The Easy New Way to Lose Stubborn Fat
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You've probably heard of the South Beach Diet.
What began as a nutritional program specifically designed to improve the cholesterol and insulin levels of cardiac patients has turned into one of the decade's most successful weight loss plans. Now, preventive cardiologist and South Beach Diet creator Arthur Agatston, MD, has added a science-based fitness routine to his plan that consists of interval walking and a Pilates-inspired total-body workout. "As before, the diet helps you drop pounds and improve heart health," says Agatston. "But the new exercise program also revs your metabolism and strengthens and tones your core muscles to help maintain good posture, flexibility, and balance — which are all important for preventing injury while maintaining a healthy weight."
We've got an exclusive on the new fitness routine, including a detailed 2-week plan to get you started today! Plus, read real-life results from four women who followed the diet and the new "supercharged" exercise plan and lost up to 10 pounds and 7 inches after just 2 weeks, and up to 18 pounds and 12¼ inches after 6 weeks.
YOUR 3-PART PLAN AT A GLANCE
This 2-week eating and exercise plan kick-starts weight loss by gradually building strength and endurance, curbing cravings, and reining in calories.
1. Tone Up and Slim Down Routine (3 or 4 days a week)
This Pilates-based workout targets your midsection plus arms, shoulders, legs, and butt for a total-body shape-up. [You'll need a stable chair and a cushioned surface.]
2. Walking Workout (3 or 4 days a week)
An interval plan uses short bursts of moderate to fast walking to burn more calories and fat. [You'll need athletic shoes and a watch with a timer.]
3. Quick Start Eating Plan (2 weeks, see sample day)
This follows the standard South Beach Diet plan of three balanced meals and two snacks a day to help you drop weight fast.
TONE UP AND SLIM DOWN ROUTINE
1. SPINAL ARCH AND CURL
Strengthens and stretches back, increases flexibility, and helps improve posture.
Start Position
Sit straight on edge of seat, feet hip-width apart, knees in line with ankles, and palms flat on thighs.
Main Move
Press heels into ground and contract butt muscles, sliding hands up toward hips. Gently arch back and look up while tightening ab muscles. Continuing to hold ab muscles in, round back, slide hands toward knees, and look down at ground. Return to start position.
Tip
Do this exercise in one fluid motion.
2. SPINAL DIVE
Strengthens and stretches upper back muscles and chest muscles
Start Position
Sit straight on edge of seat, feet hip-width apart, knees in line with ankles, and palms on thighs.
Main Move
Round back and roll forward, dropping head between knees. Tighten ab muscles and slowly raise head, arching spine so chest and stomach are pushed out slightly. Return to start position.
Tip
Focus on moving slowly. That helped tester Sandra Martin Seals feel her back muscles working.
3. SPINAL TWIST
Improves back flexibility
Start Position
Sit straight on edge of seat, feet hip-width apart, knees in line with ankles, and palms flat on thighs.
Main Move
Slowly pull in ab muscles. Twist from waist as you turn to left, while sliding right hand down right thigh and left hand up left thigh. Keep feet and legs still. Then, twist from waist as you turn to right, sliding left hand down left thigh and right hand up right thigh.
Tip
Do the twists in one fluid motion. Twisting once to the left and once to the right is 1 rep.
4. LEG FLUTTER
Tightens midsection and strengthens quads
Start Position
Sit straight on edge of seat, abs in, and feet and knees together. Grip seat with both hands.
Main Move
Lean back slightly (keeping knees together and back relaxed) and lift both feet 4 to 6 inches off ground. In a slow, controlled move, kick left leg out and back; then kick right leg out and back. Keep abs tight throughout exercise. This is 1 rep; don't stop between reps.
Tip
If you have a weak back, do what tester Allison Brady did: "I put my hands under my hips and butt. It gave me the extra support I needed."
5. LEG CIRCLE
Strengthens lower ab muscle and quads
Start Position
Sit straight on edge of seat, abs pulled in, and feet and knees together. Grip seat with both hands.
Main Move
Lean back slightly (keeping knees together and back relaxed) and lift both feet 4 to 6 inches off ground. Circle both legs to right 4 times and immediately left 4 times.
Tip
Pretend your legs are stirring a tall drink.
