Ultimate 21-Day Total Body Makeover

5
12 REPORTS
Firm Up Plan
H
Ultimate
21-Day
ere is an overview of what you’ll be doing. Most days you’ll combine two of the
three workouts.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Easy walk
Interval walk
Easy walk
Interval walk
Easy walk
Speed walk
Long walk
Body shaping
(basic)
Tummy
toning
Body shaping
(light weights)
Tummy
toning
Body shaping
(heavy weights)
Tummy
toning
The Fat-Burning Workout
Total
Body
Makeover
Crank up your calorie burn by alternating
a variety of walking routines—from
moderately paced jaunts to high-speed
intervals—each week. Start and finish
each of your workouts with 5 minutes of slow walking to warm up and cool
down.
Easy walk
Ultimate 21-Day
Total Body Makeover
YOU CAN GET A NEW BODY in as few as
3 weeks—one with more energy, a revvedup metabolism to burn extra calories, and
a firmer, shapelier figure that will turn
heads whether you’re wearing jeans or a
little black dress. The secret to dropping
pounds and inches quickly is highintensity workouts. But don’t panic—you
don’t have to run for miles or lift 50-pound
dumbbells. What’s high intensity for
someone who’s less fit may be low for
you, or vice versa. The point is to push
out of your comfort zone so you boost
22 your calorie burn an extra 25 to 50% in
the same amount of time—and incinerate
another 75 calories over the course of the
day to boot.
This firm-up plan consists of three
parts: a walking workout to burn fat, body
shaping with weights, and tummy-toning
calisthenics. The walking workout includes
four walks (easy, interval, speed, and long),
and the weight workout includes three
routines (basic, light, and heavy). Mixing
and matching them will keep you speeding
along toward fabulous results.
(Monday, Wednesday, and Friday)
It’s “easy” because you don’t have to really push yourself. Just get out and walk at a good pace, as if you were 5 minutes late for an appointment.
Week 1: 30 minutes
Week 2: 35 minutes
Week 3: 40 minutes
Interval walk (Tuesday and Thursday)
Here you’ll pick up the pace—and your
calorie burn—for about 30 to 90 seconds,
before slowing down to catch your breath.
During the speed interval, you should be walking so that you’re breathing hard
and talking in full sentences is difficult.
Week 1: 4-minute moderate pace, 30-second speed interval; do 4 times = 18 minutes total
Week 2: 4-minute moderate pace, 60-second speed interval; do 4 times = 20 minutes total
Week 3: 3-minute moderate pace, 90-second speed interval; do 4 times = 18 minutes total
Speed walk (Saturday)
Pick an easy-to-remember route that will take about 20 minutes to complete at a fast pace. Each week, try to cover the same distance in less time.
Long walk (Sunday)
This is your endurance workout. Walk at a pace you can comfortably sustain for the recommended time. Focus on
enjoying your jaunt, not on getting out and back fast.
Week 1: 40 minutes
Week 2: 50 minutes
Week 3: 60 minutes
womenshealthmag.com 23
12 REPORTS
ULTIMATE 21-DAY TOTAL BODY MAKEOVER
Chart Your Progress
Body-Shaping Routines
M
ake tracking your 21-day fitness plan easier by hanging this log in plain sight—and
using it. After every workout, simply check off the appropriate box (no, the walk
times don’t include warm-ups and cool-downs, but you have to do them anyway).
Week 1
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Easy walk
30 min
Interval walk
4 min/30 sec*
Easy walk
30 min
Interval walk
4 min/30 sec*
Easy walk
30 min
Speed walk
20 min
Long walk
40 min
Body
shaping
(basic)
Tummy
toning
Body
shaping
light weights
Tummy
toning
Body
shaping
heavy weights
Tummy
toning
Basic (Monday) Complete three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions for each exercise. Use
weights heavy enough to make your last few reps challenging.
Light Weights (Wednesday) Use lighter weights and do 3 full-rep, then 3 pulse-rep,
sequences three times for a total of 18 reps. For example, for the pulse reps of the
overhead press, instead of bringing the weights down to shoulder height, stop at about
the top of your head, then press them up three times from that position.
Heavy Weights (Friday) Grab heavier weights and do three sets of 6 to 8 reps for each
exercise.
Lunge
Week 1
NORMAL INTENSITY
Hold dumbbells at shoulder height. Step your left foot
back about 2 to 3 feet. Bending your right knee, inhale as
you lower your body straight down (don’t lean forward)
until your right knee is bent 90 degrees and your left knee
nearly touches the floor. Hold for a second, then push
back up, stepping your back foot forward. Repeat with
your other leg.
Week 2
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Easy walk
35 min
Interval walk
4 min/1 min*
Easy walk
35 min
Interval walk
4 min/1 min*
Easy walk
35 min
Speed walk
<20 min
Long walk
50 min
Body
shaping
(basic)
Tummy
toning
Body
shaping
light weights
Tummy
toning
Body
shaping
heavy weights
Tummy
toning
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Easy walk
40 min
Interval walk
3 min/90 sec*
Easy walk
40 min
Interval walk
3 min/90 sec*
Easy walk
40 min
Speed walk
<20 min
Long walk
60 min
Body
shaping
(basic)
Tummy
toning
Body
shaping
light weights
Tummy
toning
Body
shaping
heavy weights
Tummy
toning
* Walk: At a moderate pace for the first time listed, then speed up for the second. Do this four
times.
Body-Shaping Workout
HIGHER INTENSITY
Lunge, and as you stand, lift your back leg up in front of you. Repeat with your other leg.
Week 3
Week 2
Week 3
HIGHEST INTENSITY
Lunge, and as you stand, lift your back leg up in front of you and twist your torso toward that knee. Repeat with your other leg.
