Most people think of exercising as if it is a chore. If we got as excited about exercising as we do putting a delicious new dessert in our mouths we'd all have lean mean bodies! The truth at hand is this; it sounds good to exercise and get healthy, but in reality most people start it with good intentions but then just quit. It's a New Year's Resolution gone bad. I can look at delicious food and sweets and my thighs get larger without even eating, or so at least it seems. It's so easy to pop yummy treats in our mouths but after a while, those calories have a way of catching up to us. At my age, I certainly am more health concious about my weight. After all, gravity is setting in and I want to keep my body tone and my tush somewhat tight. I don't want to be 50 and look 75. I want to be 50 and look and feel 35! With a few easy exercises a day, you too can tone your thighs and your tush. Don't think of it as a chore, make it fun! Crank up the music and know that within a few weeks you'll look and feel better about yourself! Don't just sit around with the girls waiting for the fat to melt!
5 Exercises that will work magic on thighs and tone your tush;
1) Cycling- No, I'm not talking about going out and taking on the world on your bike...I'm talking about cycling on a stationary bike in the privacy of your own home. Did you know that by simply taking s spin for 45 minutes doing 10 minute intervals of low-resistance pedaling followed by a five minute low-resistance cool down your body is burning fat? Ok, now image if you did this every day? The fat would begin to melt away.
2) Leg Raises- Not sure what these are? (this is what my grandma called them when I was a kid) You can call them whatever you like….I call it hard work but getting the job done! Sit on the floor with your back leaning against a wall. Point your legs straight out in front of you. Now, slowly raise your left leg about six inches to a foot off the floor and hold it! You'll want to lower and repeat this movement then with the right leg. Keep repeating switching back and forth from the left to the right leg until you've done about 25-30 lifts with each leg. As the days go by, increase this so that within a week you are up to 40-50. This is a super easy way to tone the front of your thighs and you need no machinery to do it. If you would prefer laying flat on the floor thats fine too. Raise your legs in an upright position as if you were sitting and hold it for 15-20 seconds. Repeat this 10 times to start, then increase each time you do it. You'll feel your muscles aching in places that you forgot you had. This is the smell of fat burning and your thighs, your tush tightening and also your tummy toning!
3) Work Your Ballet Moves- When I was a little girl, my grandma (Baba) used to watch Jack Lalanne on television. We didn't have a ton of money to spend of exercise machinery and gyms were not around yet…so try this; hold on to the back of a chair (any chair; your desk chair, the kitchen chair, etc.) Stand with your feet apart. Make sure that they are spread out wider than the width of the chair. Lower your back down into a squat position while keeping your back as straight as you can and tuck your butt in. Now…hold this for 3-5 seconds and then rise back up slowly. Repeat this 10-20 times. I used to do it to music so that I didn't get bored with it. Start with a low goal of maybe 20 and then increase it within a week or two. I used to make my goal 50. If you do this routinely every day it will surely tighten not only your thighs but your bitty as well.
4) Leg Raises- Sit on the floor with your back pressed up against the wall and point your legs straight out in front of you. Slowly raise your left leg about 6 inches to a foot off the floor and hold it for a few seconds. Lower it and then repeat with the other leg. While repeating with alternate legs do about 25 of these. You can also lay flat on the floor and raise your legs. This will accomplish the same purpose.You'll really begin to feel it and your thighs will thank you in a week or two when the are tone and not jiggly!
Last but not least….
5) Walking- this is absolutely the best exercise you can give your legs! If you aren't used to doing a lot of walking start out for 10 minutes, then 15, then within a week or two walk up to 30 minutes. Map out a route in your neighborhood or use the treadmill. Either way, just do it! Exercise is excellent for you. Anyone that says it isn't is probably a hot mess and really out of shape. Don't be that person. These are easy exercises that you can do in your house that require no monthly membership fees. If you want to spend money, spend it on a new outfit after you've done my 5 easy steps to a better YOU!
Your body is your house….and it's the only one you'll ever have, so watch what you put into your mouth, and take good care of it…because in return, it will take good care of you!!!
5 Exercises that will work magic on thighs and tone your tush;
1) Cycling- No, I'm not talking about going out and taking on the world on your bike...I'm talking about cycling on a stationary bike in the privacy of your own home. Did you know that by simply taking s spin for 45 minutes doing 10 minute intervals of low-resistance pedaling followed by a five minute low-resistance cool down your body is burning fat? Ok, now image if you did this every day? The fat would begin to melt away.
2) Leg Raises- Not sure what these are? (this is what my grandma called them when I was a kid) You can call them whatever you like….I call it hard work but getting the job done! Sit on the floor with your back leaning against a wall. Point your legs straight out in front of you. Now, slowly raise your left leg about six inches to a foot off the floor and hold it! You'll want to lower and repeat this movement then with the right leg. Keep repeating switching back and forth from the left to the right leg until you've done about 25-30 lifts with each leg. As the days go by, increase this so that within a week you are up to 40-50. This is a super easy way to tone the front of your thighs and you need no machinery to do it. If you would prefer laying flat on the floor thats fine too. Raise your legs in an upright position as if you were sitting and hold it for 15-20 seconds. Repeat this 10 times to start, then increase each time you do it. You'll feel your muscles aching in places that you forgot you had. This is the smell of fat burning and your thighs, your tush tightening and also your tummy toning!
3) Work Your Ballet Moves- When I was a little girl, my grandma (Baba) used to watch Jack Lalanne on television. We didn't have a ton of money to spend of exercise machinery and gyms were not around yet…so try this; hold on to the back of a chair (any chair; your desk chair, the kitchen chair, etc.) Stand with your feet apart. Make sure that they are spread out wider than the width of the chair. Lower your back down into a squat position while keeping your back as straight as you can and tuck your butt in. Now…hold this for 3-5 seconds and then rise back up slowly. Repeat this 10-20 times. I used to do it to music so that I didn't get bored with it. Start with a low goal of maybe 20 and then increase it within a week or two. I used to make my goal 50. If you do this routinely every day it will surely tighten not only your thighs but your bitty as well.
4) Leg Raises- Sit on the floor with your back pressed up against the wall and point your legs straight out in front of you. Slowly raise your left leg about 6 inches to a foot off the floor and hold it for a few seconds. Lower it and then repeat with the other leg. While repeating with alternate legs do about 25 of these. You can also lay flat on the floor and raise your legs. This will accomplish the same purpose.You'll really begin to feel it and your thighs will thank you in a week or two when the are tone and not jiggly!
Last but not least….
5) Walking- this is absolutely the best exercise you can give your legs! If you aren't used to doing a lot of walking start out for 10 minutes, then 15, then within a week or two walk up to 30 minutes. Map out a route in your neighborhood or use the treadmill. Either way, just do it! Exercise is excellent for you. Anyone that says it isn't is probably a hot mess and really out of shape. Don't be that person. These are easy exercises that you can do in your house that require no monthly membership fees. If you want to spend money, spend it on a new outfit after you've done my 5 easy steps to a better YOU!
Your body is your house….and it's the only one you'll ever have, so watch what you put into your mouth, and take good care of it…because in return, it will take good care of you!!!
