Looking Good - March 7, 2018

*-- How To Get a Toned Tush --*
It's never too early to start exercising and making your body look fantastic for bathing suit season! If you are looking to tone up that behind of yours but you aren't sure how to do it, these tips will guarantee a firmer bottom within 2 weeks to a month (and the longer you do it, the more toned you will be!).

The Secret to Toning Up

The secret to toning up is not cutting out carbs or exercising like mad. It's doing exercise and looking after your nutrition and improving them both together at the same time so that they support and build up one another. It's really no big secret, but remind yourself every day that you do need to have an adequate caloric intake in order to tone up, no matter how tempted you may be to cut out as many calories as you possibly can. Remember to try and keep your caloric intake to 1500 calories or more if you are working out on that particular day.



The Diet

No crash dieting here. The key to toning up your butt is to cut out those high fat, high sugar and processed foods. A lot of foods that we "think" are healthy are actually not very good for our health. For instance, those whole grain crackers you bought probably are high in fat and loaded in MSG. Not exactly the kind of food you want to eat when you want to lose weight.

Focus on eating natural and whole foods. This means limiting the processed foods, the pre-made meals that may be sitting in your freezer, and anything that you did not find on the outer aisles of the grocery store. When you eat, try to eat whole grains, fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, and lean meats (such as fish and chicken). Drink a lot of water to stay hydrated and stay feeling full, and avoid all salty snacks, sweet treats, and drinks other than water that have hidden calories.



The Exercise

Exercising 3 to 4 times a week is ideal as it will give your body the appropriate amount of work and rest needed to repair itself and continually build up muscle. Always start off by warming up your body by stretching and jogging or walking for 5 minutes. Once you have warmed up, it's time to start the squats. Keep your back straight and your legs shoulder length apart. Now bend your knees while taking are to keep your back straight. Hold the position for a few seconds, and then raise yourself again in at a controlled pace. Do this ten times at first, gradually working your way up to thirty squats.

Next, try to do 15 lunges on your left leg, and 15 lunges for your right leg. You will have to pace yourself for this one at first as lunges take a whole lot of muscle and energy!

It's also great to add some cardio into your exercise routine to shape up your bottom. Running, biking, playing a sport - anything that elevates your heart rate is good for toning up your butt and losing weight.

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