Do the same four moves for each workout, with weekly variations to make them more challenging.
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12 REPORTS
ULTIMATE 21-DAY TOTAL BODY MAKEOVER
Bent-Over Row
Overhead Press
Week 1
Week 1
NORMAL INTENSITY Sit on the edge of a chair with
your feet hip-width apart and bend forward from your
hips. With your arms hanging down, palms facing each
other, bend your elbows back, squeeze your shoulder
blades, and lift the weights toward your ribs. Don’t arch
your back or raise your torso as you lift the dumbbells.
Hold for a second, then slowly lower. (If you have back
problems, stick with this variation for all weeks.)
Week 1
Week 2
Week 2
Week 1
Week 3
Week 2
HIGHER
INTENSITY
Stand with your
feet hip-width
apart, knees
slightly bent.
Bend forward
from your
hips and lift the weights.
NORMAL INTENSITY
Sit on the edge of a chair
with your feet hip-width
apart. Hold a dumbbell
in each hand at shoulder
height, palms facing
forward and elbows pointing
down. Slowly press the dumbbells
straight up. Hold for a second, then
slowly lower. Don’t arch your back or
lift the dumbbells forward or back.
Week 2
Week 3
HIGHEST INTENSITY
Balance on one leg. Do
half of the recommended
reps balancing on your
right leg and the other
half on your left leg.
HIGHER INTENSITY Stand with
your feet hip-width apart and knees
slightly bent as you lift.
Week 3
HIGHEST INTENSITY Balance on
one leg and raise your other knee.
Do half of the reps balancing on your
right leg and the other half on your
left leg.
Week 3
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12 REPORTS
ULTIMATE 21-DAY TOTAL BODY MAKEOVER
Tummy-Toning Workout
Push-Up
Do this four-move workout on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Complete the number
of repetitions specified for each exercise.
Week 1
NORMAL INTENSITY Kneel on the floor and walk your hands out in front
of you until your head, back, hips, and knees form a straight line. With your
hands directly under your shoulders, bend your elbows out to the sides and
lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor. Keep your body
straight. Hold for a second, then push back up.
Balance
Week 1
Week 2
Week 1
Week 2
Week 2
HIGHER INTENSITY Balance on
your hands and one bent knee and
extend your other leg behind you.
Do half of the reps balancing on
your right leg and the other half on
your left leg.
Week 3
28 Week 3
HIGHEST INTENSITY With your
feet flexed and toes tucked, balance
on your hands and the balls of your
feet to do the push-ups.
Week 1
Week 2
NORMAL INTENSITY
Sit with your knees bent and feet flat on
the floor. Hold on to the back of your
thighs. Tightening your abs and shifting
your weight back, lift your feet so your
calves are parallel to the floor, and balance
on your sit bones. Hold
for three breaths, then
Week 3
relax. Do once.
HIGHER INTENSITY
Keep your arms out in front of you,
parallel to the floor. Do once.
Week 3
HIGHEST INTENSITY
Keep your arms out in
front of you, parallel to
the floor, and extend
your legs straight. Do
once.
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12 REPORTS
ULTIMATE 21-DAY TOTAL BODY MAKEOVER
Plank
Bridge
Week 1
Week 1
NORMAL INTENSITY Lie facedown with your toes tucked and
your elbows under your shoulders, so your forearms and palms
are on the floor. Contracting your abs, buttocks, and back, exhale
as you press into your forearms and hands and lift your pelvis and
legs off the floor, so your back and legs form a straight line. Don’t
bend at your waist or hips. Balance on your forearms and balls of
feet, holding for three breaths, then relax. Do once.
NORMAL INTENSITY Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet on the
floor, and arms at sides. Contracting your abs and buttocks, exhale as you
lift your butt, hips, and back off the floor to form a straight line from your
shoulders to your knees. Your upper back
and shoulders should remain on the floor.
Week 1
Hold for three breaths, then lower. Do once.
Week 2
Week 2
Week 1
Week 3
Week 2
HIGHER INTENSITY
When you’re in the up
position, raise your
right foot off the floor
and hold. Lower your
leg and body to the
floor, then repeat with
your other leg.
Week 2
Week 3
HIGHEST INTENSITY Lie on your back with
your left foot flat on the floor and your right
leg extended, so that when you lift you’re only
using one leg. Extend your arms straight
up over your chest. Do one time
with each leg, holding for three
breaths.
Week 3
HIGHEST INTENSITY Balance on your toes
and hands, arms extended, and lift your right
foot off the floor. After holding for three breaths,
pull your knee into your chest and extend back
out five times. Lower your leg and body to the
floor, then repeat with your other leg.
30 HIGHER INTENSITY When
you’re in the up position, lift
and straighten your right leg
so it’s diagonal and pointing
toward the ceiling. Hold for
three breaths. Lower your leg
and then your torso. Repeat
once with your left leg.
Week 3
womenshealthmag.com 31
12 REPORTS
Twisting Crunch
Week 1
NORMAL INTENSITY Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet
on the floor. With your hands behind your head, exhale as you slowly
lift your head and right shoulder off the floor, twisting to the left
and bringing your right shoulder toward your left knee. Keep your
lower back pressed into the floor, and don’t pull your chin to your
chest. Hold for a second, then inhale as you slowly lower. Repeat,
alternating sides. Do 6 reps on each side for a total of 12.
Week 1
Week 2
Week 2
HIGHER INTENSITY Do the crunches
with your legs extended up. Do 6 reps
on each side for a total of 12.
Week 3
Week 3
HIGHEST
INTENSITY
Extend your legs
out so they’re
about 6 inches off the floor. As you twist, bend
your knee in toward your chest and opposite
elbow. Do 6 reps on each side for a total of 12.
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