Here is another workout you can do whenever and where ever you want! This one is an abdominal specific workout. You can get this one done in less than 15 minutes! All you need is a small amount of space and a stability ball if you already have one! Do 5-10 reps of each and repeat 2-3 times depending on how much time you have. No excuses, just do it!
Remain on all fours and tighten your abdominal muscles, keeping your spine and neck in a neutral position; you should be looking at the floor. Slowly extend your left leg behind you while reaching your right arm forward. Keep your hips and shoulders square and make sure your lower back doesn’t arch. Hold for five seconds. Slowly return to the starting position and do the move on the opposite side. Complete 5 to 10 repetitions on each side.
Strengthen your abs and obliques by sitting on a large ball with your feet flat on the floor. Walk your feet forward, letting your entire back rest on the ball and keeping your thighs parallel to the floor. Cross your arms over your chest and slightly tuck in your chin. Contract your abs and exhale as you raise your torso about 45 degrees. Pause, then lower, inhaling as you go. If you feel unstable, move your feet farther apart. Repeat 5-10 times. If you don’t have a stability ball, just do this move on the floor as a regular crunch/sit up.
Lie on your stomach with arms bent, palms and forearms on the ground, fingers pointed forward, legs extended, and toes tucked under. Work your back and abs by contracting your core muscles and slowly lifting your entire torso off the floor, keeping palms, forearms, and toes on the ground. Avoid arching your lower back, hiking your hips upward, or shrugging your shoulders. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds, gradually building up to one minute.
Lie on your back with fingertips behind ears, legs in the air, and knees pulled toward chest. Target your sides and entire ab area by contracting as you lift your shoulder blades off the ground. Straighten your right leg at a 45-degree angle and rotate your upper body to the left, bringing the right elbow toward the left knee. Switch sides by straightening your left leg, bending your right leg, and bringing the left elbow to the right knee. Alternate sides in a pedaling motion. Complete 5-10 full reps.
Turn onto your right side with your legs extended and your feet and hips resting on the ground and stacked on top of each other (top illustration). Place your right elbow directly under your shoulder to prop up your torso, and align your head with your spine. Gently contract your core and lift your hips and knees off the floor; this strengthens your sides and deep ab muscles (bottom illustration). Hold for 10 to 30 seconds, gradually working up to a minute, and return to the starting position. Roll onto the other side and repeat.
To strengthen the entire ab area, lie on your back and extend your arms out to the side, or keep your hands behind your head if that’s more comfortable (top illustration). Raise your knees and feet so they create a 90-degree angle. Contract your abdominals and exhale as you lift your hips off the floor with control; your knees will move toward your head (bottom illustration). Try to keep your knees at a right angle. Inhale and slowly lower. Repeat 5-10 times.
Lie on your stomach with your hands underneath your shoulders and your fingers pointing forward (top illustration). Keep your neck long. Gently exhale and lift your chest and torso upward to stretch your abdominals (bottom illustration). Press your hips into the ground. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds, breathing evenly, then slowly lower back to the floor.
Don’t forget to keep good form and warm up before and stretch out after you exercise!
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My muscles have been so tight and sore lately that I actually thought that I had injured myself! Sometimes you just need a good stretch! This Short and Sweet Stretch from Jessica Smith only takes 15 minutes and it is perfect for stretching out those tired tight muscles!
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Here is another workout you can do whenever and where ever you want! All you need is a sturdy chair and a small amount of space! Do 10 reps of each and repeat 2-3 times depending on how much time you have. No excuses, just do it!
Remember to keep good proper form and warm up before and stretch after you exercise!
I’d love for you to follow me on Instagram Lookingjoligood and on Facebook Lookin Joli Good
Here is another workout you can do whenever and where ever you want! All you need is a sturdy chair and a small amount of space! No excuses, just do it!
Remember to keep good form and stretch after your exercises!
You don’t need a bunch of gym equipment to get yourself into shape. You don’t even need hand weights, all you need is your own body weight. I love to use my own body weight for strength training! I can tell you from personal experience that these 8 moves will help to build your strength!
Michele Olson, Ph.D., professor of exercise science at Auburn University Montgomery designed this simple 8 move program. She suggests that if it is done 4 times a week for 6 weeks, you will see an increase in your overall strength.