6. SALSA SHOULDERS
Increases flexibility and decreases pain in neck and shoulders
Start Position
Stand with feet hip-width apart, heels pressed into ground.
Main Move
Hold arms out to sides with elbows bent at 90-degree angles, palms facing forward. Circle shoulders forward 4 times, then immediately backward 4 times.
Tip
Keep butt muscles contracted.
7. BIKINI SWIRL
Strengthens and stretches back
Start Position
Stand straight with feet hip-width apart and hands on top of head. Pull elbows back and abs in, press heels into ground, and contract butt muscles.
Main Move
Without moving hips, circle rib cage 4 times to left, then 4 times to right.
Tip
Pretend you're drawing a circle on the ceiling with the top of your head.
8. ROLL DOWN
Firms abs
Start Position
Sit on ground with knees bent, feet hip-width apart, hands resting below knees. Press feet firmly into floor and contract thigh muscles.
Main Move
Contract ab muscles, and slowly roll down to ground one vertebra at a time. Keep abs tight and roll back up, one vertebra at a time, to start position. Begin with 1 set of 8 reps; work up to 3 sets over the course of 2 to 3 weeks.
Tip
Tester Bonnee Binker squeezed a rolled-up towel between her knees to help lift herself up until she got strong enough to do the move unaided.
9. CAT 'N' HAMMOCK BACK STRETCH
Strengthens and stretches abs and back
Start Position
Get on hands and knees, wrists in line with shoulders and knees in line with hips. Keep back flat, like a tabletop, and abs tight.
Main Move
Contracting butt muscles, round back, tuck hips under, pull chin toward chest — like a cat — and hold position for 10 seconds. Then pull shoulders down and away from ears and slowly raise head. Keeping ab muscles tight, drop belly toward ground and arch back — like you're a human hammock. Hold for 10 seconds, then return to start position. Do 3 to 5 reps.
Tip
Focus on "squeezing" the area under your shoulder blades when you arch your back, says tester Rebecca Kollaras, to help do the move more effectively.
REAL-LIFE STORY
"I LOST INCHES ALL OVER"
SANDRA MARTIN SEALS
HEIGHT: 5'2"
START WEIGHT: 168
END WEIGHT: 155
START CHOLESTEROL: 151
END CHOLESTEROL: 141
LOST: 13 pounds, 6 1 2 inches
In the past 4 years, Seals, 41, got married, had a son — and gained 40 pounds. She needed help to get her body back.
Biggest obstacle: "I had never followed a structured program before, and I wasn't sure if it would work for me."
Best stick-with-it strategy: "Take it one day at a time — and you'll still see big changes. I was thrilled to see some definition in my muscles in just 6 weeks."
Surprise: "Working out changed my mindset: I'd feel so good after exercising that I wouldn't want to put anything bad in my body. It was like built-in appetite control!"
"I WALKED OFF 12 POUNDS"
ALLISON BRADY
HEIGHT: 5'9½
START WEIGHT: 187
END WEIGHT: 175
START CHOLESTEROL: 230
END CHOLESTEROL: 185
LOST: 12 pounds, 12 1 4 inches
Brady, 37, moved to a new city and broke her regular workout routine. She wanted a new plan that fit into her new schedule.
Biggest obstacle: "I started working more hours and had trouble making time for exercise. Plus, I'd munch on carbs and sweets all day long."
Best stick-with-it strategy: "Do what works for you. The walking intervals were a little too easy for me, so I added longer periods of fast walking to my routine. And I stocked up on single-serving snacks to help keep me satisfied."
Surprise: "My cholesterol levels, which have always been high, dropped to normal range after just a few weeks."
"I DROPPED 2 DRESS SIZES"
BONNEE BINKER
HEIGHT: 5'4"
START WEIGHT: 203
END WEIGHT: 185
START CHOLESTEROL: 295
END CHOLESTEROL: 263
LOST: 18 pounds, 10 1 2 inches
For Binker, 46, her father's diabetic seizure was her wake-up call to take control of her health.
Biggest obstacle: "Finding the time and energy to eat right and exercise around a hectic work schedule."
