Hello Elegant World, Welcome to another edition of the magazine that adds a little spice to your life
THE PERFECT FIGURE
Perfect Hourglass Figure Workout Tips - Lose The Fat & Sculpt Sexy Curves
The perfect hourglass figure is the most coveted of all body types. According to Wikipedia, "the waist-hip ratio (WHR) for a female very strongly correlates to the perception of attractiveness across all cultures.
Women with a 0.7 WHR (waist circumference that is 70% of the hip circumference) are rated more attractive by men in various cultures.
Such diverse beauty icons as Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren, and the Venus de Milo all have ratios around 0.7."
Unfortunately, the hourglass figure is also the most rare. Only 8.4% of women fall into the hourglass shape category while 46% fall into the rectangle shape, 21% fall into the pyramid shape, and 13% fall into the cone shape.
The great news is that you can create the illusion of a perfect hourglass figure with the right workouts, healthy eating tips and a few showgirl tips and tricks.
Perfect Hourglass Figure Tip #1: Determine Your Body Type
There are many body type charts online that can help you determine your body type but the easiest way to know your true type is to determine where you gain most of your weight and how you look when you start to get closer to your preferred weight.
How you look when you are at or close to your ideal weight should always be your starting point because knowing where you stand means knowing what workouts and eating plan your body needs.
Remember that there are 4 basic body type including rectangle, hourglass, pyramid, and cone and each one needs very different workouts in order to get closer to the hourglass shape.
Perfect Hourglass Figure Tip #2: Workout for Your Body Type
Rectangle Shapes: Need a few full body fat loss workouts per week, 1-2 upper body and core workouts per week to create the illusion of a smaller waist and a lot of lower body workouts to create a curvier bottom half.
Hourglass Shapes: Need full body fat loss circuits 3-4 times per week and very few trouble zone workouts each week to tighten and tone. Yes, even the perfect hourglass figure shape needs to work out right for their body type.
Pyramid Shapes: Need more upper body workouts to balance a bigger booty but can usually get away with little ab workout and a couple of lower body and full body fat loss workouts each week to lose excess fat and tighten and tone the lower half.
Cones Shapes: Need a lot of lower body work to balance a wider upper body plus plenty of full body fat loss and a few core and upper body workouts to keep the upper body toned. This is the most challenging body type to work with but the one that benefits most from a body type focused workout plan.
Want a workout plan that you can customize to your unique body type? Get started with Your Best Female Figure. An 8-week plan that you can customize to your body and that is designed for women who want a lean toned body with sexy female curves.
Perfect Hourglass Figure Tip #2: Clean Up Your Diet
Did you know the average body type in the 40's was the perfect hourglass figure type and not the rectangle body type? The reason this has changed drastically is the highly processed American diet.
If you want to shrink your waist fast the best way to do it is to start eating veggies, fruits, lean proteins and whole grains and little to no processed food of any kind (no frozen meals, no canned foods, no fast food, no pre-packaged anything, and no sugar or sugar substitutes).
Clean up your diet as much as possible and you will achieve a curvier figure more quickly. You should also cut back on calories so you are eating only as much as you need for your activity level. Use a bmr/amr calculator to figure this out and underestimate your activity level by 2 levels to get an accurate figure. Most people overestimate how active they are and underestimate how much they eat so be sure to keep both calories in and calories burned in check.
Perfect Hourglass Figure Tip #3: Make Like a Showgirl
There's a few secret tricks of perfect hourglass figure showgirls, dancers, and actresses that can help you create the illusion of a smaller waist and ampler hips, butt, and bust.
1. Showgirls worked on improving their posture and had a strong core because this created a long torso and the illusion of a smaller waist and a perfect hourglass figure. Crazy Horse in Paris calls this the 18 cm standard (area between the tummy, belly button to top of pubic bone must be 18 cm). Try yoga, Pilates, or basic stretches to improve posture and core strength.
2. Curvy burlesque dancers didn't exercises all the time but they were very active all day every day. These girls danced 10 hours a day, sewed their own costumes, built their own props and set up for their own shows so be sure to increase your daily activity level in addition to exercise. Tom Venuto author of the Body Fat Solution calls this NEAT (non exercise activity thermogenesis) and explains that it makes a HUGE impact on how much fat you burn every day.
3. Perfect hourglass figure showgirls and actresses flaunted their natural beauty. Back in the 40's and 50's plastic surgery was unheard of so women made the most of what they had. A sexy curvy hourglass look was not as much about having the body type as it was about acting like you did so work what you were born with just like the crazy horse girls in the video here. Their body types lean more toward the rectangle type but you can't tell from the way they move!
4. Do what movie stars do and get a little help from a body shaper. In case you didn't know, most actresses don't set foot on the red carpet without their body shapers. Nobody has a perfect body and everybody can use a little help from shapewear once in a while.
5. Focus on getting YOUR best figure and you can create the illusion of a perfect hourglass figure no matter what body type you have!
Christina Aguilera, Rene Zellweger, Nicole Kidman, Lucy Liu, Cameron Diaz, Demi Moore, Natalie Portman, Jessica Alba, Cher are not hourglass types but have all managed to star in some very hourglass type roles too which proves that it's all about body confidence that comes from having YOUR best body.
Get that flawless Hourglass Figure
Ever dreamed of having a beautiful, curvaceous, hourglass figure like the screen sirens of old? What woman hasn't? An hourglass figure is technically defined as one where the bust and hip measurements are at least ten inches wider than the waist - resulting in that famous hourglass shape. Although your natural body shape is decided mainly by genetics, you can achieve or give the appearance of an hourglass figure, through diet, exercise and wearing exactly the right clothes. If you're looking for a more extreme solution, you can also try corset training, which can actually reduce your waist size by inches. Read below to find out more.
Method One of Four:
Dressing the Part
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Accentuate your waist. Hourglass figures are all about the waist, and even if you don't have the traditional hourglass measurements, you can create the illusion of a tiny waist by wearing the right clothes and accentuating your waist whenever possible.
Go for dresses that nip in at the waist, then flare out from the hips.
Wear trench coats or jackets with adjustable waist belts which you can tighten to give an hourglass silhouette.
Add belts of all shapes and sizes to any outfit to draw attention to your waist.
Go for jackets or tops with padded shoulders which will make your waist appear smaller by comparison.
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Avoid low-rise jeans or pants. Low-rise pants or jeans are those which sit on your hips, resulting in the dreaded muffin-top effect. Even if you don't carry much weight around your middle, low-rise jeans can push the smallest amounts of fat upwards, making you appear wider across the middle. This is definitely not what you want when aiming to achieve an hourglass figure.
Opt for high-waist jeans which reach just under your belly button and keep any extra fat safely tucked away.
Go for dark wash jeans which make the leg appear slimmer and are more complimentary to curvier figures. Lighter colours are unflattering on all but the slimmest silhouettes.
Go for boot cut or flared styles, rather than skinny jeans, as these will even out the effect of the high-waist and avoid giving you a "mom jeans" effect.
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Wear push-up and padded bras. Hourglass figures are renowned for their fuller busts, but even if you're not naturally well-endowed you can achieve the same effect by investing in good quality bras. An under-wire bra will help lift the breasts, while a padded bra can give the appearance of greater size.
If possible, go to a high-quality lingerie store where you can be measured and fitted for the right size bra. It's amazing how many women believe they are one size when they go to get fitted, only to find out that they have been wearing the wrong size for years.
A perfectly sized bra will work wonders for your confidence - and that's before you include any push-up or padding features - so if you suspect you may be wearing the wrong size, your first stop on the way to an hourglass physique should be the lingerie department!
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Wear high heels. High heels are the perfect accompaniment to an hourglass figure. They make the legs appear longer and more toned while also lifting the butt. They improve posture and allow women to stand up tall and be confident, while also providing a sexy wiggle while you walk. For ultimate bombshell factor, aim to wear heels of at least three inches.
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Wear the right size clothes. Clothes look their best and are most complimentary when they fit your body perfectly. For this reason, you should avoid limiting yourself to one particular size and just go for what looks best on you. You'll feel more comfortable and confident in clothing that fits like a glove, so forget about the number on the tag.
Unfortunately, many women are stuck on the notion that they should be wearing one size and one size only, not taking into account that individual brands may be sized differently from one another and that a size twelve in one brand may be equivalent to a size eight in another.
Shop around and try to find a clothing brand or selection of brands which produce pieces that suit your body shape and make you feel comfortable, yet sexy.
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Buy vintage. Many of the clothes produced in the 40's and 50's were much more flattering for curvier women, so consider rooting through vintage stores and thrift shops for dresses, skirts and blouses which produce an hourglass shape.
