Skinny Health Care: Fitness

30-Day Back-to-School Total Body Burn Workout

Fitness July 09, 2020

30-Day Back-to-School Total Body Burn Workout

Heading back to school means that it’s Autumn again! As that cooler weather sets in, we start to crave more comfort foods. Combine these cravings with the added stress that being back on campus brings, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for weight gain. Of course, being back in school means more opportunities to socialize too! If you want to look your best, our 30-day back-to-school total body burn workout can help! It offers eight exercises that’ll blast fat and keep the extra weight off. Stay energized and healthy throughout the entire school year!

Total Body Burn Workout To Blast Fat

Get rid of unwanted summer pounds with this 30-Day Back-to-School Total Body Burn Workout

Typically the end of Summer brings frequent barbecues and beach trips, as you take full advantage of the few remaining lazy days you have left (before responsibility sets back in.) These Summer days usually include lots of yummy foods that can quickly bring back the extra unwanted pounds. Don’t worry! We’re here to keep you on track!

For this workout, you’ll need a range of dumbbells (medium to heavy), a yoga mat, a chair or bench, and an interval timer which most phones have.

Follow the schedule below. For weeks 1 and 2 perform each exercise for 30 seconds with no rest in between and complete 3 rounds. For weeks 3 and 4, perform each exercise for 45 seconds with no rest in between and complete 4 rounds. Rest 40 seconds in between each round. We’ve included instructional videos for each exercise below.

The 4-Week Schedule

Week 1: Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Week 2: Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday

For the last two weeks of this total body burn, reverse the workout order and start with plank hops to improve fat-blasting.

Week 3: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
Week 4: Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday

Burpees: Always a great exercise to get your heart rate going. Jump high and move fast!
Squat to Overhead Press: A great compound exercise to build stronger legs and toned and sexy arms — mostly triceps and shoulders. Grab medium dumbbells.
Bicep Curl to Press: Another compound exercise. This time you’ll build better biceps and retarget your triceps and shoulders. Blasting your triceps will help get rid of any arm jiggle that’s been lingering. Grab medium dumbbells.
Dumbbell Jackknife: An ab workout that stretches and compresses both lower and upper abs simultaneously for a stronger and more defined midsection. Grab a medium dumbbell.
Jump Rope: Time to get your heart rate back up. Whether you do standard two-leg jumps or switch up your rhythm, be free and enjoy the variety of moves. These a great total body exercise.
Dumbbell Step-up: More leg work to strengthen those large glutes. Grab a medium to heavy dumbbell to get the most out of this exercise.
Plank: Stronger core building for carrying your school necessities around.
Plank Hop: More plank work but with some movement to keep your heart rate slightly up while also building your core muscles and overall core stability.

You need fuel to focus and get through the entire school day, especially if you want the full benefits of this total body burn workout to blast fat to get you the best results. Try any of these 9 Quick, But Healthy, Back-to-School Breakfasts to start your day off right.

Instructional Videos

Burpees

Squat to Overhead Press

Instructional Videos

Burpees

Squat to Overhead Press

Dumbbell Jackknife

Jump Rope

Plank Hop

A total body burn workout isn’t all you’ll need to blast fat and keep it off. Learn these 30 Simple Changes for Living a Healthier Lifestyle to make a major difference in your life.

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The Benefits of Meditation Walks

Fitness June 30, 2020

What is a walking meditation practice?

Typically, during walking meditation you walk in a circle, back and forth in a straight line or in a labyrinth. It’s also possible to do a walking meditation over a longer distance.

The pace is slow and can vary depending on the specific technique. Often, practitioners do a walking meditation session between seated meditations.

Examples of walking meditations include:

kinhin
theravada
vipassana

Techniques can be as detailed as breaking down each step into six parts or simply strolling mindfully in a space. You may incorporate your breath or a mantra.

Below you’ll find the many possible benefits of meditative walking.

1. Boost blood flow

Walking meditation is often used by people who sit for long periods. The walking practice helps to get the blood flowing, especially to the legs. It helps to alleviate feelings of sluggishness or stagnancy.

Mindful walking is also a great way to boost blood circulation and raise your energy levels if you’re doing seated work for extended periods.

2. Improve digestion

Walking after eating is a fantastic way to boost digestion, especially if you’re feeling heavy or full.