Best stick-with-it strategy: "Just start. No matter how tired I was, I would tell myself to just do the first few toning moves. Once I got going, I'd do them all. To help me stick to the diet when I eat out, I tell the waiter I have specific dietary needs due to allergies. It's stretching the truth, but it makes it easier to request substitutions."
Surprise: "I loved the walking part of the plan. I didn't have to trek for miles to see results, and my endurance has improved so much I'm considering a 13-K run next year!"
"I GOT MY DIABETES UNDER CONTROL"
REBECCA KOLLARAS
HEIGHT: 5'2"
START WEIGHT: 173
END WEIGHT: 162
START CHOLESTEROL: 220
END CHOLESTEROL: 212
LOST: 11 pounds, 12¼ inches
With type 1 diabetes, Kollaras, 38, has to work hard to keep her blood sugar in check.
Biggest obstacle: "Often, I'd delay dinner while I struggled with what to make. That left me starving and eating anything in arm's reach."
Best stick-with-it strategy: "Plan ahead. Taking 10 minutes to outline my meals and make a corresponding shopping list instantly simplified my week. The meals also helped keep my blood sugar steady."
Surprise: "Exercise intimidated me, so I hardly ever did it. But now I know exactly what I have to do, and I have so much more energy. I love working up a sweat, and I'm done in less than a half hour."
YOUR 2-WEEK DETAILED WORKOUT
We've broken down the supercharged exercise plan into an easy-to-follow, day-by-day plan that alternates between 2 workouts:
INTERVAL WALKING: Follow speed and intensity guidelines, based on a 1-to-10 scale (1 is sitting still, 10 is sprinting).
TONE-UP ROUTINE: Do all 9 moves in order, and 3 sets of 8 reps for each exercise, unless otherwise noted.
EASY PACE: 2.5-3 MPH; intensity: 3-4
MODERATE PACE: 3-3.5 MPH; intensity: 5-6
REVVED-UP PACE: 3.5-4.5 MPH; intensity: 7-8
SUPERCHARGED PACE: 4.5-5 MPH; intensity: 9-10
WEEK 1
MONDAY: INTERVAL WALKING
0:00-5:00: Warm-up, easy pace
5:01-12:30: Intervals
15 seconds at moderate pace
60 seconds at easy pace
Repeat 6 times
12:31-15:00 Cool-down, easy pace
TUESDAY: TONE-UP ROUTINE
WEDNESDAY: INTERVAL WALKING
0:00-5:00: Warm-up, easy pace
5:01-13:00: Intervals
15 seconds at moderate pace
45 seconds at easy pace
Repeat 8 times
13:01-15:00: Cool-down, easy pace
THURSDAY: TONE-UP ROUTINE
FRIDAY: INTERVAL WALKING
0:00-5:00: Warm-up, easy pace
5:01-18:45: Intervals
15 seconds at moderate pace
60 seconds at easy pace
Repeat 11 times
18:46-20:45: Cool-down, easy pace
SATURDAY: TONE-UP ROUTINE
SUNDAY: INTERVAL WALKING
0:00-5:00: Warm-up, easy pace
5:01-15:00: Intervals
15 seconds at revved-up pace
60 seconds at easy pace
Repeat 8 times
15:01-17:00: Cool-down, easy pace
WEEK 2
MONDAY: TONE-UP ROUTINE
TUESDAY: INTERVAL WALKING
0:00-5:00: Warm-up, easy pace
5:01-15:00: Intervals
15 seconds at revved-up pace
45 seconds at easy pace
Repeat 10 times
15:01-17:00: Cool-down, easy pace
WEDNESDAY: TONE-UP ROUTINE
THURSDAY: INTERVAL WALKING
0:00-5:00: Warm-up, easy pace
5:01-14:00: Intervals
15 seconds at revved-up pace
30 seconds at easy pace
Repeat 12 times
14:01-16:00: Cool-down, easy pace
FRIDAY: TONE-UP ROUTINE
SATURDAY: INTERVAL WALKING
0:00-5:00: Warm-up, easy pace
5:01-15:00: Intervals
15 seconds at supercharged pace
60 seconds at easy pace
Repeat 8 times
15:01-17:00: Cool-down, easy pace
SUNDAY: TONE-UP ROUTINE
KEEP GOING!