You might be lucky and find some amazing bargains, or you may want to invest in a vintage designer piece which will become a wardrobe staple for years to come.
Nothing will make you feel more like a real hourglass-shaped pin-up girl than replicating her wardrobe with authentic vintage pieces!
Method Two of Four:
Exploring Corset Training
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Opt for a steel-boned, under-bust corset. If you are new to corset training, you should opt for an under-bust corset, rather than a full corset. This is because a full corset can feel very constricting and uncomfortable to someone new to corset training and it is important that the corset training process is not a painful one. Steel-boned corsets tend to be very well made and can significantly reduce waist size with proper wear and care.
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Get a corset 4–5 inches (10.2–12.7 cm) smaller than your normal waist size. In order to reduce your waist size, you will need to choose a corset that is 4–6 inches (10.2–15.2 cm) smaller that your existing waist size. For example, if you currently have a 26 inch (66.0 cm) waist, you should opt for a 20 to 21 inch (50.8 to 53.3 cm) corset (though beginners should lean more towards the 4-inch difference than the 5).
You can measure your current waist size by standing in front of the mirror and winding a measuring tape around the narrowest part of your waist, which should be an inch or two above your belly button.
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Break the corset in. To avoid hurting yourself or damaging the corset, it is important that you break the corset in before tightening it fully. The corset needs to adjust to your body shape before it can do its job effectively. To break in the corset, tighten the laces so that it sits snugly around your waist. It shouldn't feel tight. Wear it like this for a few hours every day until the corset looses some of its stiffness and adjust to the position of your ribs and hips.
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Tighten the corset a little more each day you wear it. Once the corset is broken in, you can start to tighten it a little every day, to begin the process of waist reduction. Be aware that you should not attempt to close the corset fully until you have been wearing and gradually tightening it for several months. Only tighten the corset to the point where it still feels comfortable - you should not feel any pain or feel like you have difficulty breathing.
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Wear for three to six hours a day. The corset should be worn for three to six hours every day, to get the full effects of waist reduction. Do not wear the corset for any longer than feels comfortable. You can wear the corset during most of your daily activities, though wearing it during exercise is not recommended.
Note that although some corset training sites recommend sleeping in your corset, this is not advisable. Corset training can be done in moderation and wearing it for 3 to 6 hours a day is more than adequate.
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Progress to a smaller sized corset. Once you have managed to comfortably close the corset and have achieved a full 4 to 5 inch (10.2 to 12.7 cm) waist cinch, you can progress to a smaller sized corset to continue waist reduction, if desired. Be aware that you may reach a point where you are no longer able to close a corset fully, due to rib placement and body shape. This is perfectly normal and you should never attempt to force the corset closed - as this may cause you to hurt yourself or damage the corset.
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Be aware of the risks involved in corset training. Many people are opposed to corset training as extreme waist reduction can cause rib bones to move and internal organs to shift. Although this is not normally dangerous, many people view it as being unnatural and unnecessary. In addition, corsets that are pulled too tight can reduce blood circulation, leading to poor muscle tone and the appearance of cellulite, so if you decide to go down the corset training route to achieve an hourglass figure, make sure you consider all the pros and cons first.
Method Three of Four:
Exercising
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Do cardio. Cardio workouts can help you achieve an hourglass figure by slimming down your midsection and providing you with toned and lean legs. Cardio also helps to keep your heart healthy and allows more oxygen to reach your muscles, so it's great for your overall fitness and health. Cardio is one of the best thing you can do to burn calories, helping you to maintain a healthy body weight, which is important for achieving your ideal pin-up girl look.
Running, cycling, dancing, step aerobics and swimming (to name but a few) are all great cardiovascular workouts, which will help you to trim the fat and tone as you go.
Interval training is one of the best exercise options if you're short on gym time but still want an effective calorie-busting workout - warm up on the treadmill for five minutes, exert yourself at full speed for 45 seconds, then slow down to recover for 90 seconds. Repeat this ten times, then cool down for another five minutes. Remember to stretch afterwards to loosen the muscles.
Ideally, you should be doing 30 minutes of cardio five times a week.
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Firm and tone your butt. Hourglass figures require a sexy booty, so rather than trying to slim down your butt, you should be focusing on getting it firm and toned. Think along the lines of Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez and Nicki Minaj, whose rounded rear-ends perfectly offset their tiny waists. You should be doing lots of glute-friendly exercises which lift and round the butt, such as lunges, squats and leg curls.
Lunges are performed by starting with your feet shoulder-width apart, then stepping forward with your right foot into a lunge position, bending both knees until they form 90 degree angles. Your front knee should not extend over the toes and your back knee should not touch the floor. Step back into your starting position, then repeat with the other leg. To make this exercise more intense, hold a dumbbell in each hand and keep your arms straight by your sides.
Squats are performed by standing with the legs a shoulder-width apart, with the toes pointed outwards at 45 degree angles. Resting most of your weight on your heels, slowly lower your body straight down into a squatting position until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Return to a standing position, and repeat.
Do leg curls by standing with your feet a shoulder-width apart, holding on to a bar or placing your hands on the wall for support. Curl your right leg backwards, as far as it will go, trying to touch your heel to your butt. Return to a standing position and repeat with the other leg. You can use ankle weights to increase resistance and the intensity of the exercise. You can also use the leg curl machine at the gym to perform this exercise.
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Work your legs. Toned, shapely legs that you can show off in pencil skirts and swimwear are the perfect complement to an hour-glass waist. Toned legs look great in heels and will help you to put a strut in your step! Remember that you want to maintain a hip size that is significantly larger than your waist, so don't focus too much on slimming down your thighs - just try to get them firm and fabulous! Lateral step-ups, side lunges and Pilates exercises specific to the legs are great for this.
Lateral step-ups are performed using a step that's about 12–18 inches (30.5–45.7 cm) in height. Stand with the step on your right-hand side and place your right foot on the step. Lean your weight onto your right foot and spring up and over the step, replacing your right foot with your left. Continue to spring over the steps, alternating sides.
Side lunges are similar to front lunges and are great for working the thighs. They are performed by placing your feet a hip-width apart and raising your arms in front of you, till they are parallel, at shoulder height. With your right foot, take a huge step out to the side, lowering your body into a lunge position. Your right knee should be at a 90-degree angle and should not extend over your toes. Hold this position for a moment, then return to standing and repeat with the other leg.
Pilates is a fantastic form of exercise for sculpting and shaping the legs, and you can see results in just a few short weeks. If you're already familiar with Pilates, think about introducing Cadillac and reformer workouts into your routine, to truly add definition to your legs!
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Shape your upper body. Curves are fantastic, but having a little extra meat on your bones can lead to unwanted wobbly bits which you may wish to avoid. Exercises which shape your upper body - particularly the arms and shoulders - are an important part of any hourglass-focused workout routine, as they will help to bust any excess flab. Just think of how well your toned arms and shoulders would complement an hourglass figure in a strapless, waist-cinching gown! Bench dips, shoulder presses and arm circles are all good options.
A bench dip is performed using an exercise step or kitchen chair. Sit up straight on the edge of the bench or chair, extending your legs in front of you. Firmly grip the edge of the bench or chair and slowly slide your body off the bench, lowering yourself towards the floor. Keep your back straight, and keep lowering until your arms from a 90-degree angle. Push your body back to the original starting position and repeat.
A shoulder press is performed by holding a dumbbell in each hand and lifting the weights so they are at shoulder-level, with your elbows bent underneath. Slowly straighten your arms, lifting the dumbbells above your head. Don't lock your elbows. Hold the dumbbells above your head for a second or two, then slowly lower them back to the starting position and repeat.
Arm circles are easy exercises that can be performed anywhere. The perform arm circles, stand with your feet about a shoulder-width apart and extend your arms straight out to the sides, so they're in line with your shoulders. Begin rotating your arms forward in small, circular motions, without moving your wrists or elbows. After about 20 circles, change direction and begin rotating your arms backwards. You can increase the intensity of this exercise by holding dumbbells as you do it.
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Increase the size of your chest. Hourglass figures aren't just about tiny waists and curvaceous butts, they're also famous for their fuller chests. Although too much cardio exercise can actually reduce breast size through weight-loss, there are some muscle training exercises you can do to build up the pectoral muscles beneath the breast tissue - giving the impression of a fuller chest while helping boobs to stay firm and perky. The best chest exercises for this include push-ups bench presses and the dumbbell fly.
To do push-ups, lie face-down on a solid floor, keep your legs together and prop your feet up on your toes and the balls of your feet. Place your hands palms-down on the floor, approximately a shoulder width apart. Raise yourself up, using just the strength in your arms, until both arms are fully extended. Slowly lower your body down again until your elbows form a 90-degree angle. Raise yourself back up into the extended arm position and repeat.
