Okay ladies, let’s be honest. Winter is time for family, friends, and … food. Lots of food. I’m talking about the turkey you had on Christmas, the latkes for Hanukkah, some sweet potatoes for Kwanzaa, and the champagne you guzzled on New Year. These celebratory meals makes us feel good and cozy, but can also creep on weight to our waistlines without us thinking twice. In fact, studies show that the average person gains five pounds during the fall and winter — including those that consider themselves to be healthy individuals!
If you’ve been struggling to shed those stubborn pounds – do not fear. We have something (coupled with healthy eating) that will help with that: A BOMB ASS WORKOUT (and a groovy playlist to go with it).
Put down the pie and pick up the pace. We created a customized playlist and workout to help you feel good from the inside out. With the cold weather and grey skies, this workout will not only help you use the energy you store after eating, but it will also boost your mood and help you zap 200+ calories in less than an hour. Check it out and let us know how you feel afterwards; every BAUCE woman needs a healthy mind and body to keep up with their hustle.
BAUCE 50-MIN WORKOUT
MINDFUL JOG JACKS. 6 Minutes
It’s time to WARM UP. Find some empty space in your garage, back patio, or in a clear room and loosen those limbs. Start by jogging in place for 30 seconds, making sure to notice where there are any possible tensions in your body. Do 30 jumping jacks, making sure to keep your body in alignment, your head straight and your arms straight over your head when jumping out. Repeat this jog/jack switch off 2 more times.
When this is completed, stretch out any points of tension (calves, quads, shoulders, hip flexors, etc.) for 3 minutes.
BOOTY BUMPERS. 8 minutes
Right Left Squats: All booties deserve some lifting. Start by standing tall, feet together and take a step outwards with your right leg. Keep your feet parallel, and proceed by completing one normal squat. Your feet should be aligned directly below your shoulders while squatting. On your way up, bring your right leg in, feet together. Do 10 of these on the right side and repeat on the left side. (When squatting, it’s important to send your butt backwards, bending your knees and forming a 90 degree angle. Make sure your knees don’t extend past your toes and that you are putting the pressure in your butt muscles instead of your back or knees.)
Right Left Lunge Squats: Next, standing with your feet together, extend your right leg, stepping far enough to complete a side lunge. Make sure that your left leg is straight and planted to the ground and that your right leg is bent while squatting. As you come up, return to the standing, start position. Do this 10 times on the right, and 10 times on the left.
Lunge Backs: Standing feet together, send your right leg behind you for a lunge. Come up, returning to the starting position. Do this 10 times on both the right and left sides.
Kneeling Leg Extensions: Floor time! Put down a yoga mat, towel, or find a carpeted area to complete this exercise. Starting out with your knees and hands down on the surface in a crawling position, extend your right leg back behind you, right toes touching the floor. Your right leg should be straight, left leg bent and resting on the floor. Lift your right toes off of the ground, lifting your right leg toward the ceiling/sky while squeezing your glutes and keeping a tight core. Descend that leg and repeat 19 more times. Do the same on the left side.
Crossover Leg Extensions: Start in the same position as the last exercise (knees and hands on floor, straight back, head aligned with shoulders) and send your right leg back and to the side at a 45 degree angle (or slightly right of the body like the bottom half of the letter ‘K’), toes touching the floor. Lift the leg into the air crossing over the left leg and touching the floor on the opposite side. Lift the leg again and swing it back to the right side. Repeat 9 more times and switch legs, then starting your left leg back and slightly left, lifting up and over to the right side and back to the left side.
ARMY ARMS. 8 minutes
Tricep Dips: Find a ledge in your vicinity. This could be a sturdy chair, the stairs, a block, the curb, etc. Sit on the ledge you find most suitable, hands on either side of your body, fingers facing forwards while holding onto the ledge. Lift your butt off of the ledge and move slightly forward to do 15 tricep dips. This means you are bending at the elbow allowing your body to dip downwards off the ledge, your arms making a 90 degree angle at the elbow. Rest for 30 seconds and repeat 2 more times.
Push Ups: Next is push-ups! You can either have knees on the floor or off, but make sure to keep your back straight, your head aligned with your shoulders, and your arms bending at a 90 degree angle. Do 3 sets of 10 push ups.
Arm Floaters: Time to tone using gravity. Standing up, send both of your arms outwards like the letter ‘T’, making sure your arms are straight and palms are faced down. Pulse for 45 seconds making small circles forward then repeat for 45 seconds going backwards. Take a one minute break. Next, do the same thing making medium circles, forwards then backwards.
AFTER PARTY ABS. 10 minutes
Crunches: Begin by laying on your back, feet above you bent at a 90 degree angle. Put your hands behind your ears, lightly touching your head but not pulling, and crunch upwards toward your knees. Do 20 crunches.
Twisting Crunches: In the same position, twist while crunching, touching your right elbow to your left knee. Do 15 of these and switch/repeat on the left side.
Bicycle Crunches: Still in the same position, touch your right elbow to your left knee, while simultaneously sending your right leg out and straight. Then switch, bringing your right leg inward, touching your left elbow to your right knee and lowering and extending the left leg. This is a bicycle crunch. Right once, left once is one. Do 20 of these.
Plank and Twisted Plank: Turn onto your stomach and get into a plank position with your elbows, forearm, and toes on the ground. Hold the plank for one minute then lower so your full body is laying on the floor. Rest for a minute. Next, go back into the plank position, only this time twisting your body and touching your right and left hips to the ground one after another for 30 seconds. Then lower. Go into Child’s Pose (pushing backwards, knees to ground, folding your body over itself, butt on heels, hands over your head resting on the ground while your head rests on the floor).
Penguin Crunches: On your back, lie down with your knees bent and feet planted to the floor. You are going to lift your head slightly as you touch your right ankle with your right hand and then your left ankle with your left hand. You will be crunching the side of your abdominals, twisting from side to side. Right and left is one. Do this 20 times making sure not to strain your neck too much.
Flat Back, Heel to Toe Crunches: Now lay flat on your back, legs down and body fully touching the ground. Place your right heel on top of your left toe. (This should look like you are placing one foot in front of the other as you would do walking on a tightrope, except you are on your back.) Place your hands behind your ears and lift slightly in a crunch position, not coming up all the way. Then lower. Do 15 of these then switch legs, putting the left heel on top of your right toe. Repeat for another 15 crunches.
CARDIO FREESTYLE. (12 minutes)
Since you are working out in your own space, this is time for you to create your own cardio. Do 12 minutes of cardio (brisk walk, light jog, run, dance, twerk, bike, skate, play basketball, etc.).
COOL DOWN. (5 minutes)
Walk in place for one minute.
Stand feet apart and slightly turned outwards about 45 degrees. Inhale while lifting your hands above your head, and exhale, lowering your arms and bending your knees. Repeat 4 more times.
Lift your right arm and stretch it over your head, bending at the hip and leaning over to your left. Hold. Repeat for left arm leaning right.
Put your legs together and bend over, touching the ground if you can. Bend one knee for 20 seconds, then alternate. Roll up, stacking each vertebrae and coming up slowly, your head last to look up. Sit on the ground, feet spread apart. Lean to the left and right, extending the opposite arm overhead. Hold. Then lean forward, keeping your back straight, your legs still out on either side of you. Hold.
Stand up and find a wall or stair to stretch out your calves. Put one foot against the surface at a time, leaning into the surface to create the stretch. (Make sure to not use shoes on white walls in case they leave a mark. Take shoes off if necessary).
