The South Beach Diet Supercharged: Faster Weight Loss and Better Health for Life (15 page)

Improves posture by strengthening upper-back muscles and stretching chest muscles.

1.
Sit up straight on the edge of a chair with your feet hip-width apart and your knees in line with your ankles. Your feet should be firmly planted on the floor. Place your palms on your thighs.


2.
Pull your abdominals in and round your back as you drop your head in between your knees.


3.
Arch your spine and tighten your abdominal muscles as you slowly unfurl into the upright starting position. Be sure to keep your shoulders down. Move slowly so you can feel your back muscles working. This is 1 rep.

Improves back flexibility.

1.
Sit up straight on the edge of a chair with your feet hip-width apart and your knees in line with your ankles. Your feet should be firmly planted on the floor. Place your palms on your thighs.


2.
Keeping your back straight, pull in your abdominal muscles. Twist from your waist as you turn to the left, sliding your right hand down your right thigh and your left hand up your left thigh. Your feet and legs should remain still.


3.
Twist from your waist as you turn to the right, sliding your left hand down your left thigh and your right hand up your right thigh. When you finish 1 twist to the left and 1 twist to the right—this is 1 rep—keep going. This movement should be done in a single fluid motion.

Tightens the midsection and improves the muscles that track and support the knees.

1.
Sit up straight on a chair, gripping the seat with both hands. Your feet should be hip-width apart and your knees in line with your ankles. Keep your arms straight and your chest lifted as you pull in your abdominal muscles. Lean back slightly and lift both feet about 4 to 6 inches off the floor, keeping your knees close together and your back relaxed. Make sure that you are using your abdominal muscles to lift your legs and are not sinking into your arms or stressing your back. If your back hurts, support it with a cushion.


2–3.
Kick out your right leg in a controlled manner, return to the starting position, and kick out your left leg (this is 1 rep). This should be a fluid motion; don’t stop between reps. Work at a slow, controlled pace and feel the contraction in your upper thighs.

A beautiful leg-shaper. Excellent for lower abdominal strength, hip- and knee-joint flexibility, and mobility.

1.
Sit up straight on a chair, gripping the seat with both hands, your feet together and your knees in line with your ankles. Keep your arms straight and your chest lifted as you squeeze in your abdominal muscles. Lean back slightly and lift both feet 4 to 6 inches off the floor, keeping your knees close together and your back relaxed. Make sure that you are using your abdominal muscles to lift your legs and are not leaning on your arms or stressing your back.


2.
Circle both legs to the right 4 times, as though stirring a tall drink.


3.
Without lowering your legs, reverse direction and do 4 circles to the left.

Increases awareness, flexibility, and mobility in the neck, shoulders, and rib cage. Great for people with neck pain.

1.
Stand with your feet firmly planted on the floor. Press your heels into the floor and contract the muscles in your butt (keep them contracted throughout the exercise). Hold your arms up with your elbows bent at a 90-degree angle, palms facing forward.


2.
Circle your shoulders forward 4 times.


3.
Reverse direction and circle your shoulders backward 4 times.

Increases flexibility and mobility in the neck and rib cage. Strengthens the back.

1–3.
Stand straight and place your hands on top of your head. Pull your elbows back. Press your heels into the floor to contract the muscles in your butt (keep them contracted throughout the exercise). Pull in your abdominal muscles and, moving from your waist, circle your rib cage 4 times from left to right without moving your hips (try to draw a circle on the ceiling with the top of your head). It should feel as if you are using a hula hoop with the hoop just under your rib cage. Switch directions and do 4 circles from right to left.

Gives you flat abs and a sexy six-pack!

1.
Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your feet hip-width apart. Press your feet firmly into the floor and contract your thigh muscles. Work against your body weight. Imagine that you are trying to squeeze your legs together but they’re so heavy, they won’t budge.


2–3.
Contract your pelvic floor muscles and squeeze your belly button in toward your spine. Roll back one vertebra at a time, resisting gravity as you lower yourself all the way down to the floor. Keeping your abdominal muscles tight, lift your spine one vertebra at a time back to the starting position (1). This is 1 rep.

Variation:
When you are strong enough to do Roll-Downs comfortably without losing form, try this variation. Roll down to the point where it’s most challenging to hold yourself up. Keeping your abdominal muscles tight, make a complete circle with your entire torso to the right 8 times. Keep your hips and sit bones stable—don’t rock your pelvis. Make a complete circle with your entire torso to the left 8 times.