Start with 10, take a 30 second break and try 10 more!

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms at sides.
• Start by doing a regular squat and then jump up as explosively as you can when you rise up reaching for the ceiling.
• When you land, lower your body back into the squat position to complete one rep.
• Do two sets of 10 reps.

Tip: Use your whole foot to jump, not just your toes, and try not to let your shoulders lean out beyond your knees as this can strain and injure your back.

Here is a video to check out the form. This guy is a weirdo but its the best short video of a squat I could find ha ha

Since you can’t select the areas of your body you want slimmer, the next best option is to learn a few new overall body workouts that target your core since most of the time the core is what gives people problems. This week Tony Cress gives us a few new moves that focus on your core, both work great when combined with cardio. Check it out!

For all of Tony Cress’ workout videos check out his YouTube Channel

or

Add him on Facebook or Twitter!

I am definitely guilty of slouching at times, so this was a great reminder to never slouch, all while offering up some great workout tips on how to correct the poor posture accumulated over the years. Check it out! Hopefully this will also be a reminder to sit up straight next time you are sitting at work or at home.

For all of Tony Cress’ workout videos check out his YouTube Channel

or

Add him on Facebook or Twitter!

lift more weight without bulking up. Just ask fitness model Amber Elizabeth

I bet you’re wondering, but won’t heavier weights and less reps give you big buff man muscles? No, for obvious, simple reasons. Women do not, and cannot, naturally produce as much testosterone (one of the main hormones responsible for increasing muscles) as males do, so it is impossible for a woman to gain huge amounts of muscle by simply lifting weights. In fact, you might find that by increasing your weight a bit, and decreasing your reps, you can actually slim down and tone your muscles better. So..today’s Move It Monday by Tony Cress, is dedicated to correcting those worries, and to shed some light on reasons why you might feel bulkier after lifting weights…hint, it’s NOT the weights!

Tony Cress also gives us some at home workouts you can do daily, just for rare days when getting to the gym is impossible. I tried to do some of the push ups and almost died, give them a try!

For more at home amazing workouts visit Tony’s YouTube Channel

Or add Tony on Facebook or Twitter for continuous fitness tips throughout the day!

Ha ha ha I can’t believe Tony did this topic I suggested, such a good friend As all my friends know I was totally obsessed with Britney Spears back in her prime 2002 days, and remember watching this video wanting to cry at how cute she was, perfect bod. So, what better Move It Monday topic than how to slowly get into Britney circa 2002 shape. I remember reading her workouts like a psycho when she was super in shape and she always talked about intense upper body exercises.

So after you watch the video that made me suicidal, check out Tony Cress’ workout video for Britney Spears shoulder & arm workout tips. All you need is a set of weights and a mirror

For more info on Personal Training with him in Las Vegas visit www.tonycress.com

or for the rest of his videos, visit his YouTube Channel here.

So I just had to let everyone know that it is not my fault that Move it Monday’s keep falling on Tuesday’s… Please contact my pal Tony and ask him what the deal is ha ha. Anyway, better late than never right!?

This week we had a few people ask about how to tone up their thighs without having them bulk up with exercises that could be done at home.  Check out Tony’s Tips this week for Fab Firm Toned Thighs

For more of Tony’s fitness videos & tips check out past Move It Mondays or visit www.tonycress.com

I totally neglect my abs because I feel they’re hopeless, soooo this week’s Move it Monday’s focus is on what else? Lower abs! Watch this video by Tony Cress which discusses the cardio, diet and ab exercises needed to perfect your lower abs. Ask any personal trainer and they will tell you abs are made in the kitchen which means you really have to watch what you eat if you want a leaner mid section. After the video I attached a list of  tons of good and bad foods that either help or hurt your abs. Combine diet, cardio, and a few ab exercises and you will be on your way to fab abs.

For more videos check out www.tonycress.com or add him on facebook! He def has the craziest abs ever, it stresses me out :/

Now onto your diet…

GREAT foods for abs

* Egg Whites- Another really good source of protein, egg whites are perfect to add to your six pack abs diet. Egg whites are great because they are very inexpensive to buy and you can do so many different things with them.

* Green veggies- Green vegetables work so well because they are low in calories and have a high volume content.

* Almonds- While almonds are a lot higher in calories and fat than some other foods, they are also an excellent source of healthy fat and will help to keep you feeling fuller longer. (Skip the salted, flavored ones sorry guys)

* Cottage Cheese- Not only is cottage cheese an excellent source of calcium, but it also contains a very slow digesting form of protein that will help to provide your muscles with a good source of amino acids for a number of hours.

* Natural Peanut Butter- Natural PB has a healthy fat content which not only keeps you fuller for longer, but it also contains heart healthy fats that increase your heart’s health.

* Grapefruit- Most people that eat grapefruits increase their insulin resistance, anything that improves insulin resistance also helps burn fat off of your hips.

* Fish- Any fish that is caught in the wild such as tuna, salmon and cod have numerous health and fat burning benefits to help you get six pack abs. The main reason is due to the high content of omega-3 fish oil. Fish oil has been shown to reduce the negative effects of sugar on the body, which helps to keep your metabolism high.

Click for more & for the 12 WORST foods you can eat!