Movement helps food to move through your digestive tract and may also prevent constipation.

3. Reduce anxiety

If you’re looking to lower your stress levels, you may find it useful to do a seated meditation practice before or after you work out.

A 2017 study on young adults showed that walking is more effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety when combined with meditation.

The participants who showed the most significant changes in their anxiety levels either meditated, meditated before walking, or walked before meditating. The control group, along with people who only walked, didn’t show as great of improvements. Each meditation or walking session was 10 minutes.

4. Improves blood sugar levels and circulation

A small 2016 study concluded that a Buddhist-based walking meditation practice had a positive effect on blood sugar levels and circulation in people with type 2 diabetes.

People practiced mindful or traditional walking for 30 minutes, 3 times a week for 12 weeks. The group that did the Buddhist walking practice showed more improvement than the group who did traditional walking.

5. Alleviates depression

It’s important to stay active, especially as you age. Regular exercise helps to boost fitness levels and improve mood — both of which are at risk of declining in older adults.

According to a small 2014 study, older people had fewer symptoms of depression after practicing Buddhist walking meditations 3 times a week for 12 weeks. They also improved their blood pressure and functional fitness levels, which can be achieved through walking.

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The Best Pilates Moves for a Flat Stomach

Fitness June 30, 2020

The Best Pilates Moves for a Flat Stomach

I like to imagine Pilates as a cross between yoga and bodyweight exercise. The combination of full-body movement and stretching team up with resistance work to help develop and create strong minor muscles, which support the larger muscles. Pilates is all about control. The more you’re able to control, the stronger you’ll become. Your core is the centerpiece of body control, and this workout features the best Pilates moves for a flat stomach that will end up toned, strong, and balanced.

Diet is an Important Part of Getting a Flat Belly

Performing the correct exercises and workouts will tone your underlying muscles and draw them in, but if you have extra fluff on top, it will be nearly impossible to notice your results. Of course, these Pilates moves will help you burn some fat, but a healthy diet is an essential part of losing fat. With that being said, if you combine these types of routines with a healthy diet, you’ll be able to reach your goals faster than ever. Check out the articles and meal plans below. They will help you build a general understanding of proper eating.

Diet is an Important Part of Getting a Flat Belly

What you need: For this workout, you’ll need a yoga mat and an interval timer.

What to do: Pilates is about taking it slow and really isolating muscle groups to get the best results. Perform each move for 30 seconds to start (The Hundred is very specific, so please follow the video instructions). Rest for 10 seconds in between each move and complete four rounds total. Perform this workout three times a week and add an additional 15 seconds until you’re able to perform each exercise for one full minute. Then, add another round.

The Moves

Roll-up: The roll-up is like an advanced sit up. If you can’t roll all the way up, try putting some weight on your ankles or place your feet under a couch for leverage.
Rolling Like A Ball: This is a fun core exercise that places you in the fetal position. Rock while you keep your core nice and tight.
One Leg Circle: This is an exercise with some single leg work to tone your lower abs. You can also do the circles in reverse to retrain the muscles while they grow. Don’t take any rest between leg transitions.
Teaser: The perfect exercise to build a tight core. It will challenge your stability, work deep into the ab muscles, and burn fat regularly.
Criss-Cross: Similar to the bicycle, this exercise uses a more controlled motion. It has the same benefits for targeting all the ab muscle groups.
The Hundred: Small pulsations to target the core and burn fat.

Instructional Videos

Rolling Like A Ball

One Leg Circle

Teaser

Criss-Cross

What did you think of this workout? Are you going to make it part of your regular routine? Once you’ve mastered these Pilates moves for a flat stomach, try these 8 Yoga Poses for a Strong Core. Also, be sure to follow us on Pinterest for all of our future Pilates routines!

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Are You Up for Trying this 12-Minute Squat Challenge to Get a Firm, Round Butt?

Fitness May 20, 2020

Are You Up for Trying this 12-Minute Squat Challenge to Get a Firm, Round Butt?

Want to get a firmer, rounder butt? It’s a actually pretty simple: all you need to do is dedicate the time and use the right movements. Our 12-Minute Squat Challenge to Get a Firm, Round Butt will lift, shape, and tighten your glutes to get you a perfect rounded bottom.

