Award-winning arms

If you watched last weekend's 84th annual Academy Awards show, then you likely noticed two of the night's fittest ladies: Viola Davis and Cameron Diaz.  Just look at those toned arms!

Here are some fab upper-body exercises that will sculpt your arms, chest, and shoulders in no time.

• FitSugar's 3 killer-upper body moves
• Gwyneth Paltrow's exercises for shapely shoulders and strong arms
• Show off your shoulders à la Kate Middleton

TIP:
To maximise my arm-shaping workout, I often incorporate lower body exercises such as squats, pliés, and lunges at the same time.  Killer.

Happy Friday, and love the burn!

Transformation

Source: Flickr (user dfmillington)

Fresh off from a working out to a new fitness DVD, I bring you an encouraging quote for the day:

"Transformation is not a future event. It is a present activity!"
– Jillian Michaels

Let that be something to work towards!

Calories, those devilish little things...

Did you know?

Just a tidbit of information I found most enlightening.  Is that not enough to get you working out with me?!

Fitness inspiration: Kelly Ripa

Has anyone noticed how petite and trim Kelly Ripa looks (borderline too thin at times, but I think she clearly has good genetics and works her bum off!)?  She is one busy mama (with 3 children and multiple jobs), but she manages to stay disciplined and dedicated to maintaining a strong, lean figure.  I hope I look like her in my forties!

Kelly admits that she didn't really take exercising seriously until she was in her thirties.  After being exhausted every day, she began walking on a treadmill, and soon after, turned to running outdoors.

"I try to do something physical every day, something that's a little bit physically grueling."

On exercising:

"I like what it does for my mind. If I've had a bad day, if I'm feeling stressed out, if I'm feeling overwhelmed — it takes it all away. It's my antidote for everything. If I feel any sort of emotional upheaval, I go for a jog and I feel better."

"I work out every day, and I make sure do something different every day," said Ripa. "I like to do SoulCycle, Physique 57, and I even like the Tracy Anderson Method. Throw them together, and there you go -- I mix them all up."
Kelly's workouts are usually high-intensity cardio sessions which she claims helps her focus on fitness when she's at the gym.  She uses a resistance bands, a medicine ball, a pair of 3- to 5-pound dumbbells, a stability ball, and a jump rope.

Here are some typical exercises you can find Kelly doing:

1. Squat and Rotation Row –
Works butt, legs, back, and biceps. Anchor a handled resistance tube to a sturdy object close to the ground and grasp one handle with left hand, arm straight, and rotate arm clockwise until palm faces out.
Lower into a deep squat, feet shoulder-width apart, knees aligned over toes, right hand resting on hip. Rise up and rotate arm inward until palm faces up, as you pull handle toward ribs. Return to starting position and repeat Do 2 sets of 12 to 15 reps on each side.

2. Deep Squat Plié –
"There's one where you get into a deep plié, rise up on the ball of one foot, then switch to the ball of the other foot and back.  Eventually you rise up on the balls of both feet while staying in plié.  You go down an inch, up an inch, down an inch, up an inch.  Your legs are literally shaking.  The burn is significant.  But boy, it really sculpts my legs!"

3. 20-minute cardio Rx –
Alternate jumping rope with 30 seconds of jumping jacks. Start with 20 jump rope revolutions and increase by 20 after each round of jacks until you reach 100. Then reduce by 20 until you’re back down to 20. Repeat twice.

To maintain her beautifully-toned arms (sequence of moves should be done three times per week in addition to a cardio regimen):


1. Straight curl –
To tone biceps, stand up holding two dumbbells, palms up. Beginners should only hold 5-lb. weights, or 10 pounds total, and add more weight as you go. The current weight should always be challenging but not impossible to complete. Curl the barbell toward your chest and back down for one rep. Do three sets of 12 to 15 reps, resting for 30 to 60 seconds between each set.

2. The 21s –
Stand straight. Hold 5-lb. dumbbells in each hand in starting position, which is with arms down. Start with a basic curl from starting position, lifting the dumbbells halfway up, so arms are parallel with the floor. Do 7 reps of this. Then do 7 reps from the half-way position to the top of the straight bicep curl movement. Then, do 7 full reps following the entire range of motion from the starting position to the end of the bicep curl. This is a total of 21 reps. Do two sets.

3. Triceps kickback –
Hold a 3-lb. dumbbell in one hand and place opposite knee on a bench with other foot flexed on the floor. Pull the arm holding the dumbbell straight back and up to your side. Lower to starting position. Repeat 15 reps for one set. Do 3 sets.

Also, lots of push ups!

Wondering about Kelly's diet?

