Fit2Fat2Fit (33 page)

Stand with feet shoulder width apart and with light dumbbells resting by your sides, your arms hanging naturally. Bring both dumbbells up to the side until they're shoulder height, with arms completely extended away from your body. Slowly lower them to the starting position.

Here are the sets and reps I do for exercises 3 and 4: exercise 3, 12 reps each leg; exercise 4, 12 reps. Repeat this superset 3 times with minimal to no rest in between.

Stand in front of a bench, low chair, or you can use your home stairs. Step up with one leg, then use your foot that is on the step to push your other leg up until both feet are on the bench/chair/stair. Step down with the first foot leading. Then repeat, alternating feet.

Place a low step or a chair up against a wall for stability. Get in push-up position on the floor, facing that wall with the step/chair in front of you. Put one hand flat on the seat of the step/chair and return that hand immediately to the floor; now do the other hand (keeping your body in a straight line).

Here are the sets and reps I do for exercises 5 and 6: exercise 5, 15 each leg; exercise 6, 30 seconds at a fast pace. Repeat this superset 3 times with minimal to no rest in between.

Grip the chin-up bar with palms facing you. Extend your arms all the way and hang from the bar. Pull your body up (without a swinging motion), using primarily your biceps, until your chin reaches above the bar. Return to the starting position.

Sit on a chair with your hands on the edge a bit out from your hips. Walk your body away from the chair so that you're holding yourself up with your arms, and your feet are about shoulder width apart, giving you extra support. Go straight down until your arms form a 90-degree angle (keeping your elbows in and your back straight). Then return up to the starting position.

Here are the sets and reps I do for these first 2 exercises: exercise 1, 12 reps; exercise 2, 12 reps, then hold upright position for 10 seconds, then 12 more reps. Repeat this superset 3 times with minimal to no rest in between.

Stand with feet shoulder width apart while holding dumbbells in hands. Let the weights hang in front of you with palms facing away from your body. While keeping your back straight, bring dumbbells up in the curve of a D-shaped motion, using your biceps. At the top, squeeze/flex the biceps. Return back down in the same D-shaped arc.

Stand holding dumbbells close to your body with elbows bent. Bend over so that your chest and upper arms are almost parallel to the floor. Extend your arms until they're straight (in other words, pointing behind you, because of your bent body), flex the triceps when arms are fully extended, then bring the arms back to the starting body-bent position.

Here are the sets and reps I do for exercises 3 and 4: exercise 3, 15 reps each arm; exercise 4, 15 reps each arm. Repeat this superset 3 times with minimal to no rest in between.

Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Holding dumbbells, let your arms hang by your sides with palms facing in toward your body. Bring one arm to a 90-degree angle pointing in front of you. Keeping your back straight, bring the other hand up and forward in the curve of a D-shaped motion, using your biceps. At the top, squeeze/flex the biceps and return back down in the same D-shaped arc. Switch sides and hold the other arm at a 90-degree angle while curling the second arm.

Lie down with your back on a stability ball, knees bent as needed, so that your body is parallel to the floor. Bring dumbbells straight up above your head with arms extended and palms facing each other. Bend your arms to 90 degrees so that the dumbbells reach your forehead on both sides. (Don't actually hit your head; just get close!) Return arms to extended position.

Here are the sets and reps I do for exercises 5 and 6: exercise 5, 12 reps each arm; exercise 6, 15 reps. Repeat this superset 3 times with minimal to no rest in between.

I like to include core exercises in all my workouts. Sometimes I'll work them in between supersets, and other times I'll just do them at the end.

Lie face down on a floor mat, resting on your forearms. Push off the floor, raising yourself up onto your toes and resting on your elbows. Concentrate on keeping your back flat, in a straight line from head to heels. Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air and your middle from sagging.

Do 3 sets of 30–45 seconds.

Lie on your left side with your body straight, one foot on top of the other, but angled up from the hip to the shoulder. Support yourself with your left arm, bent 90 degrees at the elbow (your hand and forearm, flat on the floor, pointing directly in front of you). Rest your right arm on your right leg. Push your midsection up so that only your left foot, hand, and forearm are in contact with the floor. When you're in the correct position, the space left between you and the floor should form a triangle. Try not to let your hip sag and touch the floor. Then roll over and repeat the process on your right side.

Do 3 sets of 30 seconds on each side.

Lie flat on your back on a mat with your arms and legs completely extended, forming a long horizontal line. Grasp a stability ball in your hands. Bring your arms, with stability ball, and your legs up until they meet in the middle. Then pass the ball from your hands to your feet, squeezing the ball between your feet to hold on. Lower your legs and arms simultaneously until they're almost parallel with the floor. Bring both arms and legs back up again and pass the ball back from feet to hands. Repeat this process.