Be sure to use good form when performing these moves! Besides the lunges I love all of these moves! I seriously HATE lunges!
I first saw this article on Real Simple and wanted to share it with all of you here as part of my “No Gym? No Problem!” series. If you woud like, you can check out the original article for yourself at http://www.realsimple.com/health/fitness-exercise/workouts/body-weight-exercises
Keep moving, there are no excuses with these simple 8 moves! Let me know if you decide to try out these strengthening exercises!
Personally I have lost all of my weight by walking outside or working out in my own home. That being said, I am going to be staring a new weekly series on Mondays called “No gym? No Problem!”
This first installment is going to be a simple 10 minute workout from one of my favorite fitness experts. Don’t worry, it isn’t Jillian 😉
If you have a little bit of space, some sturdy athletic shoes, a computer and 10 minutes, you can do this workout by Jessica Smith!
I have spent so much time “working out” with Jessica Smith that I seriously feel like I am introducing you to one of my friends. Not only is she a pleasant knowledgeable fitness expert that has so many awesome free workouts on YouTube, she is also funny and beautiful. Plus, she has a super sweet little French Bulldog named Peanut that joins in the videos and is pretty funny!
Check out her website too. She has a lot of great health and fitness information: jessicasmithtv.com and check out all of her other great workouts at her YouTube channel by clicking HERE.
She even has a whole playlist of 10 minute or less workouts. You can check them out by clicking HERE
I received a SlimFast VoxBox from Influenster for consideration. If you know me at all, you already know that I am 100% not considering using SlimFast to lose weight! Only a healthy balanced diet and daily exercise is going to provide successful long term health and weight loss.
Over the last few months I have been on a journey from Flab to FAB. If you have been following along, thank you so much for your support. These last few pounds have been the toughest to shed! I have 1.5 lbs to go, and it has been a struggle!
As I have mentioned in previous posts, I have never had an issue with daily exercise. I love to get up early and get in a workout before the rest of my family is even awake. My down fall has always been diet, even more specifically the sweet stuff! The holidays are a tough time to be trying to lose those last few pound. Some weeks I have been happy to just have not gained any weight.
I LOVE to eat! I have had many conversations with fellow food lovers about where’s the best place to get homemade ice cream or freshly baked bread, or which restaurant has the best tasting menu. I also love to cook myself. I like to try new recipes, watch cooking shows and read cookbooks and food magazines.
While the occasional food splurge is fine, and actually part of a successful weight loss routine, it is important to keep it an occasional splurge. While these occasions don’t have to be huge major special events – My daughter got a 100% on her first math test- Yay! Lets get ice cream! My son scored a goal in soccer, Yay! Let’s get ice cream! I did awesome at my job interview!Yay! Let’s get ice cream! I got the job! Yay! Let’s get ice cream! I had a great first day of work! Yay! Let’s get ice cream! I need to be careful that I only make exceptions for true special occasions.
Often what ends up happening is that these “special occasions” can become a daily even. They can easily turn into… I folded all the laundry! Yay! Lets get ice cream! I found my missing earring! Yay! Lets get ice cream! I am having a great hair day! Yay! Lets get ice cream! Today is Wednesday! Yay! Lets get ice cream! My Boston Terrier, Tessie, is super cute! Yay! Lets get ice cream! See where I am going with this…(also, can you tell I like ice cream? :-))
While I have been on my Flab to FAB journey, I have had to start thinking about food and diet in a different way. While good healthy food feels rewarding, food is fuel, not a reward. Celebrating is fun, and celebrating with food is fun too, but it is not the only way to celebrate.
Instead of using food as a reward, I have been trying to reward myself in other ways. Some ways include: getting a pedicure, buying new smaller clothes :-), getting some new makeup, or splurging on a new purse. Sometimes the celebration is just giving myself a little bit of a break to sit down and read an extra chapter in a good book. While I do still like to celebrate with food, I am slowly retraining myself to have a healthier relationship with food.
I hope that you found this helpful, and thank you for following along with me on my journey from Flab to FAB!
Click HERE if you would like to read my previous Flab To FAB posts.
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