Let's talk how to get the weight off and how to get the body you want. This is not usually the way my articles go as I want people to search for health. However, sometimes its fun to talk about hard workouts, sweat, and getting a little leaner just because it's fun to fit in a dress or look good on a beach.
We are human after all.
Here is what I'd love for you to try for the next 4 weeks. It's very similar to something I'd do with a professional fighter, so it's designed to get that lean look, and create a functional body.
A professional MMA fighter will train 2 and sometimes 3 times a day. Their sessions are normally 45minutes - 1 hour and a half. Ladies, this includes you on this. ESPN bodies has featured Ronda Rousey because she looks fantastic, she's the Current UFC Women's Bantam Weight Champion.
Monday - Wednesday - Friday you'll wake up and first thing before you eat go for a 25 minute jog. 5 minutes of warm up. 5 minutes at a pace that's got some intensity to it, then 5 minutes keeping the pace and adding incline. Finish the hard part of the run with 5 minutes with no incline, then cool down for 5 minutes. Feel free to walk it out.
As soon as the run is done, drink water and have breakfast. Make sure breakfast is high protein.
At lunch do some Yoga and focused breathing for 30 minutes. There are a lot of great DVD's out there that are specific to this. Keep it short and sweet. No need to break a big sweat, but the breathing and moving your body will kickstart the metabolism again. It will wake you up and keep you moving through the day.
Tuesdays and Thursdays get this workout done in 30 minutes or less. I would suggest it first thing in the morning, then hit the showers and prepare for the day.
Skip for 5 minutes to get warm
Circuit #1 3 sets of 10 reps
Push Ups
Alternating Row
Sumo Squats
Hamstrings on a Ball
Circuit # 2
Chest Press on Ball
Reverse bent over fly
Lunges
Hamstring on Medicine Ball
Skip for 3 minutes
Ab Circuit 2 x 15
Sit Ups
Leg Lifts
Bicycle
At some point on Tuesdays and Thursdays try a kickboxing class. It's a ton of fun and is often over looked as a great source of a little extra cardio.
If you are someone who's not got a lot of time, bring the Cardio Kickboxing home. Try using a machine like Nexersys. You can set it up at home, and get your class done in the comfort of your own home, when it's convenient for you.
Having options allows you to make sure that as soon as you are free in the day for 30 or 40 minutes you can get right to work on making your body sweat. I find that people who go to classes can run behind and miss them, or they can lose 20 or 30 minutes waiting for the start of class. Setting your home up properly will save time and let you get a bunch of great workouts done without wasting time.
Training with a split up program means that you are always boosting your metabolism, and never committing to much time. It's not for everyone, some people like to put all the work in at once. I personally love to break things up, or have options in the day.
Always be trying new things, find what works for you.
I put up workouts weekly on my personal blog One Fit City. My hope is to give people options, and keep things interesting.
The important part to remember is that you are doing this for health. But, as it is with everything, you get what you put in. If you want to put the intensity into your workout. Lift heavy weights, drip sweat, and leave it all in the training room, your body will look fantastic. If you just want to eat sensibly, and move your body a little each day, your body will be healthy, but it may not change it's shape much.
Focus on being healthy, that's what matters. But if you want that next challenge, try working like a Pro Athlete. Put your two a day workouts in, and get a lot of the results you dream of.