To do bench presses, you will need a barbell and an exercise bench. Place the barbell with the weights of your choice on a bench rack and lie flat on the exercise bench underneath it. Reach up and grasp the bar with your hands spaced about a shoulder-width apart. Slowly lift the bar off the rack, positioning the bar directly above the middle of your chest and extending your arms. Slowly lower the bar down to your chest, bending your elbows out to the sides. Press the bar back up to the starting position, and repeat.
To perform a dumbbell fly, lie on your back and extend your arms directly above you, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Bend your elbows slightly and lower your arms out to the sides until your body forms a "T" shape. Hold the position for a moment, then slowly raise your arms to the starting position and repeat.
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Trim your waist. Reducing the size of your waist is perhaps the most important part of achieving an hourglass figure. To do this you will need to combine weight loss with targeted core workouts. Be careful though - many traditional core exercises - including those often practiced as part of Pilates workouts - can actually bulk up the core muscles causing the waist to flatten out and become wider. This is the last thing you want when aiming for an hourglass figure! Instead, you should do core exercises which focus on the lateral and oblique muscle groups, in order to tighten and trim the waist. Side crunches, side planks and pull-ups are good options for targeting these muscles.
To do a side crunch, lie with your back on the floor, put your hands behind your head and lift your knees in the air, bent at a 90-degree angle. Raise your head and shoulders slightly off the floor and bend upper body sideways to the right. Imagine that you are trying to touch your right hip with your right elbow. Remember to keep your lower back and hips firmly in place as you perform the exercise. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
To do a side plank, lie on your right side on the floor, with your feet stacked on top of one another. Use your right elbow to prop yourself up - your forearm should be flat on the floor, perpendicular to your body, and your right elbow should be directly underneath your right shoulder. Your entire body should form a straight, diagonal line from your head to your feet. Hold this pose for 30 seconds (if you can!), keeping your abdominal muscles and glutes tight. Repeat on our left side.
To perform pull-ups, you will need an exercise bar. Grasp the overhead bar with your fingers facing towards you - this is a difficult pull-up position but is best for exercising the lateral muscles. Pull your body up towards the bar, until your chin is slightly above it. Hold for a second or two, if possible, then slowly lower yourself back to the starting position. Try to avoid extending your arms completely as this will keep your muscles engaged. Repeat.
Method Four of Four:
Eating Right
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Cut your calorie intake. Getting an hourglass figure is all about hitting the correct proportions - you don't want to drastically reduce your weight as some curves are essential to achieve this particular body shape. On the other hand, you are trying to reduce your waist size, which will require a certain amount of dieting. A healthy diet will also reduce bloating and water-weight, which is particularly good for shaving inches off the tummy area.
Cutting your total calorie intake, as well as being aware of the type of calories you are consuming (such as calories from fat, from protein, from fibre etc.) will help you to achieve your goals.
An ideal body fat percentage for an hourglass figure would be somewhere in the 17%-25% range - you want a certain amount of body fat to achieve those fabulous curves, but you also want to be trim and healthy.
If you need to lose weight in order to achieve a body fat percentage in this range, remember that one pound is equal to 3500 calories, so you will need to cut that many calories from your diet in order to lose weight.
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Eat six small meals a day. Maintaining a healthy diet is almost impossible if you are trying to starve yourself. Luckily, it is possible to lose weight and keep your stomach happy by eating smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day.
Eating more often means that you don't allow yourself to become too hungry between meals, which significantly reduces the risk of overeating.
It also stimulates your metabolism, helping you to burn calories faster. Aim to eat six small, healthy meals a day, rather than three larger ones.
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Cut out processed foods. Even if you cut your calorie intake and reduce our portion sizes, your weight loss can be painfully slow or non-existent if you are eating the wrong types of food. Processed foods with high sugar or starch contents can limit weight loss and lead to the build-up of harmful toxins in the body.
Processed foods often have a high salt content too, which leads to water retention and a bloated appearance. Instead of ready-meals and frozen foods, opt for fresh, organic produce and whole grains.
Watch out for "non-fat" versions of foods like yogurts, cheeses and other foods, because although their fat content may be low, they are often packed with sugars and other empty carbohydrates which provide no nutritional value.
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Keep healthy snacks handy. Always having an array of healthy snacks at your disposal will help keep you satisfied between meals and prevent you from turning to fattening or processed options like potato chips and cookies. Try to keep a supply of delicious, seasonal fresh fruit in your kitchen, along with other healthy nibbles such as nuts, raisins, whole-wheat crackers and rice cakes.
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Eat plenty of fruits and veg. You've heard it before, but increasing your daily intake of fruit and veg will do wonders for helping you to maintain a healthy diet. Fruit and vegetables are natural, unprocessed foods which contain none of the nasty additives or preservatives that pervade so much of our food today. They have a high nutritional content and are very low in calories - which basically means you can eat as much fruit and veg as you want!
Go for different coloured fruit and vegetables to add interest to your mealtimes while benefiting from a wide range of vitamins and nutrients. Dark, leafy greens such as spinach, kale and cabbage are a particularly good option, as they are packed with vitamins and minerals which contribute to a healthy immune system.
If you're in need of a sugar-hit after a long day of work or a hard cardio workout, reach for a banana. They will provide you with the carbohydrate -filled energy boost you need without the accompanying crash that comes from eating chocolate and other junk food. Bananas also lower blood pressure, help the digestive system and improve your mood. What's not to love?
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Drink more water. Water improves the appearance of skin, hair and nails while also flushing harmful toxins out of the body. Drinking a glass of water before mealtimes will also help you to eat less, as it stops your body from confusing symptoms of thirst with hunger.
If you have implemented an intense workout routine, drinking water is also important to prevent dehydration, which can cause headaches and a loss of muscle function.
You should replace any carbonated drinks - regular and diet - with water. Carbonated drinks are full of empty calories and harmful, processed sweeteners which build up your system and cause bloating and weight gain. They should be the first thing to go when you're trying to shed pounds!
Prince Kelvin Opiepie. CEO impact foundation, Event Consultant and Management, Trained Psychologist and a Motivator.
A graduate with strong communication and experience in management, I am an energetic, ambitious person who has developed a mature and strong approach to any task i undertake and I am excellent in working with others to achieve a certain objective on time and always open to learn new innovation. CONTACT:08031936319, EMAIL:kelvinopiepie@yahoo.com, FACEBOOK ID:Prince Melvin Okeoghene Opiepie
MAKE THAT FLAT TUMMY YOUR GOAL
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Don't eat anything for two to three hours before sleep. Your body slows down when you sleep, which will prevent your body from digesting the food in your stomach properly.
You are also much less active in the evenings and at night, which means that your body is more likely to store the calories you consume late at night as fat, rather than burning them as energy.
Try not to eat anything at least two to three hours before going to bed, or follow the "daylight diet", which only allows you to eat during daylight hours.
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Eat healthier. There's no real secret when it comes to having a flat-tummy friendly diet — you simply need to eat healthier foods like fruit, veg, and whole grains, and cut down on junk food, like candy, chips and fast food. Just by making this simple switch, you'll see a world of difference to your stomach. However, it's not recommended that you go cold turkey — try to ease into a healthy diet by slowly, but consistently replacing the bad with the good. Here are some simple changes you can make:
Eat lots of lean protein. Beans, nuts, and lean meat are rather good for you as long as you do not eat the fat!
Eat whole grains. Look for labels that say "100% whole grain" or "100% whole wheat" and not just "wheat flour." Whole grains keep you fuller longer, which can help with weight loss and getting a flat tummy.
Eat low-fat dairy products. Switch out your high-fat dairy for low-fat options, which are rich in protein and vitamin B6.
Eat healthy fats. Not all fat is bad you know! The monounsaturated fats found in avocados, nuts and fish oil are actually very good for you and can help you to lose weight. Just stay away from the trans fats found in processed foods and baked goods.
Lower your sodium intake. Sodium causes your body to retain water, which causes you to look bloated — especially around your abdominal region. Whenever possible, try replacing high-sodium foods with healthier options. Switch regular table salt for kosher or sea salt, which are lower in sodium, and stay away from soy sauce as it's full of it.
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Reduce your portion sizes. Rather than eating the wrong kinds of foods, many people just eat too much of the right foods. You should eat just enough until you feel full, then stop. If you're eating regular, healthy snacks throughout the day, this shouldn't leave you feeling hungry.
One good trick is to use smaller plates when you eat meals. That way, your plate will look like it's heaped with food, but you're actually eating less than you normally would. Also try to fill at least half the plate with vegetables.
