Morning exercisers don’t get up out of bed
when there’s a hot bloke in it. Evening gym-goers don’t pass up romantic
dinners for Body Attack.
Your plan
Mind your back (side)
A study in Obesity Research shows the
average woman gains six to eight pounds in the first two years of a long-term
relationship. It's partly the man-size portions and partly what you're doing -
sitting. Tel Aviv University researchers found that when you sit for long
periods, your fat cells create twice as much fat as when you're standing.
Bummer indeed. To intensify, add the hip bridge and heel drag to Program B: lie
on your back with lower legs on a fitness ball. Raise your hips. Lift your left
leg until your foot is facing the ceiling. Press your right heel into the ball
and roll it towards you, then roll it back out. Repeat for 12 to 15 reps. Then
do it on the other side.
A
study in Obesity Research shows the average woman gains six to eight pounds in
the first two years of a long-term relationship.
Exercise when he's not around, too
"You can always do 20 minutes of bodyweight exercises or go out for a
brisk walk,” says Cahill. Buy a pedometer and clock up 10.000 steps a day; research
by the University of Tennessee found that women who did this had 9% less body
fat than women who walked less. Step to it!
Pair up, slim down
Get him to work out with you. Duke
University in the US found that people were 50% more likely to start exercising
if their partner joined in. Top option: salsa or Ceroc classes. The fast beat
will burn lots of calories, and all that twisting gives your abs a 360-degree
workout. The reward: research shows that the post-exercise testosterone boost
leads to higher libidos in both men and women. We reckon that beats sharing a
bottle of Rioja any day.
"You can always do 20 minutes of
bodyweight exercises or go out for a brisk walk,” says Cahill.
Ride off your saddlebags
If the only exercise you like is the
horizontal variety, get on top. You burn 100 calories in 26 minutes in cowgirl
position, compared to 67 minutes in missionary. Work your quads by squatting
over him with your feet flat on the bed (or carpet/kitchen table). Yee-ha!
The obstacle: you work insane hours
Twelve-hour working days don't leave much
time for long runs in the park (or even short runs round the block). Plus,
studies show that long hours + elevated stress levels = a disaster (right
around your mid-section).
Your plan
Rise, then shine
Being stuck in the office makes your
metabolism slower than a Take Me Out contestant, and if you're stressed you can
expect the resulting weight gain to go straight to your middle - as high
cortisol levels are known to lead to increased abdominal weight gain. The answer?
Schedule interval workouts for the crack of dawn, before work can interfere
with your plans. Training first thing cranks up your metabolism too and helps
you shed belly fat quicker than at any a other time. As for the stress, nix it
with a playlist of your favorite upbeat tunes: research by Osaka Medical Center
found that listening to music significantly lowers cortisol production. So
Chris de Burgh it is.
As
for the stress, nix it with a playlist of your favorite upbeat tunes
Do less for more
When time is short, every move counts. So
spend that hard-earned cash on a BOSU ball ($165, physicalcompany.co.uk). By
putting one or both your hands on it during planks and push-ups, and stepping
on it during lunges, you'll burn more calories in the same space of time.
That's because the unsteady surface makes your body work harder to produce
faster results, says Kinesiologist Stephen Stanley. Best keep your eye on that
ball.
Lose the hunch
Slumping over your keyboard like a human
comma all day compresses your spine. "That leads to bad posture in the
short term and irreversible damage to your spine over the years," says
Lori Incledon, author of Strength Training For Women. Reverse it with this
daily stretch: lie along a 1m foam roller with bent knees and feet flat on
floor. Take 15 seconds to drag your hands, palm up, from by your hips to above
your head, keeping arms straight. Hold for 10 seconds then lower back down. Do
5 reps to avoid getting the hump.
skip
through your excuses
