WORKOUT TIPS:

Workout for at least 45 minutes 6 days a week.

One day shall be a rest day, taken off completely from exercise (though I recommend staying active in your normal, daily tasks).

Do your cardio every morning for 30-45 minutes on an empty stomach.. nothing intense and it doesn’t require the gym.. jog, walk, treadmill, stairmaster, bike, aerobics, zumba, dance, whatever you enjoy.

Get your weight training done whenever you have time during the day (MAKE time if you don’t already have it). 

ALWAYS carry a change of workout clothes in your car, no excuse not to go to the gym! 

DO NOT SKIP A WORKOUT JUST BECAUSE YOU DON’T THINK YOU NEED TO WORKOUT THAT BODY PART (UNLESS OF COURSE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL REASON NOT TO).

Find a training partner if you like that!

Keep a journal and write down how much weight you used for each exercise and how you felt afterward.

HAVE FUN!! This is about health and getting fit! It’s not supposed to be a punishment, enjoy it!!

SAFETY TIPS/OTHER INFO:

Always warm up properly before each workout.

Always use proper form to avoid injury. You should feel a burn in your muscle, but never a pain in your joints. 

Breathe properly and keep your core tight during all movements.

If you do not know how to do a particular exercise, you can refer to this website for explanations and examples: (http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/)

Move quickly from one exercise to the next.

When the muscle begins to burn, do an additional 2-3 reps. (if I say 15 reps, it should be burning by about rep 12).

Go as heavy as you can while maintaining proper form (remember, we don’t want an injury).

“Superset” - two exercises performed back to back with no rest in between

“Dropset” - after the set, immediately drop the weight and perform another set with the same amount of reps (or more if you can.. the point is to burn-out the muscle)

SCHEDULE:

Monday - Legs (no cardio)
Tuesday - Shoulders + cardio
Wednesday - Cardio
Thursday - Back + cardio
Friday - Arms + cardio
Saturday - Rest (no cardio)
Sunday - Chest + cardio

Abs:
I keep getting questions regarding abdominal training. I want to make a few things clear before I give it to you…
Excessive ab training will not give you abs. It will build the muscle,  but if you have a layer of fat on top hiding it, you won’t be able to see them. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SPOT REDUCTION. You cannot JUST lose fat on your stomach. It is PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE. The body loses fat systematically, all over. To lower your bodyfat enough to see your abs, you must eat clean, do cardio and lift weights. I’m sorry, but there is no magical pill (or exercise) that will make abs suddenly appear.
With all of the following abdominal exercises (which are to be done WITHOUT REST in between), you need to go SLOW and CONTRACT HARD on each rep, making sure to exhale as you do so. If this is easy for you, you are either doing them wrong or you need to add resistance:
30 leg lifts, 30 medicine ball sit-ups, 30 crunches, plank for as long as you can.. repeat this until failure.

LEG DAY:

Warm-up:

4x20 Leg extensions (light weight, just to get a pump in your quads)

Superset #1:

4x15 Leg Extensions

4x15 Narrow stance squats with dumbbells

Superset #2:

4x15 Leg press

4x15 Stiff-leg deadliest

Superset #3:

4x15 Hamstring curls

Walking lunges with dumbbells (20 each leg)

Superset #4:

4x15 each leg Bench step-ups with dumbbells

4x30 calf raises with dumbbells

SHOULDER DAY:

Superset #1:

4x15 Front raise with dumbbells (natural grip)

4x15 Side Lateral Raise

Superset #2:

4x15 Reverse PecDec Flies

4x15 Upright Barbell Row

Superset #3:

4x15 Rear delt flies (with dumbbells)

4x15 Shoulder press (with dumbbells)

BACK DAY:

Superset #1:

4x12 Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns

4x12 Narrow Grip Pulldowns

Superset #2:

4x12 (each arm) One Arm Dumbbell Row (same side = one knee and one hand on the bench)

4x12 Seated Cable Rows

Superset #3:

4x15 Lower Back Hyperextensions

4x12 Reverse Grip Bent Over Rows

ARM DAY:

Superset #1:

3x12 Standing Biceps Cable Curl

3x12 Rope Tricep Push-Down

Superset #2:

4x12 Seated Alternating Dumbbell Curls

4x12 Skull Crushers

Superset #4:

3x12 Hammer Curls w/ a dropset after each set

3x12 Tricep Dumbbell kickbacks w/a dropset after each set

CHEST DAY:

4x15 Dumbbell bench press

4x15 Incline barbell bench press

4x15 Pec Dec Flies

4x15 Cable Cross Overs

4x as many push ups as you can do

***REMEMBER LADIES:: Lifting weights will NOT make you bulky or manly. Women do not have the levels of testosterone necessary to get bulky, so do not worry about lifting heavy!!! Women bodybuilders use steroids, you do not.. so don’t stress.

Push yourself and work hard. You are in control of how much effort you put into this. You will get out of it what you put in! Be safe, and have fun! =)

Don’t have access to a gym? Do Plyometric/Bodyweight workouts

Monday - Lower Bodyweight Workout
Tuesday - Cardio
Wednesday - Upper Bodyweight Workout
Thursday - Rest
Friday - Lower Bodyweight Workout 
Saturday - Cardio
Sunday - Upper Bodyweight Workout

Lower Bodyweight Workout

Warm Up - jog 10-20 minutes

10 jump squats

10 narrow stance squats

10 wide stance squats

10 walking lunges (each leg)

10 one-legged squats (each leg)

10 bench step ups (each leg)

As many mountain climbers as you can do for 1 minute

As many calf raises as you can do for 1 minute

Repeat this circuit 10 rounds (if you can do more, GO FOR IT!!!)

No rest between exercises, only rest 2 minutes between rounds.. try to keep moving during those 2 minutes (jog in place, do jumping jacks, high knees, butt-kicks, just keep your heart rate up!)

Upper Bodyweight Workout

Warm Up - jog 10-20 minutes

As many pull ups as you can do

As many jumping jacks as you can for one minute

15 push ups

As many burpees as you can for one minute

Repeat this circuit 10 rounds (if you can do more, GO FOR IT!!!)

No rest between exercises, only rest 1 minute between rounds.. try to keep moving during those 2 minutes (jog in place, do jumping jacks, high knees, butt-kicks, just keep your heart rate up!)

For How-To on these exercises, check out: http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/tipsandtricks/a/basictraining.htm

or

http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/

(IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK.. ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE ANY MEDICAL ISSUES!! ALWAYS CHECK WITH A DOCTOR FIRST!)

**DISCLAIMER** I am NOT a dietician, counselor, personal trainer, doctor, or any other healthcare related professional. I do not mind giving advice or suggestions, but please keep in mind that I have NOT been trained in these fields. If you ask me a question I will answer it to the best of my ability.

Please note! It is solely your decision to participate in the Muffin Top-Less Transformation Challenge. Make sure you check with a doctor before proceeding with any diet or exercise program.