seven days will force you to get in at least five or six. Plan for every day and you’re bound to get more workouts in than if you planned for five workouts. Let’s face it: Shit happens … life happens. So instead of freaking out because you have to skip yoga due to traffic, don’t fret. You still have six more days of the week!

Plus, if you end up working out all seven days, you’re a total star.

And don’t forget to stretch! Yoga is obviously amazing for stretching, but I feel like many people are scared of the workout.

Scared of being in a heated room.

Scared of feeling embarrassed that they’re unable to complete a full-blown “Eagle” pose.

Scared of their balls hanging in someone’s face while they’re in “Downward Dog.” (Unless, of course, you’re a woman).

Here’s the deal: Find a yoga class that fits your needs. There are about a million yoga programs (beginning, advanced, heated, nonheated, stretch-related, Bikram, Ashtanga, etc.). Figure it out and try to go to a class at least once a week.

I’m not asking you to give up your firstborn; I’m just asking for an hour a week. Get your stretch on!

DOABLE?

I think so.

Plus, flexibility is an absolute necessity to living a healthy lifestyle.

It stretches the muscles to create that long, lean, lingerie model look.

Sweating and stretching go hand in hand. So pick your exercise, incorporate stretching and make sure you schedule your workouts on your calendar app.

6
STRENGTH TRAINING:
GET IT RIGHT, GET IT TIGHT!

First things first.

If you’re one of those babes who thinks that weights equal bulk, then think again.

Sorry. It’s a total myth that you should stay away from weights if you’re trying to avoid bulk.

Fact: Weights can be absolutely amazing if they’re used properly.

One of my favorite things about weight lifting is that it’s a real metabolism booster. Light weights used correctly can take the metabolism to a different level.

MORE STRENGTH TRAINING BENEFITS:

+ Helps with concentration
+ Controls weight gain
+ Reduces signs of chronic conditions
+ Increases bone density

According to Edward R. Laskowski, M.D., a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and co-director of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center, “If you don’t do anything to replace the lean muscle you lose [with age], you’ll increase the percentage of fat in your body. But strength training can help you preserve and enhance your muscle mass—at any age.”
(Source:
www.mayoclinic.com
)

Oh! And not only am I a huge fan of big movement, but I’m also an isometric junkie.

So … WTF does isometric mean?

Isometric is when you isolate the muscle with tiny, little movements that get the tiny, little muscles that people tend to forget. So rather than completing workouts with a big range of motion, you’re staying in one position for a longer period of time (in a more static position).

OK, so let’s talk about specific areas of the bod.

AHEM.

We shall begin with bat wings.

If I had a dime for every time my friends called me complaining about their bat wings, I’d be richer than Richie Rich.

I mean, life doesn’t always have to be so difficult. ESP when it comes to dinky, cheap 5-pound/2-kg weights.

All you have to do is grab about five dollars and head over to a store like Target or Marshall’s and grab some hot little 5 pounders.

Come home, turn on some tunes, do a minimum of ten minutes a day. If you’re feeling sexy and strong, try for fifteen to twenty!

EASY, RIGHT?

So, if you’re interested in fixing that under-arm flab that waves in the breeze every time you say good-bye, then check out the following bat wing busters.

Because if you’re buying turtlenecks over sleeveless tanks to hide your arms, it’s time to take action and nip those bat wings in the bud.

NOTE:
Some exercises include an upward pulse. A pulse is simply a slight push of about ½ inch/12 mm—a tiny movement while the crown of the head reaches to the sky.

BAT-WING BUSTERS:

The Bye-Bye, Arm Jiggle:
Stand with your arms in an “L” position by your sides. Think of a goal post shape. Press up into an “O” shape, above your head. Make sure your shoulders are not touching your ears. Abs are pulled in tight. Use at least 5-pound/2-kg weights for this exercise. Do three sets of twenty. At the end of each set, add ten pulses upward, while still in your “O” shape.

Welcome to the Gun Show (AKA dumbbell curl):
Feet are hip-width apart and parallel. Bend one arm to ninety degrees, keeping the other arm straight. As your curl, switch the arms. Do ten on each side (three sets) with at least 5-pound/2-kg weights.

Push-ups, tricep dips (off a chair) and pull-ups
are also game changers when it comes to arms. My typical routine calls for 3 sets of ten slow and five fast of each exercise.

Victoria’s Real Secret (AKA tricep extension):
I love this particular exercise because it lengthens my abs. Pilates creates longer and leaner abs. It can also make some people grow taller by lengthening their spines, while strengthening the arms, shoulders, chest and lats. Stand with feet hip-width apart and arms straight up holding the weights. Squeeze the elbows close to the head. Lower the 5-pound/2-kg weights behind your head and then extend up toward the sky. Aim for full extension to attain those long, lean muscles. Do three sets of twenty. At the end of each set, add five pulses upward, while your arms are straight in the air.

Stand up tall, holding the weights behind your head, elbows bent.

Extend your arms straight up.

The Flipsy-Whipsy:
With 5-pound/2-kg weights in each hand, extend your arms out to the sides. You should look like a giant, lowercase “T.” Flip the hands up and down. So, thumbs up, thumbs down. The slower, the better. Do three sets of fifteen. Make sure your arms are straight out from your shoulders the whole time. Take the neck out of the workout.

Perform these easy, quick arm exercises at least three times a week, and in no time your arms will be jiggle-free!

BOOK: The Skinny Confidential: A Babe's Sexy, Sassy Health and Lifestyle Guide
13.33Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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