Since your glutes are the largest muscle in the body, you need resistance to build them. This means heavy dumbbells that force you to push the muscles harder during each squat, push, or lunge. This 12-minute squat challenge offers four unique workouts that get the job done. Squats are a standard for booty building, and by using a variety of squats you’ll hit the glute muscles from various angles.

Two of the exercises in this routine require the use of dumbbells to create resistance. The other two exercises are body-weight movements that allow you to isolate and focus on toning and building. Although the resistance won’t be there, continuing to work activated muscle groups gives you the benefit of toning and building, and allows you to push a little harder. Get your legs and butt loose and ready for 12 minutes of booty building.

12-Minute Squat Challenge to Get a Firm, Round Butt

What to Do: Perform each exercise for 50 seconds, resting for 10 seconds in between each exercise. Complete four rounds with no rest in between the rounds. For best results, perform this workout four times a week. Each week, grab a dumbbell that weighs five more pounds to keep building.

What You’ll Need: set of heavy dumbbells (20+ lbs) and an interval timer (available on most phones). NOTE: If you don’t have any weights, feel free to perform this routine using any weighted object from around the house! A few examples could be a bag of dog food, a water jug, or a container of laundry detergent!

Dumbbell Squat
Sumo Squat
Dumbbell Goblet Squat
Prisoner Squat

Don’t avoid the most important part of a workout: refueling. Use The 30-Day High-Protein Low-Carb Meal Plan with Shopping List to keep your muscles strong and energized pre and post workout.

Exercises

Dumbbell Squat

Sumo Squat

Dumbbell Goblet Squat

Prisoner Squat

A strong core is key lifting heavier and lifting heavier gives you a better butt. Mix in our Ab & Core Home Workout to keep your gains growing.

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5 Best At-Home Butt Exercises

Fitness May 20, 2020

5 Best At-Home Butt Exercises

Did you know that getting the butt you’ve been longing for can easily be obtained at home? A gym offers weights to build resistance, which helps with muscle growth, but working out from home can be just as beneficial. If you’re looking to build a better butt from the comfort of your own home, these five best at-home butt exercises will help you isolate, build, and shape the perfect booty!

Since this butt workout is meant for home, you won’t need any equipment that isn’t already readily available. You’ll only need a chair and a yoga mat. If you want to get faster results, don’t be afraid to add a medium to heavy dumbbell into the mix. With that being said, completing this workout using just your own body weight will still be incredibly effective!

5 Best At-Home Butt Exercises

This butt workout is about mastering each move, so the focus is on reps and isolation. Beginners should complete four rounds at 10 reps, while intermediate levels should complete four rounds at 15 reps. For those at an advanced level, complete five rounds of 20 reps (all with no rest in between).

Since most of these exercises use a single leg, you’ll be able to rest one side while you work the other. For the single-leg exercises, complete both legs before moving on.

Single leg exercises are great for isolating weaker muscles. Working one leg at a time will allow you to focus on each of them individually, so that you end up with more athletic, symmetrical-looking legs!

Rest 30 seconds in between the rounds to keep your glutes active. Focus on isolation, glute squeezing, and form for best results.

Squat to Chair: A perfect butt exercise that keeps your glutes fully engaged with each rep. Once your butt hits the chair, immediately go back up.
Single-Leg Bridges: Isolation is always essential! Keep your core tight while you do these.
Side Lunge to Curtsy: This butt exercise adds more shape to the sides of the glutes for a rounder appeal.
Donkey Kicks: This is possibly one of the best isolation butt exercises. Be sure to give your glutes a nice squeeze at the top.
Plank with Leg Lift: Get a tighter core and a better booty. Roll your abs toward your spine and hold for the full duration of this workout.

Healthy eating can trim your waist down while you build your butt. Try our 30-Day Eat the Pounds Away Challenge and Grocery List to make the best changes to your diet.

Instructional Videos

Squat to Chair

Single-Leg Bridges

Are you going to try these best at-home butt exercises? If so, be sure to let us know how you feel after a few sessions!

Looking to take your home workouts up a notch? Try our 30-Day HIIT Home Challenge once you’ve mastered this butt workout.

You can also stay up to date on all of our latest and greatest plans and routines by following us on Pinterest and subscribing to our daily eNewsletter!

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