Easy Ways to Fight the Flab: Simple Routines to Stay Lean and Mean

Posted on Balanced Body | August 23, 2008 | 5 Comments

Easy Ways to Fight the Flab: Simple Routines to Stay Lean and Mean

Several years ago I fell in love with Pilates. After trying a lot of different fitness programs I understood that Pilates and other Mind & Body techniques are most suitable for me. I was doing Pilates through my entire pregnancy (here are some tips why I decided to exercise during pregnancy – Several Reasons to Exercise during Pregnancy) and I think it’s not surprising that after delivery I chose this same technique to help me get back in shape. The most difficult part was to find time and energy to exercise and several times all my attempts completely crashed and burned.

One of the reasons why I failed several times was because I could not find the proper time for my exercises. Eventually I came up with an idea that I have to exercise in the morning as only at this time I am absolutely free and my mind is still not overloaded with thousands of things that I must do during the day. I must admit that I always hated morning exercises and always thought that it would not work for me. After struggling for the first week I got used to this schedule and now I feel absolutely natural getting up early in the morning and starting my morning routine. I also developed several rules that help me go on with my trainings no matter what: Avoiding my nightmare: easy ways to keep slim and trim.

The reason why I am actually writing this exact post is to tell what exercises proved to be most effective for me and which of them I would recommend to everybody who needs a good jumpstart in the morning.
My exercise routine always consists of several blocks some of which are permanent and the others I rotate according to my mood. The permanent blocks are: warm up, back stretching, neck stretching, and breathing techniques. The other blocks include abs, back and leg workouts, dance movements and strength exercises. I never combine everything in a single training as it takes too much time and it does not let me devote enough attention to certain parts of my body.

I think that Yoga is a perfect way to start a big day as it fills you with energy that is so important for a busy mommy. I am using only basic Yoga exercises (asana) for warm up and stretching as they help me wake up quickly and provide a gentle stretch for the muscles.

Breathing. Breathing is life and that is why I think it’s important to devote part of my training to the right breathing technique. I start my day with Pilates breathing techniques that seem to be most beneficial for me. I make several deep inhales and exhales and then I combine breathing with slow forward bends and touch my toes.

Warm Up. I have several ways that I like to warm up. One of them is the famous Yoga Sun Salutation and others include different combinations of yoga asanas, Pilates and ballet movements. The most important thing is to enjoy what you are doing and to do those exercises that your body likes.

Stretching. Yoga asanas provide plenty of variants of stretching no matter if you are just a beginner or if you are already at an advanced level. You can choose the right exercises for yourself on Youtube or buy a good DVD that will provide you with a complete workout.

Ab Workouts. There are plenty of exercises that can help you flatten your belly and you can choose the ones that will appeal to you personally. Some exercises are very easy and some of them are really hard. Again my choice leans towards Pilates because this technique can help any woman get the body of her dream without injuries and health risks.

Leg Workouts. I guess legs are the only part of my body that I am completely satisfied with. I do exercises for legs approximately once a week and most of my leg workouts include ballet movements and yoga stretching.

Dance movements simply come from the inside. When I hear the right song and feel like dancing I dance and my imagination is the only limit for me (although you definitely won’t be seeing me on MTV dance shows anytime soon:))). I try to just enjoy myself at these times and I do not have any particular program.

Strength exercises can include anything starting with abdominal crunches and finishing with push-ups. I do not have a particular routine and usually I listen to my body and do what my body advises me to do.

Morning exercises are a great way to start your day and I didn’t realize it until my babies were born and I was forced to start training in the morning. Now I see all the advantages of morning exercises for my body and I am glad that I committed myself to this everyday routine. Morning exercises are one of my first steps to the balance in me.