Denise's Daily Dozen (40 page)

“I got myself a new pair of gym shoes and workout shorts and began working out with Denise and changing my diet. After just four weeks, I’d dropped two sizes. Within five months, I was down to a size five, and after six months I weighed in at 120 pounds and was a size three juniors—the same size that I was in high school!

“For me, the biggest weight loss challenge was understanding that losing weight is not
just
a diet or
just
working out—it’s a lifestyle change. I also learned that the word
diet
does not necessarily mean healthy. You need to change everything, from getting a lot of sleep and eating healthy to working out and having mental well-being and happiness. My whole life is different now. I used to be afraid to go out; now I love to travel, go to the beach, and spend time with friends. Instead of shopping for clothes that will hide my weight, I look for clothes that fit my small frame. I’ve had people say that I look like a model, and some of my in-laws even jokingly call me Barbie. The best part is when I run into people I haven’t seen in a while. The first thing they say is that they barely recognize me; the second thing is that they want to know exactly how I lost the weight. I love it! Now my dream is to do something fitness-related with my life and help others the way that Denise has helped me. I’ll continue to work out with Denise because I feel great and have confidence that I never had before!”

You can only reach as high as you aim. Set your sights high!

Thursday

H
appy Thursday! You should feel great about your efforts so far and get psyched up for today’s Daily Dozen, an Upper-Body Workout that will give you enviable arms, shoulders, and back muscles. Did you know that this area has more muscles than the lower body? It’s true, because the upper body contains much smaller muscles. The good news about this is that when they’re worked properly, these little guys respond quite quickly. And there’s nothing more motivating than the first time you notice a tiny curve in your bicep or feel a bit of contour in the back of your arm. There’s also nothing sexier and more elegant than a toned upper body. Not only does it look better in so many styles of clothing and create a streamlined silhouette—but it can actually give you an overall trimmer appearance as well. When the muscles of your upper body are more defined, it can camouflage wide hips and a thick waistline by drawing attention above the waist and making you look more proportioned.

MAKE EVERY DAY YOUR BEST DAY!

I believe in being optimistic. It truly helps me to shed unnecessary stress. It also enables me to avoid negative emotions that can gobble up so much time and energy. Positive thinking will do more than help you enjoy life to its fullest and inspire your daily workouts. It will also help you bring enthusiasm to everyone around you. A good attitude is contagious!

In this Daily Dozen Upper-Body Workout, the focus is chiseling gorgeous arms and shoulders and making your chest lifted and your back look beautiful and toned. These exercises do just that by working these body parts from all angles. You’ll notice that in many of the moves, you’ll do a few reps and then make a tiny tweak in your form. That’s because just a little shift in position can zero in on another muscle group (and area of flab), and that makes all the difference in terms of giving you the results you want. Today, as in all the Daily Dozen workouts, you’ll work a different muscle every minute. Like I always say, move those muscles and they’ll work miracles on your metabolism! This means you can say bye-bye to flabby biceps, bra overhang, and skin that jiggles under your arm when you wave. These moves also give your chest a boost because they develop your pectoralis major, the muscles sitting just underneath your breast tissue. For women, this creates the appearance of more lifted breasts (no surgery required), and greatly improves posture for men and women. No more slouching or standing hunched over (bad posture is more than unattractive; it can add five to ten pounds to your appearance).

QUIT THE COMPARISONS

You’re one of a kind! No one in the world is exactly like you. It’s important to keep this in mind whenever you start spouting gloom and doom about how much longer it’s taking you to lose those last ten pounds than your jogging partner, or why your legs aren’t shaping up quite like your gym instructor’s. Instead of thinking negative, be positive and have more faith in yourself and your hard work! You have your own healthy-weight range, based on your height and metabolic rate, which determines how quickly your body burns calories. Furthermore, different body types respond to exercise in different ways. The last thing you should be doing is comparing yourself with others or obsessing about the number on the scale. Focus on achieving your weight loss goals on your own time line. Do what’s right for you, and relish each and every accomplishment!

W
hen you just don’t think you can, keep going! Getting through those weak moments is how you become stronger!

Today’s workout also targets the muscles that run along the fronts of the arms called the biceps, and those that run along the backs of your upper arms called the triceps. One reason I believe it’s important to work the triceps is that they’re the most underused muscles in the body. In day-to-day life, we use our biceps when we pick up our kids or groceries. But we rarely use the triceps, so we need to give them a little extra attention when we exercise. Other moves in your twelve-minute workout target the upper, middle, and lower back as well as the chest and shoulders. Just make sure to keep your belly button pulled in and tight while doing these exercises and you’ll not only protect your back but also give your abs a good workout.

TRICK YOUR EYES—AND YOUR STOMACH!

At meals, take a smaller portion of the main course and then load the rest of your plate with lots of vegetables. Your eyes still see a full plate—even though there you will still feel satisfied.

Remember that your form is important and it’s the quality of the exercise, not the quantity, that will give you the body you’re striving for. Always keep your muscles relaxed as you raise and lower your arms during the different exercises. Keep your neck nice and long, with your shoulders low and away from your ears. Never tense your neck and shoulders. And remember to smile. These simple steps will keep you feeling great. And you are worth it, so pay attention to the details. With your future flat tummy in mind, I’ve also added some extra ab exercises that work both the lower and upper areas of your abdominal muscles. Do them right and I promise you’ll see results.

THURSDAY’S UPPER-BODY AND AB WORKOUT

It’s time to get our weights to target-tone our arms, uplift our chests, shape our shoulders, and sculpt our backs.

1. Warm Up

This opens all the muscles that we’ll be working today. Remember, oxygen equals energy—so breathe.

 
SHOULDER ROLLS
: Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart and bend your left arm as you circle your left shoulder back. Simultaneously lean to the left and bend your left leg. Then shift your weight to the right, slightly bend your right leg, and roll your right shoulder back. Time: 20 seconds.

 
BACK AND CHEST STRETCH
: Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, stretch your arms back behind you as you open up your chest and lean back. Time: 20 seconds.

 
DIAGONAL REACH
: Stand with your feet together and extend your right arm up toward the ceiling on a diagonal while you extend your left arm down toward the ground on a diagonal. Lean back slightly and then switch arms so your right is going toward the ceiling and your left toward the floor. Time: 20 seconds.

2. Rows

This sculpts sexy back muscles and improves your posture.

  Step your left foot out to the side about three to four feet and bend your left knee. Keep your right leg straight behind you. Rest your left hand on your left thigh. Holding both dumbbells in your right hand, extend your arm straight toward the floor with your palm facing your body.

  Bend your right arm and drive your elbow back as you lift your arm as high as you can. Return to the start. Time: 30 seconds on each arm.