To continue to lose weight, gradually increase the intensity of your walks by including longer periods of fast paces with shorter recovery times and incorporating different strengthening moves to keep building muscle. See some of those moves at prevention.com/sbdiet.
YOUR 2-WEEK EATING PLAN
It starts strict, but the purpose is clear: to help kick-start your weight loss and stabilize blood sugar levels to minimize cravings. Your 2-week goal on the South Beach Diet: Eat three meals and two snacks every day, made up of satisfying portions of lean protein, vegetables, low-fat dairy, and good unsaturated fats. What you don't get to eat: starches (no bread, pasta, or rice of any kind) and sugars (no fruits and fruit juices, cakes and cookies, wine and beer).
After 2 weeks, you'll be motivated and more in control, so you'll gradually start to reintroduce some of the off-limits foods, like whole fruits, whole grain breads and whole wheat pasta, and certain root vegetables, such as sweet potatoes and carrots.
Whether you want to lose weight or just maintain, create healthy meals based on these guiding South Beach Diet principles:
CHOOSE GOOD CARBS
Vegetables, fruits, and legumes are good sources. The fiber in these foods slows down digestion so you feel fuller longer. Plus, the vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients in the fruits and veggies help protect against heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer's disease. Get at least ½ cup of vegetables at breakfast and 2 cups at both lunch and dinner. (Remember, certain good carbs are excluded the first 2 weeks of the diet.)
CHOOSE GOOD FATS
Monounsaturated fatty acids in olive, peanut, avocado, and canola oils are good fats, as are the polyunsaturated ones in some nuts, flaxseed, and fish, including salmon and tuna. Good fats help keep cells healthy; they also help you feel satisfied. Limit added oil to 2 tablespoons daily and nuts to ¼ cup per day to help keep calories in check.
CHOOSE LEAN PROTEIN
Foods high in protein are digested slowly; they don't spike your blood sugar, which stimulates hunger and leads to overeating. Choose from lean cuts of beef, lamb, and pork; skinless white meat chicken and turkey; fish and shellfish; soy products; beans and other legumes; eggs; and fat-free and low-fat dairy products.
A SAMPLE DAY BREAKFAST
2 eggs, scrambled, with 2 slices of Canadian bacon and sliced tomatoes
6 oz vegetable juice cocktail
Coffee or tea with 1% or fat-free milk and sugar substitute
MIDMORNING SNACK
Vegetable Dippers with Avocado-Cilantro Guacamole: Mash 1/3 avocado with 1/3 c fat-free cottage cheese, 2 Tbsp chopped onion, 1 tsp minced garlic, and minced cilantro and red-pepper flakes to taste.
LUNCH
Sirloin burger with 2 oz melted reduced-fat Swiss cheese, Dijon mustard, and tomato on bed of lettuce.
Three-Bean Salad: Combine equal amounts of black beans, kidney beans, and chickpeas with chopped red onion to taste. Toss with 2 Tbsp balsamic vinaigrette dressing (1 serving equals ½ cup).
MIDAFTERNOON SNACK
Celery sticks stuffed with 1 wedge French onion and garlic reduced-fat spreadable cheese
DINNER
Pecan-Crusted Trout: In food processor, pulse ½ c pecans, 1 tsp dried rosemary, 1 clove garlic, and 1/8 tsp ground red pepper until finely chopped. Place 4 whole cleaned and boned trout (about 12 oz each) on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Season flesh side with ¼ tsp salt and brush with 1 large egg white. Sprinkle nut mixture over each and press to adhere. Drizzle evenly with 2 tsp olive oil. Bake at 400°F 20 minutes (or until trout is opaque and tender). Makes 4 servings.
Nutritional info per serving: 382 cal, 38 g pro, 3 g carb, 2 g fiber, 24 g fat, 3 g sat fat, 248 mg sodium
Assorted grilled vegetables, such as asparagus, zucchini, and bell peppers
DESSERT
Vanilla Ricotta Cream: In dessert bowl, whisk ½ c part-skim ricotta cheese, ¼ tsp vanilla extract, and 1 packet granular sugar substitute. Serve immediately or chill 2 hours or overnight. For more flavor, add ½ tsp unsweetened cocoa powder.
URL: http://health.msn.com/weight-loss/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100202415
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