Try to chew more slowly and thoroughly when you eat. Chewing your food well helps to speed up the digestion process in the stomach, leaving you feeling less bloated and gassy. You should chew every bite until it reaches the consistency of applesauce.
Take small breaks in between every bite of food when eating. The extra time will give your stomach a chance to realize that it's full, thus preventing you from over-eating.
Nuts and seeds are especially good snacks as they will make you feel more full.
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Eat low-glycaemic index foods. These items take longer to digest, so you feel full longer. Your body will slowly absorb the nutrients so you'll avoid any spikes or drops in your blood sugar until your next meal. Some of the best low-GI foods are
Cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, zucchini, dark leaf lettuce, onions, pears, tomatoes, watercress, broccoli, bananas, apples, and berries are all good foods to eat.
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Try to cut as much sugar from your diet as possible. Besides being full of empty calories, having less sugar in your system will help to lower your insulin levels.
Use artificial sweeteners with care. While they may help to reduce caloric intake, there is also evidence suggesting they trigger an increase in hunger that results in weight gain.
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Eat a protein-rich snack between 3 and 4 p.m. According to experts, eating a protein-rich snack at the magic hour between three and four in the afternoon will boost your metabolism and balance your blood sugar.
A protein bar or shake, a handful of almonds, or pumpkin seeds, or a chunk of low-fat cheese are all good options.
Having balanced blood sugars lowers the amount of insulin in your system, which is good because insulin can cause you to store fat around your middle.
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Eat small, frequent meals. Replace your usual system of eating three large meals a day, with eating smaller, more regular meals. Many people make the mistake of eating nothing at all between breakfast, lunch, and dinner, especially when they are trying to lose weight.
However, this type of diet will negatively affect blood sugar levels and cause you to eat more due to hunger, thus making it harder to lose weight.
Having a small, healthy snack every three to four hours and not letting yourself go hungry is a much healthier and more effective system.
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Drink plenty of water. You should replace all your regular beverages with water, especially soda and sugared drinks which are full of empty calories and will cause your stomach to bloat.
Take water with you wherever you exercise or do strenuous activity and take water breaks during hot or heavy workouts.
Drinking lots of water will help to flush toxins out of your system and keep your bowels moving, both of which are essential for a flat stomach.
If you find regular water too boring, consider making sassy water instead. Sassy water is simply regular water infused with a number of refreshing and energizing ingredients, which help to speed up the metabolism and cut down on belly fat. Recipes vary, but many include some combination of ingredients such as orange slices, lemon slices, grated ginger, cucumber, fresh spearmint, and fresh basil. The water is left to infuse overnight — making it refreshingly "sassy" by the next morning!
Pay attention to your body's signs. Your urine should be a light yellow or clear colour; dark yellow with an odour could be a sign that you are dehydrated.
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Cut down on alcohol. While the prospect of cutting alcohol out of your diet completely may be hard to bear, you should seriously consider cutting down. Alcohol, particularly wine and beer, is full of calories (scary fact: one bottle of wine contains roughly 600 calories).
Alcohol consumption also releases estrogen into the system, which is undesirable, as excess estrogen causes the body to retain weight.
In addition, alcohol stimulates appetite and causes willpower to melt away, making you much more likely to binge on all the things you've been depriving yourself of, like burgers, fries, pizza, chocolate, and potato chips.
Part Two of Three:
Exercising for a Flat Stomach
1-
Do aerobic exercises daily. Sure, you can do 100 crunches a day, but if you've got a layer of belly fat covering up your ab work then what's the point? You need to burn the top layer of stomach fat to see the changes. Cardio exercises will heat up your core temperature and improve circulation, both of which will aid in acquiring a flat stomach. Strive for at least 30 minutes a day minimum, but include 1-2 days of rest each week.
Activities such as dancing, running, tae-bo, swimming, cycling, and walking at a good pace will all provide a great aerobic workout. In fact, anything that brings your heart rate up will do the trick! Boxing provides an excellent cardio workout, while the muscles involved in throwing punches will help to flatten your stomach.
Try interval cardio training, such as alternating between sprinting and power walking. You can try sprinting for as long as you can. When you become too tired, you should walk. When you feel that you've caught your breath, sprint again. Do these alterations for a total of 20 minutes at a time.
2-
Include plyometric. Plyometric are exercises that require "explosive power". They combine cardio with strength training. Plyometric exercises are more suitable for experienced athletes than for the less experienced athlete or the older athlete, as there is risk of injury (falls, contusions, tendon injury and sprains). Some great plyometric exercises you can do at home include:
Modified jumping jacks. Start standing, then jump up with hands and feet spread apart, creating an "X" in the air with your body, then land back in standing. Repeat as many times as you can.
Squat-thrust push-ups. Start in push-up position, do one push-up, then push off with your feet and pull your knees up to your chest so your feet land between your hands (still on the ground in push-up position), then jump as high as you can, arms over head. Squat back down with your hands on the floor, then jump back to push-up position again. Do as many as you can do well with good form.
3-
Incorporate strength training to build muscle. Having more muscle will increase your metabolism, so you'll burn calories faster over time. Note that abdominal exercises will increase the muscle mass in that area, leading to a larger look unless you simultaneously follow the previous steps to shed body fat.
Crunches work the upper abdomen, leg raises work the lower abdomen, and side bends work the obliques (also known as love handles). About 15-25 reps each day should be enough. If you can do more than that, try adding a weights to your routine. Note that doing crunches will only build muscle underneath your existing belly fat, but will not burn that fat directly.
Try using an exercise ball to work your tummy muscles. One great exercise is called the ball exchange. Lie flat on your back, with your arms extended over your head, holding the exercise ball. Lift the ball above your chest, simultaneously raising your legs (keeping them completely straight) off the ground. Place the ball between your ankles, then lower your arms and legs to the floor. Repeat the exchange, this time passing the ball from your ankles to your hands. Do 10-12 repetitions.
Try compound exercises like deadlifts with heavier weights.
4-
Do the simple three-step crunch. You will have a flat stomach in no time!
Lie down on the floor with your hands on your side and you knee bent.
Keep your feet on the ground and sit up.
Repeat 10 times and increase the amount you do daily.
Part Three of Three:
Living Healthy
1-
Consult with an expert. Doctors, certified dietitians (not nutritionists), and personal trainers can help you in covering all of the bases you need to lose weight. Always see a doctor or dietitian first though... many personal trainers will say whatever they have to get your money!
Going to see a personal trainer or a doctor can help greatly because they can give you a diet and exercise plan that will help you get to your desired weight. Working from their guidance is much easier than doing it alone.
2-
Don't do fad diets. Eating healthy and exercising are the best ways to lose extra pounds. Fad diets may have short term results, but they'll turn on you after a while, or even cause serious damage to your body. In the long run trendy diets just make you eat more or in unhealthy and unsustainable ways, causing weight gain. Try eating healthy.
Try swapping out one bad food for a good food every day until you don't eat junk food as your main priority.
3-
Never starve yourself. Your results will only be temporary and you will feel frustrated sooner, which makes you much more likely to give up.
While you might think that starvation is most effective, in essence it could do permanent harm to your body as well as make it hard to keep off the weight.
4-
Be patient! You cannot expect immediate results in a healthy way. Any method that sees fat just "melting off" is also likely extremely bad for your body. The best way to preserve your health and keep the fat off long-term is to take the steps we discuss above.
Also, keep in mind: some people find it harder to obtain a flat stomach than others. Natural body shape and your own personal fitness level play a role. What works quickly for some might not work quickly for you.
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Learn to cope with stress. Many people overeat because work, their family, or other factors are causing them too much stress. Finding other ways to cope with this stress can really help you get and keep that flat tummy.
Try things like jogging to reduce stress, or take up a new hobby like boxing that gives you a positive outlet for those negative feelings.
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Get enough sleep so that you won't feel tired all the time. Having adequate rest helps you to relieve stress. You will feel less likely to go on an eating binge. Develop healthy sleeping habits.
Studies have also shown that inadequate sleep can inherently cause weight gain, so get yourself to bed!
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Work on your personal image and self-confidence. Many people eat more food than they need to make them feel better, because others put them down, they feel lonely, or they don't like how they look. Don't do this! You are beautiful and amazing! When you accept that you are incredible just as you are, you'll find that you're okay with a little softness in the navel region.
Don't compare your body to that of others. Everyone has a different body type and no one will ever look exactly the same. You might not need a flatter stomach at all. As long as you feel healthy, that's really all that matters.
FITNESS WORKOUT
hormone balance and body requirements needed to build larger, bulkier muscles like men have. Adequate nutrition and workout plan will get you in shape
Can't workout for 5 days? Check out our intense 3 days’ women's workout routine.
