Fitness: Effective Leg & Bum Toning Exercises You Can Do At Home!

Looking at these pictures of Amerie makes me feel kind of bad about the fried Catfish meal [with yams and greens] I had this past weekend. It really does. - One of my goals before Summer 2011 is to tone my entire body, starting with my legs and bum!

Because my schedule has been kinda crazed as of late, I really haven't had time to hit the gym. So I turned to one of my favorite YouTube gurus Body Rock TV. I run through these videos every other day [when I am doing my lower body workout], and boy are they challenging [yet effective].

A Few Fitness Tips:

• Drink at least 16 ounces of water or fitness water about two hours before your workout. 

• Drink at least a half cup of water every 15-20 minutes during your workout routine. Drinking water will help keep you hydrated, energized, increase fat metabolism, and will help keep your electrolyte levels normal. Drinking water will also help remove toxins from the body and regulate your body's temperature. 

• Warm up with a light cardio exercise for five minutes before your workout. Warming up helps you to use more muscle fibers during your actual workout routine therefore having more of an effective workout.

• Cool down for 5-10 minutes after your workout. The cool down process helps your muscles eliminate lactic acid and other waste. Cooling down also helps muscles prepare for the recovery process [which is essential when toning], helps to prevent stiffness, and also helps heart rate and respiration rate return to normal levels. 

• In order for your tissues to repair themselves after a workout [you need tissues to repair themselves to see muscle tone], you need to allow for an adequate recuperation period. You should allow your muscles anywhere between 24-48 hour rest period before working that same muscle group. Working the same muscle group too soon could cause lead to the breakdown in muscle tissues instead of forming muscles.

Zuzana from Body Rock TV is hands down one of my favorite fitness divas. I love that her channel showcases exercises that you can do from home without tons of fancy equipment. Zuzana has quite a few videos ranging from beginner exercises to more advanced routines. 

[photo source]

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Fitness Quicktip: Consume Protein After a Workout

 [I love the cover of this mag; source: black fashion]

Some people call your "post recovery meal" one of the most important meals of the day. I remember the days I would finish my weight traning, drink a liter of water, scoff at the gym rats drinking protein shakes, and head for the hills. I will admit, protein got a very bad rap with me because I had the assumption that I would "bulk up" if I regularly ate protein bars, or drank protein shakes. However,  I learned shortly thereafter that protein intake is essential in helping to repair the muscles [protein synthesis] used during workout sessions.

Studies show that your body is most receptive to vitamins and nutrients during the 45 minute period after your workout. The type of protein is also important, you should be looking for a mix of casein and whey protein. Out of those two types of protein, whey is absorbed faster, while casein is primarily used to regulate amino acid release.


I normally drink Chocolate Milk [Horizon Nonfat Chocolate Milk] after my weight training regimen [which was suggested by my trainer], not any old chocolate milk; but one that is low in fat, carbs, and sugar. Chocolate milk consists of 80% whey protein and 20% casein. This is the perfect post-recovery drink for people like myself that can't stomach the taste of protein shakes/bars [and is also cheaper. hell-lo]. Remember if you choose to go this route, be sure to check the fat and sugar content before buying that gallon of chocolate milk :-)

The Benefits of Circuit Training

 {source: I Mean Fashion}

Oh the irony of posting a workout routine after my Braised Beef post. After eating 2lbs of beef, a trip to the gym is definitely in my future. However if you are anything like me then you loathe working out. At times I have my die hard gym-junkie moments, but for the most part; I'm just not that into it.

I tend to lean towards fitness routines like kettlebell training, or circuit training because it's almost like your one-stop-workout-shop. Recently while researching some routines to try at home, I came across BodyRock.Tv on Youtube [gotta love YouTube] and I was immediately impressed. A lot of the excercises featured on Zuzanna's video's were very similar to that included in the bootcamp classes at my gym.


Here are some of the many benefits of circuit training;

• Helps you burn more fat than traditional workout regimens
• Improves endurance
• Circuit training incorporates numerous muscle groups which is typically said to be more effective than spending time on a piece of equipment that focuses on one muscle group
• Perfect for toning and developing strength
• Perfect for those with time restraints
• Speeds up the rates in which muscles repair themselves
• Cardio & Resistance training in one workout session
• Most equipment is inexpensive to get started [medicine balls, jump ropes, weights]
• Helps you achieve maximum results, in a minimal amount of time

In order to make sure that you achieve the optimal results from circuit training, you must keep the following things in mind;

• The effectiveness of the workout is in part decided on the intensity level and speed at which the exercises are performed
• The number of different exercises performed
• The variety of exercises performed during the training [diversity is good]

The series of videos below should offer a solid circuit training regimen to get you on your way! Get your iPod playlists together! 

Get 'Kini Ready With Kettlebells

If you are anything like me, then you loathe going to the gym! Because I am not very fond of working out, I tend to like workout plans that are pretty much a one-stop-shop, meaning a total fitness workout. Kettlebells are just that, you get cardio and strength training rolled into one exercise session. This is hands down one of the best exercises to boost your metabolism, promote rapid weight loss, and achieve a lean, toned physique.

I usually do Kettlebell (with a 10lb kettlebell) training two times a week for about an hour with 30 second rest sessions in between each rep. Yes, you feel like death warmed over during, and afterwards [warning you now], but the results are amazing.

Check out this interesting article for more technical info about Kettlebells, and pick some up this weekend!