Best Body Ever Workout: Lose Weight & Build Strength

Jay Sullivan

How the Plan Works

Follow this workout plan (plus the Get Your Best Body Ever diet) to drop 10 pounds in a month; stick with it to keep on slimming. We've made it easy to achieve even long-range weight-loss goals by including two extra months of progress-boosting adjustments. "The secret is switching things up," says Joe Masiello, co-owner of Focus Integrated Fitness in New York City, who created the plan for FITNESS. "You'll alternate quickly among upper-body, core, and lower-body sculpting exercises to keep your heart rate revved so you burn more calories. You'll also go back and forth from steady cardio workouts to speedier ones."

Part 1: Toning Exercises

Do this toning circuit nonstop (up to three times) twice a week.

What you'll need: A set of 3- to 8-pound dumbbells, a chair, a stability ball

Part 2: Cardio Workouts

Do the three cardio sessions found on slides 10 to 12 every week to lose 10 pounds in one month.

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FREE PODCAST: Download the Playlist for This Workout

Find more FITNESS playlists at Motion Traxx

Jay Sullivan

Reach and Press

Targets: Shoulders, arms, abs, and legs

• Holding a dumbbell in left hand, stand with feet hip-width apart, then raise left leg behind you. MAKE IT EASIER: Raise right leg instead; this helps you balance better.
• Bending right knee 90 degrees, reach left hand in front of right shin as if trying to touch dumbbell to floor.
• Return to single-leg standing position, bringing left hand to left shoulder, then press weight overhead, palm facing forward.
• Lower weight to shoulder and repeat leg extension and arm reach.
• Do 12 reps. Switch sides; repeat.

Jay Sullivan

Chair Bird Dog

Target: Abs

• Sit on edge of chair and place hands next to hips, palms flat on seat, fingers pointing forward.
• Inch forward off seat so that you are squatting just in front of chair with palms flat on seat behind you for support.
• Remaining in supported squat position throughout, extend right leg and left arm directly forward so that they are parallel to floor. MAKE IT EASIER: Keep right knee bent as you raise right leg.
• Hold for 1 to 3 counts, then return to supported squat.

Do 8 to 10 reps. Switch sides; repeat.

Jay Sullivan

Bridge Press Plus

Targets: Chest, arms, abs, and butt

• Holding a dumbbell in each hand, lie faceup on floor with knees bent and feet flat, and bend elbows 90 degrees so that forearms are perpendicular to floor with palms facing each other.
• Lift hips off floor, forming a straight line from knees to shoulders, and maintain bridge position throughout.
• Press dumbbells directly above chest, palms facing each other.
• Keeping upper arms still, bend elbows 90 degrees to lower dumbbells toward floor.
• Extend arms up toward ceiling, then lower elbows to floor to return to start.
• Do 12 reps.

Jay Sullivan

Dead Bug with Ball

Target: Abs

• Lie faceup on floor with knees bent, feet flat, holding a stability ball in front of chest.
• Lift legs, knees bent 90 degrees, so that shins are parallel to floor, and suspend ball by pressing into it with hands (arms extended) and knees.
• Simultaneously lower right arm directly behind head and extend left leg forward so that both hover a few inches off floor.
• Bring right arm and left knee to touch ball again.
• Do 10 reps. Switch sides; repeat.

Jay Sullivan

Ball Wall Hold

Targets: Upper back, shoulders, and abs

• Holding stability ball with both hands, stand with back to wall, feet hip-width apart.
• Position ball against wall a few feet above right shoulder and, with right arm extended overhead, press back of right hand into center of ball to hold it steady. (Stand far enough in front of wall so that spine is flush with edge of ball.)
• Lift right foot off floor a few inches and hold ball in position for 30 to 45 seconds.
• Switch sides; repeat.

Month 2: Bend knees slightly and maintain a half-squat position as you press ball into wall.

Month 3: Maintain a full squat as you press ball.

Trainer's tip

The bigger the stability ball, the more intense the move.

Jay Sullivan

Frog Squat

Targets: Chest, butt, and legs

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a single dumbbell in front of chest with both hands, elbows bent and palms pressing into ends of dumbbell.
• Lower into a squat as close to floor as you comfortably can, pressing elbows against inside of knees. MAKE IT EASIER: Squat with knees bent 90 degrees — no lower.
• Raise hips so that legs are nearly fully extended, bending forward at waist so that elbows stay glued to knees and upper body remains in tucked position.
• Return to low squat.
• Do 20 reps.