Woman doing push ups
Getting to the gym is already a big step for a woman who wants to get in shape. Don't worry you're not the only one sceptical about lifting weights, but trust us, after a couple of weeks you will be more confident, see amazing results and let yourself enjoy the process. This is a journey you will never forget.
Gymaholic has prepared you a female workout plan so you can get fit fast!
Weight Training and Cardio Training for Women
Women often start working out to tone their body, get a better butt and lose their belly fat. During this weight training for women, we will put an emphasis on these areas, but also work every other important muscle group in the process. Remember that the whole body needs to be toned if you want to look balanced and reap the full benefits of strength training.
Cardio is important to improve oxygen delivery to muscles and shed fat for a slimmer, toned look. For any form of cardio (Usually treadmill, but this method should work for any cardio of your choice), make sure you begin at a slower speed, and increase your speed every 2 minutes until you reach the desired effort level. This is your warm up. To make it easier we have noted the effort level required on specific days of the workout routine:
At a 6/10 effort level, you should be breathing steadily, but deeply, and be able to speak a full sentence with little difficulty.
At an 8/10 effort level, you should be breathing heavily, and only able to say a few short words with some difficulty.
Remember to cool down afterwards, decreasing the speed every 2 minutes until you are sufficiently cooled down. Your warm up and cool down count towards the total cardio time.
This female workout plan is composed of 5 days of training:
5 days of weight training
3 of those 5 days of 10-20 minute cardio
2 days of rest, you will deserve it
Train with Moderate and Heavy Weights to Get Toned
People often use the word toning to say "I want to get muscle, but not too much", and they think that doing long repetitions will provide them this toned body. However, having a toned body actually
means that you have strong muscles with a low percentage of body fat, which provides this toning effect. Therefore, toning is largely caused by your nutrition, in addition to your workouts.
Lifting moderate/heavy weights with a short rest period allows you to burn more fat. During this women's workout routine, we will mainly focus on lifting moderate/heavy weights in order to get in shape.
Women Must Aim for 10-12 Reps to Shape Their Bodies
Now you know that if you want to get fit, you will have to work these muscles effectively. In order to do so, you will have to aim for 10-12 reps. This is the best rep range to give a good definition to your muscles.
When looking at body weight exercises that do not require weights, the rep range can be increased. Since you are not limited by a set amount of weight, you are simply going through the motions of the exercise (flexing and relaxing the muscles) which requires less effort but can be very effective in strengthening and toning the target muscles.
The rep range can also be increased in warm ups. When warming up, less weight should be used. The point of a warm up is to get the muscles and joints active and accustomed to the motion you’ll be doing at a higher weight to reduce the risk of injury.
Rest Time Between Each Set and Exercise
If you want to get toned your body will need to recover between each set and exercise. So we will rest 30 seconds - 1 minute between sets and 2 - 3 minutes between exercises.
Woman doing squats
Women's Workout Routine
This workout plan provides you 5 days of resistance trainings. If your schedule is tight, try to make several muscles in the same workout session.
It's okay not to follow all the workout routine. However, keep in mind that you must use these type of exercises, aim for these rep ranges and lift moderate/heavy weights in order to obtain a toned body. Doing weight exercises won't make you bulky, bad diet will!
Monday: Legs & Butt
Warm Up Wide Stance Bodyweight Squat: 3 sets x 10 reps
Wide Stance Barbell Squat: 5 sets x 12 reps
Warm Up Stationary Lunges: 3 sets x 20 reps (each leg)
Leg Press: 3 sets x 12 reps
Warm Up Glute Bridge: 3 sets x 20 reps
Glutes Kickback: 4 sets x 20 reps (each leg)
Tuesday: Upper Body + Cardio
Low Intensity Cardio: 15-20 minutes. (Max 6/10 effort)
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown: 3 sets x 12 reps
Dumbbell Bicep Curl: 3 sets x 12 reps
Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 3 sets x 12 reps
Seated Cable Rows: 3 sets x 12 reps
Push Ups: 3 sets x 10 reps
Woman exercising back
Wednesday: Abs & Lower Back & Cardio
High Intensity Cardio: 10-15 minutes (Max 8/10 effort)
Warm up Bicycle Crunches: 3 sets x 20 reps
Crunches: 3 sets x 20 reps
Back Hyperextensions: 3 sets x 20 reps
Oblique Crunches: 4 sets x 12 reps (2 sets per side)
Single Leg Raises: 4 sets x 12 reps (2 sets per leg)
Thursday: Butt & Calves
Warm Up Stationary Lunges: 3 sets x 20 reps
Glute Bridges: 3 sets x 20 reps
Stiff-Legged Barbell Deadlift: 3 sets x 12 reps
Glutes Kickback: 4 sets x 20 (2 sets each leg)
Standing Calf Raises: 3 sets x 20 reps
Calf Press on Leg Press: 3 sets x 12 reps
Friday: Upper Body + Cardio
Low Intensity Cardio: 15-20 minutes (Max 6/10 effort)
Chest Press Machine: 3 sets x 12 reps
Standing Barbell Shoulder Press: 3 sets x 12 reps
Dumbbell Bicep Curl: 3 sets x 12 reps
Side Lateral Raise: 3 sets x 12 reps
Tricep Dips: 3 sets x 20 reps
Push Ups 3 sets x 10 reps
Make sure you do some stretches after your workout to reduce soreness and tightening of the muscles! The more you train and stretch the muscles, the stronger and more toned they will be!
How to Get a Bikini Worthy Body
Part One of Five:
Setting Goals
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Determine where you want to improve. This will help you choose which diet and exercise route is right for you.
Ask yourself the following questions: Do I want to lose weight? How much weight do I want to lose? Do I want to gain muscle? Am I happy with my weight, but want to tone up?
2-
Weigh yourself and take measurements. This will help you track your progress.
Remember that muscle weighs more than fat, so if your goal is to add bulk or tone up your muscles, then you might gain some overall weight. If this is the case, then focus on your measurements rather than the number on the scale.
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Take a "before" picture. This will help keep you motivated, and will make you feel incredibly satisfied when you finally take that "after" picture.
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Buy the bikini you want to wear (unless you already own it) and hang it up in a place where you will see it every day. This will serve as a constant reminder about why you started, especially on those difficult days when you just want to give up.
Part Two of Five:
Eating Healthily
1-
Reduce your caloric intake. This is extremely important if you are trying to lose weight. Remember that exercise alone will not make you lose weight; you will absolutely have to change your diet. [1]
2-
Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits. These foods are full of vitamins and minerals, and will help keep you full and energized throughout the day. Leafy green vegetables and non-starchy vegetables are the best for you; keep fruit to just a few pieces a day.
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Eat lean proteins. Turkey, chicken and fish are low in fat but rich in protein. If you are a vegetarian, try tofu, tempeh, veggie burgers, and eggs.
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Drink at least 8 glasses of water every day, it is VERY important to stay hydrated.
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Reduce your sugar consumption. Read food labels and beware of hidden sugars in dressings, sauces, and breads.
Try to stay away from alcohol. If you do drink, opt for wine rather than sugary cocktails or carb-heavy beers.
Part Three of Five:
Performing Aerobic Exercise
Performing Aerobic Exercise
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Do 30 minutes of cardio 3-5 times a week. Examples include walking, running, jogging, biking, swimming, and/or hiking. Exercises like these improve your cardiovascular health [2] and increase your metabolism, even after you have finished exercising.
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Choose an exercise that you enjoy. This way you are more likely to stick with it.
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Join an exercise class or gym. If you are having trouble staying motivated on your own, being around other people might help. Plus, if you are paying for a gym membership, you will likely feel obligated more to exercise.
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Make simple lifestyle changes. If you can't find the time to do a formal exercise, then make simple changes to make your daily routine more active.
Park further away from your destination and walk.
Walk around the local mall or park for a few hours.
Clean the house or do other errands that require you to be on your feet.
Part Four of Five:
Toning Up
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Do yoga, Pilates, or other total-body tone exercises. These are especially useful for women who want to stay lean. They also improve flexibility, posture, and mood.
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Target your arms.
Lift weights. Stick to around 10-20 reps, if you can do more than that, then the resistance chosen is too light and if you perform less than 10-20 reps the weight is too heavy. (Always lift till failure)
Do push ups. For a modified version, keep your knees on the ground.
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Work your abs.
Do Crunches.
Hold a plank for as long as you can. Be sure you keep your body straight; don't let your hips sag. (Perform in front of a mirror to check form)
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Strengthen your legs.
Do squats. These will also help tone up your butt!
Do lunges. Hold a dumbbell in each hand for extra weight.
Use a stationary bike or elliptical on high resistance.
