THE DETAIL…

Weighted Squats

Stand with feet hip-width apart and, for added intensity, hold weights at shoulder level or at your sides.

Bend the knees, and lower into a squat, keeping the knees behind the toes. Imagine that you’re sticking your butt out behind you, but keep the torso upright and contracted.

Press into the heels to stand up.

Hip Extensions

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Step ups

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Step ups are a great exercise for the glutes. For step ups, place one foot on a step or platform and push through the heel to lift the body up. Make sure you use a step that’s high enough, although you may need to work up to a higher step if you’re a beginner. You eventually want to aim for a height that puts your knee at about a 90-degree angle. BEGINNERS– start WITHOUT weights. Advanced — add some dumbbells!

**The other key is to concentrate all your weight on the stepping leg. In other words, lower down gently, barely touching the toes of the other leg to the ground. You’ll really feel this when you take it slow and concentrate on the working leg.

Bridge

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Now go kick butt.

For those of you who don’t have a ton of time in the gym, but want to make sure you work those ab muscles, I have something special for you this morning!

A quick, no frills, ab blaster. It’s a quick little combo I put together to get you in and out, while still getting in a great workout for your abs – enjoy!

For your reference, here are some of the exercises further explained;

Leg raises

Bicycle

The hundred

Mason twists

Scissor kicks

Be sure to check out my previous ab workouts, too!

And because we all need a kick in the pants sometimes, here’s a motivational photo:

Side note: Are you enjoying these workouts I’m sharing? Too much? Not enough? You guys expressed an interest, but I don’t want to keep sharing them if no one cares — let me know

Arm circles – don’t laugh, just wait. This exercise targets your triceps, biceps and shoulders.

• While standing straight with your feet flat on the ground and arms extended out to the side at a 90-degree angle to your body, start moving your arms in small, fast circles forward.

• Do as many rotations as you can and then reverse the motion, doing as many circles as you can in the reverse direction.

Who’s laughing now?

Chair dips – beginner- 10 reps

Chair dips – advanced – 10 reps

Chair dips are the best way to work the entire backs of the arms. And my favorite thing about them is that you can find a chair or bench almost anywhere — airports, parks, offices. Just be careful of those office chairs. A few years ago I thought I’d be a bad*ass and workout in my cube over lunch. Chair had wheels. Not pretty. End scene.

Pushups – 15 reps

Triceps side lift – 15 reps, each side

BREAK

Repeat

Seriously.

Ok, well maybe I’d prefer eating some cupcakes. But they don’t give me a six-pack. This workout does.

Enjoy!

Pulse up – 30x

Plank – 60 seconds

Advanced Plank – 10 seconds each side

Single leg side plank – 60 seconds each side

Mason twist – 50 reps

REST for 60 seconds

REPEAT

Did you make it? Still with me? Awesome. Bring on the cupcakes.

Reader request this morning! I’ve compiled visuals from around the web, to help illustrate an arm workout I put together. I do this workout at least 2 times a week and find it’s all I need to keep my arms toned. I use 10 pound dumbbells, but if you are just starting our I recommend starting with 5 pounds or less. If you are already ripped, feel free to increase the weight as well!

This workout includes my favorite exercises from classes I’ve taken, workout videos — even P90x. It’s become my go-to workout and always leaves my arms burning. Added bonus - the whole routine usually is finished within 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Shoulder press — 20x

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Bicep curls — 20x

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Kickbacks — 20x

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BREAK – Do 10 pushups

REPEAT SEQUENCE

BREAK – Do 10 pushups

Deep Swimmer’s Press – 20x

Upright row — 20x

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Triceps press – 20x

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BREAK – Do 10 pushups

REPEAT SEQUENCE

BREAK – Do 10 pushups

Front and side shoulder flys — 20x

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Bent over row — 20x

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Hammer bicep curls — 20x

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BREAK – Do 10 pushups

REPEAT SEQUENCE

BREAK – Do 10 pushups

YOU ARE DONE! Now go admire yourself in the mirror, I can see those muscles already

For those who care, my dinner last night was glorious (beet salad, mashed cauliflower and roasted brussels sprouts, thankyouverymuch) and I was able to leave my Mommy Guilt at the door.

