Victoria, I am mother of two and I have a limited amount of time to work out. I have been putting off losing the last few pounds of baby fat. I know it’s not healthy and it is affecting my self-esteem. My husband is totally sweet and would never say anything negative about my body or me. That’s nice of him, but I am extremely self-conscious and that makes me feel unattractive.

I knew it was time to drop you an email when I was at the mall shopping for my girls and I passed by a mirror and saw my reflection. I gasped at what I saw, I still wearing some of my maternity clothes to hide my body.

I have thick legs and a saggy rear end. Can you give me a couple of exercise suggestions that can help me slim down my legs and lift up my rear?

Thank you,
Marciana



Hi Marciana, I feel you sweetheart. I am sure you are going 24/7 taking care of your children beautiful children.

I am on a project that is taking up most of my time. I have deadline after deadline and I get so frustrated because I am used to working out for myself as well as training my clients and doing media assignments.

This week I decided that no matter what, I was going to work on my lower body every day. My upper body always stays decent for some reason, but my body from the navel down just loves to suck up every extra calorie I ingest.

I had a break in my schedule so I went out to do a quick lower body blasting dancer style workout to keep legs sculpted and my rear end holy, “High and Lifted up”!

I threw on some cute tights and a fun t-shirt that makes me feel good to work out in. Then I grabbed a hat and my Chanel sunglasses and then I put on three coats of sunscreen I because I hate strap tans and went to the beach.

I got my iPod and turned some slamming tunes and went to the boardwalk and went to work. I was moving to the beat and having a blast. It was not only fun, it was effective and apparently entertaining. I had an audience of OLD fishermen who abandoned their poles to turn around and watch my traveling lunges…. I am sure they were impressed with my technique and form!

It was good thing I was wearing sunglasses and a hat right? In the gossip rags, when a celebrity wants to go incognito that’s what they wear... it works right?

Back to training…

When you work your large muscles continuously, you get some cardio in with your sculpting. Here are some moves you can do anywhere and it only takes a few minutes each day. When you do your exercises in this way you can elongate your muscles, tighten your rear end and burn some calories.

Not only will you get toned muscles, you will lower over-all body fat, a smaller waist, and over time you can gain control over the female tendency to store fat in the hips and thighs.

Lower Body Blast For Long Lean Legs and a Tight Rear End.

This workout Cuts your workout time in half and improves cardiovascular conditioning in minimal time.

Guidelines:
Reps and Sets: Depending on your fitness level, you can determine how many sets to do each exercise. When I am in a hurry, I like to do three sets of 15-30 reps depending how much energy I have. When I have more time available, I will do 4-5 sets of 15 reps of each exercise to music until I work up a good sweat.

If you are just starting, try one to two sets then work your way up to 4-5 sets of 10 repetitions for each exercise until you get stronger. Make sure you don’t have any knee issues before you do these. And always warm up by walking in place or dancing for a few minutes.

Rules of lunging: Always keep your head up, shoulders back, chest out and back straight.

Never allow the knee to touch the floor

Stay in line: you're striding thigh and knee should always line up with your foot.

Support:
You can do these exercises holding on to the back or a chair or something that allows you to maintain your balance and control the tension on the muscles.

Lower Body Blast Movements:
Front lunge: begin with your feet 6-8 inches apart, torso erect. Take a large step forward. Lower your hips and allow your trailing knee to lower to a point about 2-6 inches from the floor. Keep your head up and torso erect. Push off your forward leg to return to start, then repeat with the opposite leg. A complete lunge with the right leg, then the left leg constitutes 1 rep.

Reverse Lunge: Begin with your feet 6-8 inches apart, torso erect. Take a slow controlled step backward with one leg, lowering your hips so that your forward thigh becomes parallel with the floor. Your knee should be positioned directly over your ankle and foot. Your front foot should be pointed straight ahead, and you're trailing knee extended to stretch your frontal thigh and hip flexor muscles. The working phase of the exercise occurs when you push off your rear foot to return to the starting position in one fluid motion.

Inner Thigh Lunge: Begin with your feet shoulder width apart, torso erect. Take a slow, controlled step forward and out to the side with the right leg, pointing your toes slightly outward (as though they were in the two o'clock position on a clock). Your thigh should not drop further than parallel to the floor, with your knee positioned over your ankle and foot. Your trailing knee should be relatively extended to stretch your frontal thigh and hip flexor muscles. The working phase of the exercise occurs when you push off your front foot and step back to return to the starting position. With a little practice you be able to perform it in one fluid motion. Repeat for the left leg (to ten o'clock position) to complete one repetition.

Ballet Squats: Start by standing with your legs apart, feet flat on the floor, slightly wider than your shoulders with your legs turned out and toes pointed out in the 10 and 2 o'clock positions. Keeping your head up and your torso as erect as possible, initiate the movement by bending your knees while keeping your torso upright holing your hands to your waist or in front of you. Your knees should travel in lines with your toes, descending as though performing a ballet plie’. Try to lower your body as far as your flexibility allows. Using your legs and resisting the temptation to lean forward, squeeze your butt muscles and return to position to your starting position. That is one rep.

You can mix and match these exercises day to day. Make sure you do some cardio four to five times a week to burn off that stored fat. Cardio will also increase your energy levels and decrease stress.

This is a great quick workout that will help you get back to you pre-baby mama shape.

Now, go to your closet and fold up every stitch of maternity clothes and put them away WAY in the back of our closet. And if you are finished having children, give them away to a Non-profit organization immediately.

Get focused on rejuvenating your youthful body and make healthy snacks for you and your children. Make being healthy a dominant part of your entire family’s lifestyle.

Modeling a healthy attitude and lifestyle is a wonderful gift you can give your girls. They will repeat your habits as they grow up. Give them empowering habits and behaviors so that they will not have to struggle with their weight.

Make this your best week ever!


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