Part Five of Five:
Staying Motivated
1-
Keep a food and/or exercise journal. People who keep track of what they eat tend to lose more weight than those who don't. [4] Be sure to read food labels and include toppings, dressings, and sauces when calculating your caloric intake.
2-
Exercise with other people. This will keep you both entertained and motivated during your workout.
Find a friend or family member to run, jog, or hike with you.
Join an exercise class at your gym if you are a member.
Get a personal trainer.
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Find a weight loss buddy. You can help keep each other motivated when motivation levels are low, and even compete with one another as an extra incentive.
GET YOUR DESIRED BUTT AND HIP LIKE THIS
While you may not have been blessed with a naturally voluptuous backside, there are things you can do to effectively improve the size and shape of your butt through exercise and visual trickery.
Method One of Two:
Building Muscle
Your butt is made up of three muscles: the gluteus Maximus, the gluteus medius, and the gluteus minimum. Targeting each of these muscles through exercise can help make your butt rounder and fuller.
1-
Do squats. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keeping your back straight, slowly bend your knees and lower your body down as if you were going to sit down on a chair. Make sure that you do not allow your knees to extend over your toes while squatting. Hold the position for a moment, and then slowly return to the original position. Repeat this 15 times to make up one rep.
You can add resistance to this exercise by holding a dumbbell in each hand or having a bar across and behind your shoulders.
Vary the space between your feet to target different areas. The closer your feet are, the more your quads will work, and the further they are, more emphasis will be put on your hips and butt.
Using a leg press is an easier alternative to squats and targets all the same areas.
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Do lunges. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Take a big step forward with your right foot, and then lower your hips until both knees are bent at about a 90-degree angle. Make sure that your right knee does not extend past your right foot. Return to standing position, and then do the exercise again, this time stepping forward with your left foot. Take 8 steps, or lunges, to make one rep.
Be sure to keep your back straight and shoulders back.
To add resistance, hold a dumbbell in each hand and have your arms hang loosely at your sides.
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Do hip lifts. Lay down on your back with your legs bent at a 90-degree angle with your feet flat on the floor and your hands at your sides. Lift your hips into the air so that your torso is now aligned with your legs. Keeping your hips where they are, extend your right foot into the air, hold it, and then return it to the floor. Lower your hips back to starting position, and then repeat on the left side. Repeat this exercise 8 times on each leg for one rep.
Alternatively, you can do a hip extension if you have a platform or bed by lying face down with your hips on the edge of platform. Your legs should be held straight in the air with your toes resting lightly on the floor. Lift one leg high above your head. Then, squeeze your butt and hamstrings while you straighten your leg and let it down slowly back to the floor. Do the same with the other leg.
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Do aerobic exercise. There are plenty of aerobic exercises that help you burn calories while toning your legs and gluteal muscles. These include running, walking uphill, biking, stair-stepping, and using the elliptical.
Do cardio or aerobic exercises for at least 30 minutes during your workout.
Squeeze your leg and butt muscles as you work to keep your butt firm and round.
If you are using exercise equipment in a gym, then turn up the resistance or incline in order to build more muscle, even if that means moving slower.
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Try deadlifts. Deadlifts are great for your hamstrings, butt, and lower back. However, you need to be careful to lift with the correct form or you risk seriously injuring yourself. Your feet should always be hip-width apart, and your weights in front of your thighs before lifting. Your back should be kept flat and your abs in as you bend forward from your hips and lower torso until your weights reach your shins. At this point, squeeze your butt to raise the weight back up. Do this 8 times to form one set.
Your weights should always be close to your legs throughout the entire range of motion.
Method Two of Two:
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Choose fitted pants. Baggy jeans can swallow up even the biggest butt. Try to find pants that are comfortably snug without being too tight or you’ll risk showing unflattering lines and rolls.
Pants that are too tight will butch together in the groin area, which is unsightly and uncomfortable to wear.
Never wear pants that are tight enough to cut off circulation in your legs. This is dangerous and can cause you serious harm.
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Invest in high-waist skirts, shorts, and pants. Clothing that accentuates your waist will naturally make your butt and hips look bigger and also give you that sought-after hourglass silhouette.
Cinch your waist using a belt or wearing a peplum shirt or dress. The flair created by the belt or peplum will accentuate the size your behind.
3-
Wear thongs or underwear with butt padding. Regular underwear can flatten your butt and give you unsightly panty lines that show through your clothing. Thongs allow both of your butt cheeks to hang loose while underwear with butt padding provide an extra push and volume to your behind.
Butt pads are also called butt enhancers or butt shapewear. Butt pads enhance your butt by compressing it and lifting it. The extra padding also adds more butt to your behind.
4-
Slip on some leggings or yoga pants. You don't have to reserve your stretchy pants for exercise only. These types of pants hug your curves, making your legs and butt look toned and voluptuous.
If you don’t like the leggings or yoga pants look, try wearing jeggings or jeans that have a fair amount of spandex in them.
How to Make Your Hips Wider
Method One of Two:
Alter Your Physique
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Do exercises that target the hips. Side leg raises, hip raises and squat kicks should all be part of a hip-enhancing exercise regimen. The mac-daddy of hip-widening exercises may be the side lunge with dumbbells. This is a beefed-up version of a traditional lunge that allows for more resistance, and therefore, more potential muscle growth and hip width.
Plant your feet a little more than two feet apart. Turn your toes out slightly. Bend your right knee and come down into a lunge position. Your left leg will be completely straight and act as a pivot.
Come down until your thigh is parallel to the ground. Clench the butt muscle Then using hip power, push yourself back up, straightening your right leg. Do not put your feet back together. You are going to maintain the 2-foot distance between your feet during the entirety of this exercise.
Now, lunge down to the other side. Come down until your knee is bent at a 90-degree angle and then push back up. Again, straighten your legs and keep both feet in place. This posture protects your knees, lets you keep tension on the muscles better and use heavier resistance.
Add two dumbbells. Hold one dumbbell in each hand. As you lunge down to the right, the right-hand dumbbell should be on the outside of your right hip. The left-hand dumbbell should be held in front of your body down between your legs. Reverse your hand positions for the other side--left dumbbell on the outside of your left hip as you lunge to the left, right dumbbell down in between your legs.
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Try yoga. There are many yoga poses designed to open your hips. This will build muscle and allow for greater flexibility, which in return will make other hip exercises easier. The Frog, the Pigeon, the Lizard and the Cow Face are all poses you'll want to get familiar with.
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Sit on your butt. You can get bigger hips (and a larger derriere) by simply sitting. According to a study published in the journal Cell Physiology, researchers determined that the pressure placed on the buttocks and hips from too much sitting can generate significant fat build-up in those areas. Cells respond to their environment. As one researcher explained, fat cells that are compressed by extended periods of sitting "produce more triglycerides (the major form of fat stored in the body), and at a faster rate."
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Try a cream. There are a number of hip enhancement creams on the market that claim to work through a variety of methods that include repairing lost collagen and elastin to increasing the rate of muscle generation around the hips.
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Give birth. While you certainly wouldn't get pregnant for this sole purpose, a woman's hips will widen to make it possible for her to give birth. In some cases, hips will return to pre-pregnancy size with time, but in other cases, bigger hips become a permanent part of a woman's physique.
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Consider surgery. If you're willing to go under the knife to achieve a Kim Kardashian look, there are procedures worth investigating. You can have the fat removed from various areas of your body via liposuction and then transferred to your hips. Or you can also get hip implants in which "slices" of silicone are placed under the skin and substructures to give you a more curvaceous appearance.
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Wait it out. Turns out our hips get wider as we age. Research findings suggest that it's not necessarily added weight that causes hips to look bigger as we grow older, it's pelvic growth. In a study that used participants ranging in age from 20 to 79, researchers found that the width of the pelvis, the distance between the hip bones and the diameter of the hip bones all increased as people got older and that the pelvic width of the oldest people in the study was, on average, about an inch larger than the youngest.
Method Two of Two:
Use the Art of Illusion
1-
Pad your hips. You don't have to actually widen your hips to get the look of a fuller, more feminine hips.
Purchase hip-enhancing briefs. You can buy an undergarment that comes with removable, foam pads that add inches to your hips.
Use silicone hip pads to create fuller hips. Plan to hold the pads in place with adhesive or tuck them into an undergarment made from a tightly woven microfiber or a pair of pantyhose or tights.
Keep in mind that your new, fuller figure may make it difficult to fit into your favourite jeans, so a shopping trip might be necessary.
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Revamp your wardrobe. You can use dress in ways that emphasize your hips and give the illusion of greater fullness.
Make your waist the focal point when dressing. Use belts or sashes to cinch in your waist. This will give you the look of an hourglass figure.
