Do It Gorgeously: How to Make Less Toxic, Less Expensive, and More Beautiful Products (60 page)

Breathing:
Exhale as you straighten, inhale to come back to the starting position.

Sets:
3 sets of 12 repetitions

TRICEPS DIP

I love this exercise, as it’s so easy to perform and will give the backs of your arms that “cut” look in just a few sessions.

1. Sit on a chair and place your hands, palms down, on the edge of the seat. Your fingers should be facing forward.
   
2. Draw in your abs and make sure your shoulders are back and down.
   
3. Scoot your sit bones forward and off the seat of the chair. You’ll need to move your feet forward a couple of inches.
   
4. Bend your elbows as you lower your hips toward the floor, until your thighs are parallel with the floor.
   
5. Contract your triceps to bring you back to the starting position.
   

Tip:
Keep your lower back as close to the chair as you can throughout. If this exercise becomes easy, try doing it with your legs straight out in front of you.

Breathing:
Exhale as you lower and inhale back to the starting position.

Sets:
2 sets of 12 repetitions

BICEPS CURL

This is a very straightforward exercise that will deliver great results if done religiously.

1. Grab your dumbbells (5 to 12 pounds should be good, but this is one exercise where you should challenge yourself to go a little heavier than what seems comfortable).
   
2. Stand with your feet hip width apart and your knees slightly bent.
   
3. Draw in your abdominal muscles and release your shoulders down and away from your ears.
   
4. Hold the dumbbells at your sides with your palms facing inward.
   
5. Starting with your left arm, raise the dumbbell toward your shoulder. As it moves past your hip, rotate it so that your palm faces upward. Return to starting position and repeat with the other arm.
   

Tip:
Tuck your elbow into your side to secure your upper arm (it shouldn’t move). At the top of each movement, pause for a beat as you squeeze the dumbbell.

Breathing:
Exhale as you curl upward and inhale to release down.

Sets:
2 sets of 12 repetitions

SHOULDER SCULPT ONE

The shoulders are viewed from all angles, and when toned can look extremely sexy in a tank or a top with spaghetti straps.

1. Grab your dumbbells (5 to 8 pounds are good).
   
2. Stand with your feet hip width apart and your knees slightly bent.
   
3. Hold the dumbbells in front of your thighs with your palms facing in.
   
4. Contract your abs and draw your shoulders down and back.
   
5. Lift both dumbbells until your arms are parallel to the floor.
   
6. Slowly return the dumbbells to the starting position.
   

Tip:
Kill two birds with one stone and combine this with a squat (see “DIY Mind/Body/Spirit”).

Breathing:
Exhale as you lift and inhale back to the starting position.

Sets:
3 sets of 10 repetitions

SHOULDER SCULPT TWO

1. Stand with your feet together and your knees slightly bent.
   
2. Hold your 5- to 8-pound dumbbells by your sides, palms facing in.
   
3. Contract your abs and draw your shoulders back and down.
   
4. With your elbows slightly bent, raise your arms out to the sides until they are parallel to the floor.
   
5. Slowly lower them back to the starting position.
   

Tip:
Make sure you keep your shoulders down and back, as you don’t want to increase tension in your neck and shoulders.

Breathing:
Exhale as you lift and exhale back to the starting position.

Sets:
2 sets of 12 repetitions

Yoga

There are three poses/stretches that you should do after the exercises I’ve just described. They should take no more than 10 minutes. Indulge in this time, as it should feel like a wonderful respite after your workout.

THREAD THE NEEDLE

1. Lie on your back on a soft surface with your knees bent. Cross your right foot over your left knee and flex your left foot.
   
2. Thread your left hand through the triangle in between your legs and grab the front of your right shin or the back of your right thigh with both hands.
   
3. Interlace your fingers and stay there, breathing deeply, for 3 minutes.
   

COBRA

1. Lie on your tummy on a soft surface. Turn your head to one side and place your palms on the floor in line with your bra strap—fingers facing forward and elbows pointing up.
   
2. Point your toes behind you.
   
3. As you gently press your tailbone into the floor, draw your shoulders down away from your ears and toward your spine.
   
4. As you inhale, raise your breastbone up toward the sky, gazing upward. Take 3 deep breaths.
   
5. As you exhale, release back down and turn your head to one side.
   

TRICEPS STRETCH

1. Kneel on a soft surface, sitting back on your heels. Extend your left arm out to the side, bend your elbow, and place your left hand up your back. Your fingers should point up toward your head and the back of your hand should be flat against your back.
   
2. Reach up with your right hand toward the sky, bend your right elbow, and crawl your right fingers down your back to try to catch your left fingers.
   
3. If you can’t reach, grab a towel or a belt to hold on to between both hands.
   

Alternative Therapies

Alternative therapies can be very, very expensive, so it may come as some relief to know that you can perform many of these therapies safely on yourself and your partner at no expense.

You don’t have to believe in any weird religion, cult, or outlandish philosophy for many of these simple techniques to work. Many alternative therapies concern themselves with our “energy” or “life force.” This is hard for some people to wrap their heads around, because we can’t actually see this energy. Many psychics and healers claim they can, but for the skeptical among us, we just have to trust that there’s an invisible network of energy that can be manipulated or tweaked to assist in healing ourselves, mentally, physically, and spiritually.