"I don't diet because I feel moderation is the key to what I eat," she said. "So if you were to ask me what my guilty pleasure was, I will tell you it is French fries and white wine, and no, I don't feel remorseful about eating them."
Kelly, who enjoys fruit, nuts and yogurt as snacks, says portion control is the key for staying lean. "I'll have an apple or carrot sticks in my purse so I'm not reaching for potato chips.  As long as you are healthy and sensible about what you eat, and healthy and sensible about your physical fitness, you can kind of have it all."

Hope you enjoyed today's workout!

Fitness inspiration: Carrie Underwood

Miss Underwood has been on my radar for a while now.  She is a driven young woman, with a spunky personality, and quite a set of pipes.  Whatever she is doing to keep up her physique is definitely working!

(Oh, and did I mention that she's a petite 5'3"?  This means, we're pretty close in height!)

Set goals for yourself: “Everybody has things they want to look nice for: anniversary, birthday, reunion.  I’ll think to myself, oh, that award show is coming up.  Or, I have a photo shoot in four days!  It’s nice to set goals.”

Wise wisdom from this woman!

The singer admits that she has always struggled with her weight.  “I carry all my stress weight, all my potato chip weight,” she adds,   “Around my mid-section. You’ve got to fight genetics sometimes.”

To tighten your mid-section: "I've told trainers abs are a physical impossibility for me. And every single time, they're like, 'Well, we'll get you abs!' So do I have them? No! But they're as flat as they're probably going to get. Push-ups work out everything. If you do them right, you'll feel it in your abs. I do four sets of 10 to 20."

On the days where she isn't working out with her trainer, Carrie likes to exercise on her own to stay scheduled and motivated.  "I think clearer throughout my day if I get a good workout, and I sleep better at night."

Carrie also keeps a food journal of what she eats throughout the day. “Once you realize, it’s like, ‘No wonder I’ve plateaued! No wonder I’ve been gaining weight!’ Little things really do add up.”

Go-to exercises:
Lots and lots of cardio; everything from kickboxing, jump roping, and swimming, to lengthening yoga stretches.  To maintain her famous gams (which she considers her best assets), she incorporates walking lunges and jumping squats.

For more of a leg workout, do the exercises in How to get Legs like Carrie Underwood.

Isometric resistance moves:
Next, do a series of pull-ups, lunges, and pushups. Reps vary, but start with 3 sets of 15-20 reps and work your way up, or do as many as you can in 60 seconds. 

Strength training:

Step-ups on a bench, step, or similar incline with dumbbells (or swinging kettleballs), lateral pull downs, and leg extension work.   Increase the reps and use light weights.

On eating healthfully:
Carrie keeps nutritious snacks on hand at all times (like protein bars and nuts), and watches what she eats.  She is a long-time vegetarian, and follows the philosophy of "everything in moderation", though she does let herself enjoy treats like pasta, pizza (she loves cheese!), and sweets.  Soup, veggie burgers, and plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables are her staples, and she goes grocery shopping whenever possible while on tour.

“Once you’re enjoying things about your body, you realize how much you want to keep them that way or make them better.”

Fitness inspiration: Jessica Biel

Today's inspiration features remarkably toned actress Jessica Biel.  She has long been considered one of the world's fittest celebrities, and it's not hard to see why!

I like to pay attention to any tips her trainer(s) reveals, simply because Jessica always looks über fit, and whatever she is doing seems consistent and totally effective.  (Plus, if she can do them, then we can too!)

Jessica's trainer, Jason Walsh, says that Jess hits the gym "four days a week, for an hour".  What sets her apart from most other women in the industry--in my mind--is that she manages to be thin and muscular; not the unhealthy "skinny-fat" model that is so often pushed in Hollywood.

Jason also notes that he constantly mixes the workouts up (one day might be strength training, another going out for a jog), and has Jessica doing lots of full body movements.  "You are pretty much using as many muscles at once, which in turn will jack that heart rate up."

Let's target 5 angles of Jessica's famous curves, starting with:

1. Get Sexy Legs:

• Walking Lunges – "This stretches the larger leg and glute muscles," says Jason.

With feet together, lunge first with right leg. Bring left foot alongside right. Lunge with left.  Do 10 reps per leg.

2. Tighten Your Bum:

• Squat to Press – Begin with back straight and feet shoulder-width apart.  Your arms and wrists should be facing out at shoulder height, with 5-8-lb. dumbbells in hand.  Squat down to form a 90-degree angle at the legs while keeping upper body erect and core engaged.  With form and control, rise out of the squat with some explosion; simultaneously push the dumbbells up and over your shoulders. The move ends by bringing the dumbbells back to your shoulders.  Do 3 sets of 10-12 reps.

