Ah, the holidays! Healthy Hollywood is planning to enjoy the day’s BBQ festivities, but is not looking forward to any post-celebratory bloat. After all, a day of eating and drinking can do a number on your body!
Yet, before you get upset because you’ve consumed one too many burgers, fitness expert Tracey Mallett has some advice. “Flush away the toxins with lots of water; add lemon to get some much needed vitamin C to keep your immune system in gear after a party weekend of eating foods high in fat and alcohol that dehydrates.”
Also, no excuses! You must get right back on track and exercise after a high calorie food fest. “When you’ve eaten excess calories it’s time to burn them. So pick exercises that specifically work the larger muscle groups in the lower body (quads and hamstrings) will result in more calories burned. Try a circuit class that incorporates some high intensity cardio with lower body strength training.
The goal is to build lean muscle mass, but at the same time burn fat.”
Tracy, who created the popular “Booty Barre” program, shares with Healthy Hollywood a mini post-Memorial Day workout. “Perform each exercise once; then repeat all three exercises again two more times for a mini post Memorial Day blast,” commands Tracey!
1. Ski Move: (works glutes, hamstrings, and quads)
Works the entire lower body and when performed at a brisk pace gives you a cardio effect that burns calories. Start with your feet shoulder width apart and the knee bent with the arms by the side of the body. Pitch the torso forward, hinging from the hips. Then, jump out to the side as you land on one bent leg and the opposite leg extends and crosses behind the body as your arms swing across the body in the same direction. Push off the supporting leg and jump laterally to the other side. Repeat. Perform side to side for one minute.
2. Plies with Releve: (works glutes, hamstrings, quads, inner thighs and calf muscles)
Start with legs externally rotated at the hips and the feet should be a little further than shoulder width apart. Arms reach out to the side. Lift the right heel off the floor and press the ball of the foot into the floor. Then, start to perform small up and down pulses (16 times); repeat with other heel raised for 16 pulses.
3. Plank Knee Drops: (works abs and upper body)
Start in plank position with hands shoulder width apart. Drop the knees towards the floor as you draw the abdominals towards and spine and exhale. Then extend knees back into plank. Do 15 to 20 reps.
For more fitness tips from Tracey, head over to www.traceymallett.com
–Terri MacLeod
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