Pay attention to cut and colour. Faded denim and pants in lighter colours accentuate the hips. Choose jeans that have defined waistlines to accentuate your waist or go with a straight cut. Look for styles that feature front pockets and smaller pockets in the back.
Buy skirts with ruffles or multiple layers of fabric to add width to your hips.
3-
Adjust your posture. Stand with your back straight, shoulders dropped and back and your weight on one leg, hips thrust out. This creates an S-shaped curve in the body. Place your hands on your hips with thumbs facing forward and fingers pointed back behind you.
To create this S-curve when you're sitting, simply cross your legs or put your weight onto one hip.
4-
Swing it, sister. Swinging your hips when you walk draws attention to this area and gives out a feminine vibe that can't help but draw a little male attention. Keep your back straight and pull your shoulders down and back. Relax your body. Put one foot in front of the other as you walk and let your arms swing naturally. You can emphasize the swing in your hips a bit as you walk, but don't overdo it. If it's too highly exaggerated, it could come off looking comical.
To enhance the effect, put on a pair of heels. Heels cause your hips to sway without you having to force the movement.
Tone your Leg Muscles
These exercises will improve the overall condition of your legs, from ankles to thighs, by stretching and flexing them to get you into better shape.
Method One of Three:
Warm-Up
1-
Do a simple warrior pose in yoga to warm up. You'll begin in a mountain pose and lean forward to stretch out your arms, abs, and legs.
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Do a single leg forward bend. This pose also begins in mountain, but it's a little more challenging, utilizing both your legs and your core.
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Do a couple of leg crosses with an exercise ball. These require a similar motion to the forward bend you just did, but involve an exercise ball as well.
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Do calf raises. Calves are often overlooked in favour of thighs, but calf raises are an excellent way to make sure your calves get the attention they deserve.
Method Two of Three:
High Intensity Exercises
1-
Do some more calf exercises with an exercise ball. The instructions are simple but very effective. To increase the difficulty of the exercise you can inflate the ball more so your hips are higher, or lift weights at the same time.
2-
Do some one legged hamstring curls to engage your thigh muscles. This exercise requires a small piece of furniture, so find a chair or pile of cushions to use before you begin.
3-
Do the scissors twist with an exercise ball. By performing a scissors twist this you can work out your arms, shoulders, and abs at the same time as your legs, since the scissors twist essentially targets your whole body.
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Do hip abductions and adductions. These will strengthen both your hips and leg muscles as you extend your leg using an elastic exercise band.
Method Three of Three:
Cool Down
1-
Do a single leg stretch or some single leg kicks in Pilates. Make sure to alternate so that both of your legs are evenly stretched!
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Do a set of lying leg rotations. In order to see results from this exercise you'll have to do it 5 days a week, but that shouldn't be a problem since it's not too tough.
3-
Do the king dancer pose in yoga. This will stretch you out one more time before the end of your workout, in a pose necessitates great balance and concentration.
Image titled Perform Leg Toning Exercises Step 4
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Do some walking lunges to finish off. Remember: the lower you go, the better the effect!
How to Tone Your Thighs muscles
Feeling like you want to make a positive change for your body? Follow these steps to get slim and muscular thighs. Even if you are in very good shape it can sometimes be difficult to have a toned body. Thighs are especially difficult because they are such a big muscle and don't often look sleek and toned. However, with some effort and diligence you can have sleek toned thighs – all it takes is a little time.
Method One of Three:
Toning Your Thighs at Home
1-
Do squats. Squats are a great way to build lean muscle and tone your inner thighs. Keeping your feet shoulder width apart bend your knees to a 90-degree angle. Make sure you do this against a wall, and keep your shoulder blades and lower back pressed up against the wall. Stay in this position for one minute, take a 30-second break, and repeat. Do about ten reps a day.
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Try squat jumps. Squat down, keeping your back as straight as possible and your eyes straight ahead. Touch the ground with your fingers. The lower you get the better. Now jump straight up, keeping your core centred beneath you. Do as many as you can, then take a one-minute break, then do three quarters of whatever number you just did. Do exercises like this three or four times a week if you can.
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Go for a run. Running is good for your body and helps you stay fit. Running outside, such as on a trail or around the neighbourhood, is great cardio and can help you achieve firmer and more muscular thighs. It will also help you shed fat which will make your thighs look even more toned. Running is good for your heart, your lungs, and even your brain. It’s a great habit to get into.
Remember that running can be stressful on your body, especially your knees and feet. Start slowly and try to run on softer surfaces whenever possible. If you haven’t run for years try going on a ten minute run at a comfortable pace. Don’t push yourself until you feel like you will collapse, otherwise you’ll never want to run again. Pay attention to your body.
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Do leg lifts. Leg lifts will strengthen and tone your thighs. Lie on the ground on your back. Slowly raise your legs until your body forms a 90-degree angle and then slowly lower your legs. Make sure that you are not using your hands to help you and that your legs are doing the work. Do about 20 reps of this a day.
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Try the curtsy lunge. Lunges are great for your thighs and target the muscles directly. The curtsy lunge involves you standing in a stance slightly wider than your hips and then sitting back into a one legged squat. Keep your chest lifted. As you sit back, cross one leg behind the other as if you were doing a curtsy. Try this with both legs.
Method Two of Three:
Toning Your Thighs at the Gym
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Do dumbbell lunges. Lunges are a great way to build muscle and burn fat. Begin by standing shoulder width apart, with a 5-10-pound dumbbell in each hand. Step forward with one foot and make sure the front thigh is parallel with the ground. Hold this position for 10 seconds. Repeat with the other leg. Do about 20 lunges a day. This is an exercise that you can do at home if you have dumbbells available.
If lunging with dumbbells is too difficult, try doing them without weights.
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Work out on the elliptical. If you go to the gym, spending about 60 to 90 minutes on the elliptical will help tone your thighs. The elliptical machine specifically targets your thighs even more than running does because of the motion of the machine.
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Take a Pilates or kickboxing class at your local gym. [5]. The great thing about taking a class is that you have a lot of other people to support and push you. It’s much easier to stay diligent if you are working out with a lot of other people. Pilates is a great way to target your thighs, and you can even approach the instructor and tell him or her about your goal. They can orient part of the class to working on that particular part of your body.
Both Pilates and kickboxing are forms of cardio that will help burn fat and tone your thighs.
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Use the leg press. You probably don’t have a leg press available at home, but this instrument is great for working on your thighs and butt. Sit in the chair and choose a comfortable weight. Starting with half your body weight isn’t too ambitious, and you can move the weight up if it feels too easy. Place your legs on the rack and keep your knees at a 90-degree angle. Now push! This exercise will lead to great results.
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Go swimming. Trimming down in general is a great way to make your muscles look more toned. Sometimes this can work even better than just targeting a specific muscle group. The great thing about swimming is that you will work out your thighs and lose weight at the same time. If you think you could shed a few pounds this is a great option.
Method Three of Three:
Eating Healthy Foods
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Eat foods that are low in fat. A big part of having toned thighs is having low body fat. That means exercising regularly and eating healthy. Load up on vegetables and greens. Choose a whole grain cereal versus a sugary cereal. Easy dietary changes can have a huge impact on your body.
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Ditch the sweets. Sweets won’t help you fuel up for a good workout and they end up just being empty calories. Try replacing your candy with fruit if you have a sweet tooth
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Drink a lot of water. Drinking water will help keep your body hydrated and cleanse your system. If you find that you are feeling hungry all the time it might just be that you are dehydrated. Drinking a lot of water will keep your body functioning properly and also stop you from overeating. [8]
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Eat foods that are high in protein. Consuming protein, such as grilled chicken, cheese, and whole grain bread, helps build muscle. Try to eat healthy lean meats like fish and chicken rather than steaks and hamburgers. You might think a hamburger is high and protein, but it’s also very caloric.
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Try to incorporate healthier carbs into your diet. Brown rice, quinoa, and barley are a lot better options than chips and salsa. [9] Avoid refined foods and stick to whole grain pasta and similar items instead. Always look for whole grains!
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Prepare your own meals. It's a lot easier to eat healthy if you prepare your own meals. [10] Buy healthy ingredients at the store and you'll only be able to eat healthy meals. Stock up on vegetables along with everything else that has been mentioned.
How to Have Flawless Skin in a Week
Have you ever thought, "I've got blackheads!" or "I want to get rid of my pimples?" Ever wondered why that girl has got such flawless skin, and you don't? Don't envy her. You can have flawless skin as well if you follow these steps.
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Determine your skin type. Is it oily, dry, normal, or combination of either? In order to do this, wash your face, let it dry and leave your face completely untouched for an hour. Inspect by dabbing a tissue between your nose and cheek, called the T-zone:
Normal skin shows neither oil nor flaking skin. It should feel supple and smooth. If you have it, consider yourself lucky!