It is not hard to remember the top twelve power foods, the 12 food can fit in one phrase “Abs Diet Power”

Almonds
Beans
Spinach

Diary
Instant Oatmeal
Eggs
Turkey

Peanut Butter
Olive oil
Whole grain breads
Extra whey protein powder
Raspberries

Now onto the BAD food for abs. Aka my entire diet…

Steer clear of these 12 worst foods that’ll crush your six pack dreams.

1) Margarine. It is loaded with trans fats, which are the worst kind of fats that one can ever eat, and it has a high caloric content. Health problems, including cancer, high cholesterol, and heart disease, have been associated with eating margarine.

2) White bread is devoid of all the nutrition that whole grain bread provides, making it one of the worst foods for a diet. It should serve as a complex carbohydrate, but it acts more like a simple sugar, as a result, white bread raises your insulin levels and causes your body to store more fat.

3) Duh, French fries. Many health experts suggest that even moderate consumption of French fries could be harmful for the body.

4) Processed Cheese—one of the worst foods for a six pack abs diet. With almost no nutritional value, processed cheese is rich in fat, salt, and calories. In fact, the law requires that most manufacturers of processed cheese label their products as “cheese food” or “cheese product.”.

5) Whole Milk contains 3.7 percent fat and, per glass, has twice as many calories as skim milk. Choose skim milk over whole milk for the best results.

6) Bacon and Sausage. One slice of bacon has about 100 calories, and to top that, most of these come from fats. In addition, the nitrates in bacon are converted into cancer-causing agents, so bacon must be avoided. Not a problem for me. Yuck.

7) Cookies and Crackers- Eating a whole box of these is not a difficult task, albeit they have no nutritional value. Just like white bread, they are high in simple sugars that keep your blood sugar levels unbalanced and contribute to fat storage.

High-sugar breakfast cereals. If you want a healthy breakfast cereal, look for one that’s made from 100% whole grains and is completely sugar-free.

9) Commercial Peanut Butter. High in fat and very calorie dense. Rather than eating commercial peanut butter that is loaded with unhealthy additives like hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup, its better to consume small amounts of natural peanut butter.

10) Donuts pack on pounds easily, for obvious reasons… they are high in fat, sugar, and calories.

11) Soft Drinks should be avoided altogether when you’re following a fat-loss program. These are loaded with sugar and calories, with zero nutritional value.

12) Ice Cream is a combination of saturated fat and simple sugar, and of course have tonssss of calories. Ice cream also contains artificial flavorings, preservatives, and fillers; obviously, it is one of the worst foods for a six pack abs diet.

Also avoid these sneakily packaged foods that appear healthy but most definitely are not!

* Reduced fat wheat thins- These would appear to be healthy because of the words “reduced fat” and “wheat” rightttt?  But if you look a little closer, some of the ingredients are: enriched flour, sugar, cornstarch, malt syrup, high fructose corn syrup….and there are quite a few more. Hmmm.  Not so good for your abs.

* Lean Cuisines or other high sodium foods- Again, you’re getting tricked by the word “lean” but it’s not just Lean Cuisine , most of these frozen meals aren’t that healthy.  Here are some of the ingredients: blanched macaroni product, sugar, blue cheese, modified food starch, corn syrup solids, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, as well as too many other ingredients to type.

Conclusion?

1. Don’t eat foods that come in boxes or bags

2. Eat foods with as few ingredients as possible, which means you want foods as natural as possible. So I’m talking about berries, nuts, eggs, fish, lean chicken, spinach, sweet potatoes, oatmeal, etc.

I think this will be my New Years Resolution. Avoid these nasty foods!

Today’s Move It Monday is not really an actual “move” however it is a tip! Take the holiday treats, hide them and bring them out only to give them away, otherwise you will eat the whole plate, or I would at least. Or hey give them to a bum, let him be fat and jolly.

Outta sight outta mind, work wonders with certain people, and cookies as well

Here we go… little late but worth the wait… move it Monday Holiday edition Everyone loves to make excuses on why they become total holiday fatties, but not this year! Christmas is one day, I’m not sure how on earth people manage to gain 20lbs over the holidays, but they do. This year lets try to control our cookie count and not do too much damage. If you do plan on eating a few hearty meals, promise me you will do a few good workouts before hand I will try to keep my own promise as well.

Anyway, since you all think you’re sooo busy over the holidays to really stay in shape, the least you could do are a few at home, quick workouts. This week Tony Cress, a personal trainer, focuses on a simple but effective home workout to get your heart rate at least up goin a bit. You can modify it to your liking, something is better than nothing and push ups are an awesome way to get a quick workout in. I have been perfecting my push ups, I can do about 30 real ones now How many can you do?

Check out this quick workout video that even features a few holiday diet tips & foods to avoid! For more of Tony’s featured fitness tips visit http://tonycress.com/

My friend Tony is a personal trainer and fitness expert based out of Las Vegas and always has fabulous quick tips for getting into shape so I decided to share a few with you each Monday to give you ideas on different areas of your body to target. I know I get lost sometimes at what to do next so if you nee a few extra tips, he is here to help! This week’s focus? Your butt.

For some reason mine is shrinking so I asked him to focus on that. These exercises can be done at home quickly to get something small in for the day, or done at the gym with weights for an intense butt workout… up to you. These are some great exercises to keep your butt nice and toned, and to give it a bit more shape.

To learn more about Tony Cress and his personal training packages please visit http://tonycress.com