Losing weight isn't just about restricting; you need to exercise
and burn calories! Society has been tooting the values of diet and exercise
in leading a healthier life and getting the body you want. Generally speaking,
I hate having muscles; they make me look bigger than I want to be. But muscles
also take a lot of calories to maintain - once you get buff, your body burns
more calories keeping you that way than if you were just boney.
This is a list that a friend and I have been using together...and
it feels so wonderful when you're done. Each exercise is to be done for 3
sets; you can do these all at once (ouch!) or spread them out over the course
of the day. Just be sure you get them all done!
Crunches, three sets of 100: Lie on your back with
your feet flat and your knees bent. Put your hands behind your head and
bring your shoulders/upper torso up off the floor. Then lower back down.
Tip: For more of a challenge and to work different sets of muscles,
try doing these with your calves in the air parallel to the floor, or
with your feet up above your head. (My PE teacher made us do the above-the-head
ones...ouch, but it worked.)
Push-ups, three sets of 15: You can do these the "girly"
way or the "manly" way. The girly way, you have you knees on
the floor. The manly way, you have your feet on the floor. I recommend
starting the girly way and then upgrading to the manly way when your arms
are stronger. Lower your upper body as close to the floor as you can,
and then push yourself back up. Tip: Bring in a Jedi mind trick
if it gets tough: Bring the ground close to you, and then push it away.
Lunges, three sets of 25 for each leg: Stand with your
feet together. Then step one foot out and bend both knees; the thigh of
your front leg should be parallel to the floor, as should the calf of
your back leg. Then stand and step back to your starting position. Switch
legs and repeat. Tip: I usually do a set with one leg and then
a set with the other. This keeps me from tiring out too quickly.
Candles, three sets of 20: Lie on your back with your
legs straight up in the air (or as straight as you can get them) and your
hands either flat on the floor or behind your head. Lower your legs to
about a 45- or 60-degree angle, then bring them back up to vertical, and
push your butt up in the air so that only your upper torso is still on
the floor. Lower your butt back to the floor. Tip: The lower
you lower your legs, the more it will work your abs. You can also bring
crunches into this by keeping your upper torso off the floor while you
bring your legs back up.
Bicycle, to 3 songs: This is done while playing music...hence
the "3 songs" part. Lie on your back and move your legs as if
you are riding a bicycle. The songs you choose should equal about 10 minutes
total. So no 45-second punk rips or 20-minute techno mixes. An average
of 3:20 is good. Tip: I like to listen to "ana" songs
while I do these because it keeps me motivated. Here's a list.
