Shed stubborn pounds fast with this
revolutionary new workout plan (no running involved!).
Here's something that maybe hard to
believe: Just because the scale is dipping doesn't mean your fitness routine is
working.
If you're logging hours and hours on the
treadmill, you've likely seen the numbers on the scale decrease, but you may
not be losing body fat. In fact, a 2011 review in the Journal of Obesity found
that the effect of regular aerobic exercise on body fat is negligible. Instead,
shorter, high-intensity workouts-some that don't even include traditional
cardio-have been shown to be more effective at reducing fat than any other type
of exercise. These workouts have also been shown to significantly increase your
fitness level, lower insulin resistance, and improve glucose tolerance.
Just
because the scale is dipping doesn't mean your fitness routine is working.
Case in point: When comparing the effects on women of high-intensity exercise
versus steady-state exercise, one study found that only the high-intensity
group had a significant improvement in fat loss after 15 weeks. What's more,
there was a significant reduction in fat from their legs (usually a stubborn
spot for women) compared with their arms.
That's not to say traditional cardio like
running is off- limits-it just shouldn't be your focus if you're trying to
shrink your hips and slim your waistline. Rather than having you sweat away for
hours, this metabolic workout is designed to get your heart pumping and rev up
your metabolism in 30 minutes, max. The surprise: You won't go near a
treadmill, bike, or elliptical machine. You'll utilize body-weight strength
exercises to torch calories, build lean muscle, and blast more fat.
Your All-New Fat-Blasting Plan
Think of this routine as a piece of your
fitness puzzle: You'll do the moves on the next page once or twice a week in
place of your usual cardio workout. (You should also tally three total-body
strength sessions- best done in the gym's weight room or with some dumbbells at
home-for a total of four or five workouts a week.)
We call this workout "countdowns"
at the gym, and it's a favorite-but it's also among the toughest. After a quick
warm-up, do five reps of each exercise, moving from one to the next without
resting; immediately sprint, jump rope, or run in place for 20 to 40 seconds,
then rest for two minutes. Repeat, this time performing four reps of each move;
continue the count- down pattern until you've finished the routine doing one
rep of each exercise.
The routine is designed so that you do
fewer reps as you get more tired, making it possible to finish with the same
intensity you had at the beginning. And as you become more fit, you can
increase your output: After five workouts, add an extra rep so you're starting
with six reps of every exercise. Continue adding an extra rep each time until
you've reached 10 reps.
1.
Squat Thrust
Stand with your feet together and your arms
at your sides. Squat down to the floor and place your hands in front of your
feet (a). Jump your legs back into a pushup position (b), then quickly reverse
the movement and stand to return to start. That's one rep.
2.
Prisoner Squat
Stand with your feet smolder-width apart
and place your hands behind your head, elbows out. Keeping your chest up and
back flat, push your hips back and bend your knees until your thighs are nearly
parallel to the floor (b). Push through your heels to return to start, That's
one rep.
3.
Prone Hand Touch
Get into a pushup position, your hands
shoulder-width apart and your body forming a straight line from head to heels
(a). Keeping your body stable and hips parallel to the floor, lift your left
hand and touch your right hand (b), then return to start. Repeat with the right
hand. That's one rep. Continue alternating.
4.
Alternating Kettle bell Clean
Stand with your feet shoulder- width apart,
a kettle bell (or dumbbell) sitting between your feet. Push your hips back and
bend your knees to lower and grab the weight with your right hand (a). With
your back flat and core tight, stand and raise the weight to shoulder height
(b). Reverse the move to return to start. Repeat with your left hand. That's
one rep. Continue alternating.
Alternating Reverse Lunge
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, hands
on your hips, chest up, and shoulders back (a). Keeping your upper body still
and core tight, take a large step back with your right foot, then bend both
knees to lower into a lunge (b). Press through your left heel to return to
standing. Repeat, stepping back with your left foot. That's one rep. Continue
alternating.