Oily skin is characterized by the grease on the tissue. It is also common for a person with oily skin to have large pores and a bit of a shine.
Dry skin may feel taut or show flakes of dead skin. It is associated with small pores. Moisturizing is important for this skin type.
Combination skin is most common. It exhibits traits of all three of the above skin types. Usually, the skin is oily in the T-zone and normal to dry elsewhere.
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Invest in a cleanser, toner, moisturizer and facial scrub suited to your skin type. (If you're young there's no need for a facial scrub.) You might have to test out a couple of brands before you find the perfect one. Talk to an associate at a make-up or skin care counter. You will be able to test different formulas. They may even offer samples so you can try a product out for a day or two.
Try to get cleanser, toner, and moisturizer that is non-comedogenic. This just means that it won't clog your pores, leading to pimples.
If you have a bad case of acne or any other skin problem like eczema, see a dermatologist. They will give you the specific treatment you need. It's likely that any medication you get from a dermatologist will be prescription strength, too, meaning it will be stronger.
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Buy an SPF 15+ sunscreen for daily use. Try for a facial sunscreen with no fragrance or oil. Sunscreen will help block harmful UV-A and UV-B rays that can lead to skin damage and cancers.
Many moisturizers these days have sunscreen built into them. Experiment with different moisturizers to see if the sunscreen works well and the moisturizer keeps your face hydrated.
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Use your face wash every two days. You will not see a difference if you only use it once a week. Use your scrub, which lifts off dead layers of skin, only every few days as to avoid scrubbing off too much skin.
Do not use a washcloth, loofah or any other abrasive material to wash your face. Washing with your hands is perfectly acceptable, and will lower the irritation you might otherwise get with an abrasive material.
Wash once in the morning and once at night. This is especially important if you have very oily skin, or numerous pimples.
Moisturize after every wash. Washing your face with a facial cleanser sucks all the natural oils from your face. Clear, beautiful skin is hydrated skin.
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Wash off your makeup. Before going to bed remember to take off any makeup you put on. Washing your face may do the trick, but some makeup may require makeup remover.
Don't be lazy about taking off makeup. If you're prone to leaving your makeup on or forgetting to wash your face, invest in some wipes and keep them close to your bed. That way, all you need to do is swipe your face when you're dead tired.
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Eat properly. A great menu is a balanced menu. Remember the food pyramid? Eat fruits and vegetables. Nutritionists recommend eating 3 servings of fruit and 5 servings of vegetables daily. Avoid foods with caffeine and sugar, as well as greasy foods and red meat.
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Drink plenty of fluids. Try to drink 8 glasses of fluids, preferably water, every day! Avoid sugary soft drinks, caffeine and coffee. Green/herbal tea is rich in antioxidants, which protect cells in your body from damage.
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Exercise. Exercising helps you metabolize. A walk with your dog or some yoga lessons do make a difference! Healthy skin is just another part of a healthy body.
Exercising is also good for relieving stress. Studies show that there's a link between how stressed you are and how bad your acne is. So if you're super-stressed all the time, try your favourite form of exercise to get rid of it pronto.
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Sleep. Make sure you get your 8 hours every night, perhaps a bit more if you are a teenager. Being well rested gives your body more energy to go about its daily routine, and leaves you feeling even better. Flawless skin doesn't have big dark circles.
Do every day, and you will soon begin to see the results.
YOU ARE AWESOME! CAIO
4-
Avoid stress. There are things that have to be taken care of - just like every other vacation. Don't get it wrong this time; finish things early. If you know that you're always late to the airport, then try to leave the house an hour or two earlier. Also, make sure you have your passport and visa with you if you're going to a different country. Don't leave things for the last minute and pack your suitcase early.
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Research. Learn about the place, as there might be some important things that you don't know about. Use Wikipedia and search engines to learn about the local customs. Read about appropriate clothing, tipping, laws, weather, and more. Check the forecast to see what the weather will be like and if the area you will be in might have natural disasters or conflicts that might arise soon. If the place you're going to isn't anything like where you live, make sure to see pictures and videos of the place to avoid culture shock.
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Pack. You don't need to bring your entire house with you. Pack things that you know you'll need. If you know you can't live without your mp3 player, then don't hesitate to take it. Packing isn't just about personal toiletries and clothes; it's important to bring things that you'll enjoy as well. Put the items that you use often in your backpack so you'll have easier access to them. Remember to bring extra batteries and all the equipment necessary to make them work throughout the vacation. If you're going on a plane, make sure that you don't put any sharp or dangerous items in your bag (i.e. scissors, Swiss knife, toy gun, etc.). Don't bring a really expensive or unique-looking suitcase, they have a higher chance of getting stolen or opened. Don't pack the things that you might wear. Bring the sort of clothes that you wear now, otherwise, you'll be stuck with a whole lot of clothes that you won't be able/want to wear.
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Watch your belongings. These days, there are many things that we need to carry around. It could be cell phones, laptops, digital cameras, and much more. Never let those expensive belongings be out of your sight. Keep them locked in a safe or hidden in a good place. When you're on the street, tie your camera on your wrist so it won't get stolen or keep it in your backpack. Don't leave your luggage and/or backpack unattended, even if you're going for a second. If you're travelling with someone else (who you trust), tell them to watch it while you're gone.
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Set realistic expectations. As much as want to have the perfect vacation, we know that the world usually won't cooperate with us. Don't let the small things irk you and ruin your mood, just accept that they happen and move on. Try to see yourself as you are now; don't try to change and become perfect. You need to accept yourself right now instead of imagining yourself as someone you currently aren't and/or will never be. You won't be automatically happy/attractive/perfect the second your vacation starts. If you know that you're not the sort of person that can get up early and walk all day long, then don't expect yourself to be.
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Be spontaneous. It's important to plan, but it's just as important to try something new and unexpected. It could be something as big as deciding to bungee jump or something small like trying out some of the exotic cuisine. Either way, you'll have something interesting to do and tell your friends once you do it. Don't be afraid that you might ruin something or be off-schedule. Give yourself some time to do whatever you want and have fun doing it. Don't be afraid to do something you liked doing back at home, either. It will make you feel more comfortable and give you a sense of familiarity. If you find yourself disliking a place you go to, don't hesitate to leave. Try to go to all sorts of different places, not just tourist traps.
10
Cherish the moments. Sometimes we don't realize how happy and carefree we really were until we no longer feel it. Recognize those moments and appreciate them; don't let any of your desires or worries get in the way. Try not to reflect or think too much about how it's been so far or give the vacation a grade before it's really over. Don't give yourself too much time to think about what happened, but give yourself enough to know what to do and where to go. You can take pictures and record videos, but remember to turn them off once in a while. Let yourself be in the present instead of taking pictures of a moment you weren't in for the future.
11
Remember. There are some places that people know they'll never go back to. Some won't come back to keep the memories unique, some understand that they won't be the same, and others just know that they want to keep on going and discovering new and exciting places. Whatever you choose to do, remember this vacation and learn from it. You might just look back at it one day and realize how lucky you were to have experienced it.
It depends, if you like skiing, go to Los Alamos, Red River, or Angel Fire. Just be sure to go at a time where there is enough snow but medium/small crowds. If you are more interested in hiking/physical activities, visit places such as White Sands National Monument, Bandelier National Monument, Carlsbad Caverns, or Brazos Cliffs. Make sure to go at a time that is not too cold, but not flaming hot. If you are more interested in history, check out the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History, Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, or Loretto Chapel (religious).
Tips-
Learn a few basic phrases and words if you're going to a foreign country.
Don't call/text your friends and family too much when you're there.
Get into their culture, try different foods, different traditions etc.
Try different forms of transportation (i.e. bus, bicycle, roller-blades, cab, underground).
Find out if your friends have ever been to your destination location and ask them for any tips or advice.
You don't have to buy merchandise with the place's name on it to remember your experience. Keep the flight ticket or simple things you found to remember specific moments.
Try to meet and converse with locals if you can.
Always pack what you need, list all your essentials, some could be underwear, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc... Also learn from other vacations, if you are like me, then you have probably forgotten something critical on a vacation. So remember all the critical stuff you need. That way you don't have to go through the hassle of buying extra stuff.
Warnings-
Don't get into arguments or fights with anybody you don't know well.
Stay safe. It's good to discover and see different places, but know which places you should stay away from.
Don't spend too much money. You don't have to be first class or be in a suite to have a great vacation. Let yourself have fun and travel comfortably, but try to stay close to your budget.
Things You'll Need
Passport and visa (for traveling abroad)
Luggage
Digital camera (optional)
Internet (for researching and getting maps)
Money (local currency too)
