You need to do two things to get a really hot bod: work out so your muscles are toned and well-defined, and lose weight so those muscles are visible and not hidden under fat. It takes some diligence and discipline to tone your bod, but if you stick with it and get into a military-style routine, it's something anyone can do, and you don't need to belong to a fancy gym.
Instructions
1. Start paying attention to your diet now. Drink lots of water, and eliminate or cut back on soda and those blended coffee drinks. Don't buy chips, cookies, ice cream or other junk food, starting today. If they are not in the house, you can't eat them. Buy healthy snacks like almonds or walnuts, fruit and natural yogurt. Eat lots of lean protein like fish, chicken, eggs and beans. Avoid processed foods as much as possible. You don't want to make yourself miserable, so give yourself one day a week where you can eat "forbidden" foods, or allow yourself one small sugary or fatty snack per day. If you start eating healthy, you will find yourself losing the taste for junk food. If you want a hot, toned bod, it starts with your diet, and there is no getting around that.
2. Engage in aerobic exercise to help you lose weight and get toned. Depending on your current fitness level, this could be as basic as walking around the block at least once a day, or running 5 miles. You need good, supportive shoes and comfortable walking or running clothes. If you have a dog, take the dog for walks. If you have a partner, take your partner for a walk. If you have both a partner and a dog, you can all go for a walk or run together. If the weather doesn't allow for outside activity, run in place or do jumping jacks while listening to high-energy music. At least 30 minutes per day of aerobic exercise will get you on the right road to being fit and toned.
3. Tone your muscles and lose weight to get muscle definition. You probably already know that "spot toning" doesn't work. You can, however, work your muscles in groups, and the most important muscles for toning and strength are your stomach and back "core" muscles. Get an exercise ball and a book or DVD to learn the full range of core exercises you can do.
4. Free or hand weights are great for arms, shoulders, chest and upper back. Stand in front of a mirror so you can check your form. You need to either get some private training to learn proper form with free weights or get a DVD. Free weights are also invaluable for doing lunges, walking lunges and squats. These exercises will work out your behind and your legs.
5. Don't limit yourself. Anything at all that gets your body moving and raises your heart rate is aerobic exercise and will help you lose weight and get a toned bod. Swimming and biking are wonderful all-over body toners. So are horseback riding or playing volleyball. Each of these activities works your whole body and tones muscles. Each works different muscle groups. It's important to find exercise you really enjoy doing, since that's how you will stick with the program.
6. Experts disagree about whether or not stretching prevents injury to muscles, but stretching before, during and after exercise will help your muscles stay limber and more effective. After you work each muscle group, stretch them in as many ways as you can think of. Yoga can be an important component to an exercise regime. Not only does yoga stretch muscles but it also works and tones them.
7. Keep charts of your progress. This will enable you to see how much fitter you are getting and will motivate you! Write down how many reps, or how long, you are able to do different activities. Before you start seeing results (depending on your current level of fitness, this can take weeks or months), you will definitely be able to feel them, and keeping an exercise log will show you how much you're improving.
8. Push yourself a little bit harder when you can easily do 10 push-ups, or run continuously for 20 minutes. This is why private training is so effective. Trainers push their clients harder than most people will push themselves. If you don't feel like getting up and exercising, do it anyway! You will always feel better afterward.
Tags: exercise will, lose weight, your muscles, aerobic exercise, work your, aerobic exercise will
