Denise's Daily Dozen (64 page)

“I decided that enough was enough! I didn’t want to die at a young age from conditions that were preventable. I decided to become a happier, healthier me because, like Denise says, ‘I’m worth it!’ I had never tried to diet, exercise, or lose weight before, but this was
not
a diet. This was a promise to myself to change my life for the better, be healthier, and live longer! I enrolled in a wellness program at work, watched what I ate, and took a class at the gym and exercised with Denise’s DVDs. I loved the challenge and uplifting positivity of Denise’s workouts. I started seeing results in the first few weeks! My clothes were a little looser, and I saw a major difference in my face, waistline, and thighs. I love all of my Denise Austin workouts, but
The Daily Dozen
is one of my absolute favorites. The simple twelve-minute workouts offer an assortment of challenges, from kickboxing to toning to aerobics to the relaxing yoga stretch. I enjoy the workouts so much that I’ll do the whole DVD at once since I’ve progressed to working out for at least an hour every day. I also enjoyed learning about the twelve foods to eat every day. I’ve lost a total of eighty pounds, ten pant sizes, going from a size eighteen to an eight! My BMI is now 23.5, which is well within the healthy weight range for my height. I also recently donated twelve inches of my hair to Locks of Love. I grew my hair throughout my weight loss and cut it when I reached my goal of seventy pounds. I’m extremely proud to say that with the help of Denise Austin, I’ve been able to beat depression, truly commit to being fit, and find a healthier, happier me!”

I’m confident that if you haven’t already seen the beautiful things that are happening to your body and your mind, you will very soon!

Sunday

T
oday is soothing Sunday, and after all your efforts this week, you deserve it! Take a moment and pat yourself on the back for following this plan so far. It might seem as if it was a long first week (or two), but look at all that you’ve accomplished. First, you made the important decision to jump-start your life, and you
did
it! Yes! Then you chose to eat a wholesome diet of good-for-you foods in the place of unhealthy items that used to be lurking in your pantry—a vital step toward better health. Plus, you got moving. You did some cardio, some strength training, and some stretching. Appreciate yourself and the effort you’re making to change your life and get healthy and fit. I believe that the best way to predict your future is to create it and to make it happen. And that’s exactly what you’ve been doing on the Daily Dozen Plan so far. Give yourself a round of applause and know that there are many more great things in store.

D
on’t put off exercise until tomorrow when you can exercise today. Get moving now!

WEIGHT LOSS IS MORE THAN SKIN-DEEP

As you work on shaping up and becoming a healthier person, keep in mind that there is more to becoming healthy than changing your appearance. Just as you can gauge your weight loss by stepping on a scale regularly, you can, and should, measure your progress another way—by taking stock of how you feel! Is your energy level increasing? Are you sleeping better? These things are just as important as your size—if not more so, because they’re signs of good health. Be proud of yourself for how far you’ve come!

GO BACK TO GRADE SCHOOL

Revisit your elementary school days and start jumping rope. This is an efficient but challenging calorie-burning workout. It’s also perfect for people who can’t exercise outdoors due to bad weather or safety concerns. Also, doing a few minutes of jumping here or there can give you an energy boost during the day. If you have trouble coordinating your arms with your feet, start by jumping without the rope, then add it in later. For variety, try doing jumping jack jumps, small jumps, large jumps, and jogging with the rope. It may take a little practice, but you’ll feel like a kid again.

Now, in order to treat your body right after all this hard work, today’s Daily Dozen is a yoga stretch routine that soothes and relaxes your muscles from head to toe. I love yoga and usually do it on weekends, too. Yoga, which originated in India, is an ancient philosophy involving the unity of mind, body, and spirit. It incorporates an approach to achieving enlightenment through specific breathing exercises, meditation, and physical postures called asanas, also known as yoga poses. I’ve included several asanas in today’s Daily Dozen because they help strengthen your muscles, release tension, reduce soreness, and rejuvenate your body. The stretching that follows helps elongate your muscles so they look lean and strong, not bulky. Stretching is also important because it helps improve your flexibility—and being flexible is a critical part of preventing injuries. For example, tight hamstrings can tug on your lower back muscles and cause the back pain that so many people experience daily, and tight quadriceps can cause knee pain. My yoga routine will help you improve your balance, which is the foundation of keeping you young! Additionally, stretching increases circulation, and boosting blood flow throughout your body helps it heal. But equally important to what yoga does for you physically is what it does for you spiritually. It centers you and calms you. It not only rejuvenates your muscles, but rejuvenates your mind.

GET YOUR GROOVE ON

Not in the mood for a walk or a run? Well, you can still get a heart-pumping workout by turning on your favorite high-energy music and boogying. You can’t beat a fun dance workout, so shake, twist, and kick your body slim. As long as you get your heart rate up, you’re burning calories.

FINDING THE PERFECT GYM

If you’ve never belonged to a gym or have never even worked out at one, the prospect of signing up for a membership can be scary!
Which one is for me? When should I go? What do I do when I get there?
Believe me, you’re not alone. It can be a bit overwhelming at first, but like everything in life, all it takes is practice and you’ll be an old pro in no time! If you’re considering a gym membership, think about the gym’s location (you’ll go more if it’s close to work or home), hours (make sure it’s open at times you need to go), offerings (check to see if it has the machines and classes you want), and staff members (are they friendly and certified through a recognized fitness organization?).

The following twelve moves are simple to do—I promise, no crazy pretzel poses. As a whole, these moves target your body from head to toe. But you can also do a few of these stretches each day when you get up in the morning, as a break from sitting for long periods of time, before bed at night to target what ails you, or simply to keep your muscles supple. You’ll see that these moves stretch more than one area at a time, and that tiny tweaks in positioning stretch one muscle in a different way or target a new one. This means that just as form is important when you’re doing strength or cardio workouts, it’s also important when you’re doing yoga stretches. Trust me, once you try it, you’ll be glad you added yoga, with all its benefits, to your workouts!

Though I give you a suggested amount of time to hold each of the stretches below, note that the longer you hold one, the more your muscles will relax. If you’re a beginner and have trouble with balance in some of the poses, hold on to something sturdy like a chair. Also, if you experience tightness, you can encourage your muscles to relax through breathing. Bringing oxygen into the body is very cleansing and energizing and will renew your strength and inspiration. It works the same way as those deep cleansing breaths that help in childbirth! So fill up your lungs and get ready to soothe and pamper your body from head to toe. Why? Because you and your muscles have earned it. You are worth it!

SUNDAY’S YOGA STRETCH WORKOUT

There is nothing more rewarding than taking good care of yourself!

1. Warm Up

It’s very important to move your spine in all directions: lateral moves (sideways), extension of the spine (bending slightly backward), flexion (bending forward), and rotation of the spine (twist). Do these stretches in the following sequence.

 
HALF-MOON:
Stand with your feet together. Lift your arms out to the sides and then up toward the ceiling. Lean your body to the right side, then lean to the left and repeat. This moves your spine laterally. Time: 10 seconds on each side.

 
SPINE STRETCHES:
Stand with your feet together. Lift your arms straight up toward the ceiling and lean back slightly. These stretches are for extension and flexion. Time: 20 seconds.

  Squat down so your body is like a tiny ball. Straighten your legs as your upper body hangs over them with your hands on your calves or under your heels. Time: 20 seconds.