And Crop’s new space was breathtaking — check it out:

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The Mister did great with getting our little gremlin to bed — in fact, he only woke up once last night! Maybe Daddy should put him to bed more often?

Anyway, I have some great reads to share this morning — enjoy.

22 Foods with Trans Fat - make sure you keep a close watch on this list – there are a few surprises!

Diet vs. Exercise: Which Lowers Death Risk More? ”Its conclusion is that overall fitness appears to be more important than BMI, more important than fatness, when it comes to determining whether you’re going to be at risk for dying from Cardiovascular Disease.”

Vitamin risks? Study ties supplements to bad health decisions – quote of note: ”We live in a society that is very oriented towards taking medication,” Dr. Andrew Leuchter, director of the UCLA’s Laboratory of Brain, Behavior, and Pharmacology, told msnbc.com. “People feel like they can take a pill and it will almost immunize them from any unhealthy lifestyle choices.”

Is yoga better than strength training? Strength and fitness coach, Arnav Sarkar, says, “Both have certain benefits that they alone provide best, and both have certain shortcomings which require practicing the other”. He tries to decipher the yoga versus strength training debate for us…

Want to work on those abs, but hate crunches? Help is here: Get Flat Abs: 10 Crunch-Free Moves

Reason #20397 Bean will never play football - Football Could Contribute To Strokes In Adolescents. Never.

More chatter around barefoot running — harmful or beneficial?

Ever wonder how muscle fatigue originates in the head? A new study discovered a mechanism in the brain that triggers a reduction in muscle performance during tiring activities and ensures that one’s own physiological limits are not exceeded.

Do you have any fun articles to share? Please do so in the comments!

But not too busy that I can’t share a few fitness finds from this week – enjoy!

Looking to move? Be sure to check the top 10 healthiest cities for women — find out if yours made the cut!

Are you a new mom like me? Check out these fantastic workouts – just for us!

Want to train like the Celebs? Katie Holmes’ Spinning Instructor shares three tips

And because it’s the Holidays:

How To Avoid Holiday Weight Gain and How to Get Back On Track After an Indulgent Long Weekend

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Did you read anything interesting that I missed?! Please share!

Once again, I’ve collated some of my favorite fitness reads this week for your viewing pleasure — enjoy!

Any Zumba fans out there? Now you won’t have to leave your home to take a class! Introducing: the Zumba video game.

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Is the Freshman 15 a myth? Find out.

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Need help grocery shopping? Do you find yourself leaving the store with impulse, mindless purchases? Apply these hunter-gatherer techniques.

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Most of us listen to music to get through workouts — but is it unsafe? Find out here and also learn some tricks to stay motivated without music.

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What’s on you news radar? Anything interesting?

I have some links to share from the digital world of fitness today – enjoy! As always, feel free to share other articles in the comments!

Strength-training injuries among women have jumped a whopping 63 percent — read these top weight room blunders that can really hurt

First lady targets world record for jumping jacks. Michelle Obama will lead hundreds of children in an event at the White House Tuesday.

‘Now that the weather is getting cooler, it won’t be long before we start using the weather as a poor excuse for not working out. Read these strategies to help.

The NY Times just published a nice piece on barefoot running by Christopher McDougall. If I actually ran, I just might be tempted

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And if you’d like even more reading material, check out my guest post featured on The Balanced Life.

Happy Wednesday!

It’s been awhile since I posted a fitness/health news summary, but I figured I’d share what I’ve been reading this week – enjoy!

Meanwhile, I’ll be hanging out with these gremlins.

15 extra minutes = 3 extra years? Doing just 15 minutes of moderate exercise a day may add three years to your life, a large study in Taiwan has found

Why Alcohol Can Prevent You From Losing Weight – Reason #294 I don’t drink

3 Reasons Why Eating Less Than 1000 Calories is a Waste of Time - Plus, starving yourself is never cool

Exercise is just as good as drugs at preventing migraines, Swedish study suggests

What caught your eye in the news recently?