3. Strengthen Your Arms:

• Shoulders/biceps – Stand with knees slightly bent. Hold 3-8-lb. weights in each hand. Curl to chest. Rotate hands, palms face outward. Press overhead together. Do 3 sets of 10-12 reps.

4. Flatten Your Abs:

• Hanging Leg Raises – "Hanging leg raises don't build a six-pack, but they flatten," says Walsh. "Jessica hates them, but she powers through!"

Hang from a high bar or rings with your feet not touching the floor. Then, pull your knees just above the waist, hold for 2 seconds and release. Do these 15 times to complete.

• Seated Russian Twist – Sit down and lean back slightly. Hold a 5-lb. dumbbell or medicine ball, and twist from side to side, 15 twists per side, three reps.

5. Tone Your Core:

• Push up – Lie on your stomach with your hands just outside your shoulders, elbows bent to about 45 degrees, and fingers spread; your toes should be tucked under with legs straight and abs pulled in tight. (For less of a challenge, start with your hands on a raised surface, like a tabletop.) Take a deep breath and push yourself up, keeping your body in a straight line—don’t push hips up or let belly drop toward the floor. Slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position. Work your way up to 3 sets of 10 reps.

• Plank – Get into pushup position, but rest on your forearms instead of your hands. Elbows are directly under the shoulders; shoulders in a straight line with ankles. Squeeze your glutes and brace your abs for the prescribed time while breathing deeply.  Hold for 60 seconds.

As to Jessica's diet, she is a huge fan of foods that are not heavily processed.  Complex carbs help to kick-start her morning, while she ends the day by eating lighter meals.

Here is a typical day's menu:

• Breakfast: 1 cup of oatmeal with handful of berries.
• Snack: 1 slice whole wheat toast, 1-1 ½ tbsp. of almond butter and sliced bananas on top.
• Lunch: Salad with 5-6 oz. of chicken, vinaigrette dressing.
• Snack: A banana, apple or strawberries.
• Dinner: 6 oz. of fish, plate full of veggies, 1/2 cup of Basmati rice. 
• Sweets: A couple of pieces of dark chocolate.

 

I don't know about you, but this leaves me completely inspired.  'Hope you've enjoyed today's workout!

Fitness inspiration: Blake Lively

Today's inspiration is one of actress, Blake Lively's, go-to workouts.  I appreciate that Blake isn't your typical size-zero model; rather, a tall, curvy, relatively normal-looking woman who maintains a healthy weight (granted, yes, she does get payed to stay looking so fabulous with the help of a trainer...).

1. Trim Your Core
Start with this core workout, follow with exercises for legs and arms, then repeat the entire circuit twice.

• Sit on a Swiss ball with the small of your back supporting your weight on the ball and legs bent at a 90 degree angle in front of you. Then, holding a five-pound weight with both hands, place it behind your head and perform 15-20 crunches.

• Lie on your back and place feet shoulder-width apart on the swiss ball. Keep your back flat and arms at your sides. Slowly lift your hips, making a straight line from your chest to your knees and return. Repeat 15-20 times.

• On your stomach, keeping your core muscles tight and engaged, hold plank for 60 seconds, relax and repeat 10 times.


2. Get Sexy Legs
• Perform 20 squats with eight-pound dumbbells in each hand. Make sure your back is straight and knees don't reach out past your toes (like you're sitting in a chair).

• With the same dumbbells, perform 10 reverse lunges on each leg. Make sure to maintain good posture and keep your core muscles engaged.

• Keep your arms at your sides with five-pounds dumbbells in each hand. Perform 20 squat jumps.

Tip: If the weight is too challenging, complete the first week with just body weight. Then, add a few pounds each week until you reach the recommended amount.


3. Rock Your Arms
• Perform 15 bicep curls on each arm with an eight-pound dumbbell. When you're used to the weight, try standing on one leg, do 15 right arm curls on the opposite arm and switch. This extra challenge will engage your core and leg muscles while you tone your arms.

• Using five-pound dumbbells, bend at the waist until your upper body is parallel to the floor and perform 15 tricep kickbacks on each arm.

• Hold five-pound dumbbells in each hand, palms facing in, arms at your side. Slowly lift the weights with straight to shoulder level and return. To also engage your core and leg muscles, stand on one leg with your knee slightly bent for eight repetitions, switch legs and repeat.

Rest as needed and repeat entire core, legs and arms circuit two more times.

If you'd prefer to follow a video, check out this Blake workout:

(Blake looking very svelt at the recent premiere of The Town)

Hope you've enjoyed today's workout!