Jay Sullivan

Write Your Name Plank

Targets: Abs and obliques

• Kneel on floor in front of stability ball and place elbows on its center, clasping hands together.
• Walk feet backward until legs are fully extended and body forms a straight line from head to heels.
• Keeping abs tight and hips level, use elbows to trace letters of your first and last name, allowing ball to move slightly from side to side (aim to hold for approximately 30 to 45 seconds).

Jay Sullivan

Gimme a Y! Gimme a T!

Targets: Shoulders, upper back, abs, butt, and legs

• With a dumbbell in each hand, stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Bend knees slightly to lower into a half squat, hinging forward at hips so that back is nearly parallel to floor.
• Extend arms toward floor, palms facing each other, so that dumbbells hover near knees; this is start position.
• Raise arms up and diagonally overhead to form a Y shape, palms facing up.
• Lower arms to start; do 8 to 10 reps.
• From start position (dumbbells toward floor), raise arms directly out to sides at shoulder level, palms facing up to form a T shape. MAKE IT EASIER: Do the T without dumbbells.
• Lower arms to start; do 8 to 10 reps.

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Cardio Workout: The Quickie

Download the free playlist for this workout from Deekron, the FITNESS DJ!

Your goal: Get in three cardio workouts per week, alternating between a steady 30-minute session (do your fave class, a clear-your-head jog -- you name it) and any of the speed-it-up routines below. "As with a car, you don't always want to gun the engine," says Masiello, who picked his most crowd-pleasing interval options for you. "Intervals are great for burning tons of calories, but your body also needs a dose of less-intense aerobics." The best part? The interval sequences are simple to remember, even without these cheat sheets.  

Total time: 16 (advanced) to 29 (beginner) minutes

It's easy: Speed up for the number of seconds listed for your level, then go at an easy pace for a minute or two to recover. Repeat 8 times for a complete cardio session.

Warm up for 5 minutes: 3 minutes light walk or jog > 30 seconds at half effort > 30 seconds light walk or jog > 30 seconds at 75 percent of maximum effort > 30 seconds light walk or jog

Choose one of the levels below and repeat 8 times to complete your session. 

60-second walk

Month 2: Repeat cycle 10 times.
Month 3: Repeat cycle 10 times and cut recovery 10 to 20 seconds.

Trainer's tip
If you're using a treadmill, there's a lag of 5 to 10 seconds that it takes the belt to reach your target speed. So the sprint time starts when the belt actually hits your selected mph, and the recovery starts once the belt returns to a walk speed.

Download from iTunes here — and hit "Subscribe" to get more mixes from Deekron!

Find more FITNESS playlists at Motion Traxx

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Cardio Workout: The Countdown

Download the free playlist for this workout from Deekron, the FITNESS DJ!

Total time: 35 minutes

Do the speed bursts here at the fastest pace you can safely maintain (power walking, running, cycling, using the elliptical or stairclimber) for the given duration. Then blast off with short, all-out sprints.

Warm up for 5 minutes.

60-second walk

Cool down for 4 minutes.

Month 2: Make your speed bursts a little faster than they were in month 1.
Month 3: Make your speed bursts a little faster than they were in month 2.

Trainer's tip
Because the highest-intensity intervals are toward the end of the workout, if you run out of energy, do not attempt your max sprint in the "Blast off!" portion. Instead, replace those sprints with a peppy pace.

Download from iTunes here — and hit "Subscribe" to get more mixes from Deekron!

Find more FITNESS playlists at Motion Traxx

Shutterstock

Cardio Workout: The Reverse

Download the free playlist for this workout from Deekron, the FITNESS DJ!

Total time: 34 minutes

Start out faster than normal (power walk, run, cycle, use the elliptical or stairclimber at a challenging level) and slow down every 3 minutes until you hit an easy pace. The intensity levels listed are on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is lounging and 10 is an all-out sprint; an 8.5, for example, is 85 percent of your maximum effort. The key is to find your starting speed. If you start out too fast and get fatigued, slow down to recover, then pick up where you left off when ready.

Warm up for 5 minutes.

Cool down for 5 minutes.

Month 2: Increase your starting speed from month 1.
Month 3:  Increase your starting speed from month 2.

Download from iTunes here — and hit "Subscribe" to get more mixes from Deekron!

Find more FITNESS playlists at Motion Traxx