The Women's Health Big Book of 15-Minute Workouts: A Leaner, Sexier, Healthier You--In 15 Minutes a Day! (7 page)
Authors: Selene Yeager,Editors of Women's Health
Tags: #Exercise & Fitness, #Weight Training, #Men's Health, #Quick Workouts, #Mind & Body, #Health
SHOVEL SLOWER, EAT LESS
This book is about doing everything superfast! That includes making meals quickly, but not eating them fast! Recent research in the
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
suggests that speed eating blocks the release of hormones in the gut that make you feel full, and this can lead to overeating. In a separate study, obesity researchers found that overweight women and men who slowed down their normal eating pace consumed fewer calories. So, linger over lunch by taking smaller bites and talking to friends. It may take 15 to 20 minutes for your belly to tell your brain it's full.
Meal-by-Meal Guidelines
Remember, this is supposed to be quick and easy, so don’t complicate it. Build your meals around protein and veggies and you’re good to go (and lose!). Here’s an at-a-glance look at what 24 hours of 15-minute weight-loss eating might look like.
MORNING:
Crack those eggs. No matter how you scramble or serve them, they’re a perfect part of the morning meal. Add some cheese, toss in some sliced peppers and tomatoes, and add a serving of meat such as lean sausage or Canadian bacon, and start your day.
MIDMORNING:
A handful of nuts, low-fat yogurt, a protein shake, or some string cheese and grapes will keep you moving through any morning lull.
NOONISH:
Lunch should be a big meaty salad. Mix up tons of greens and veggies with tuna, chicken, beef, or the meat of your choice. For a change, you might want a burger with no bun, some egg salad or tuna wrapped in Romaine leaves, or simply the leftovers from last night’s dinner.
MIDAFTERNOON:
Pump up the protein to shake the sleepy 3 p.m. dip. A smoothie or some nut butter on celery will do the trick.
EVENING:
Dinner is easy. Just pair your favorite meat with a heaping serving of recommended vegetables and you’re on the program. Don’t limit yourself to chicken and broccoli (though that’s a stellar combination) every night or you’ll get bored fast. Try roasting cauliflower and brussels sprouts in some olive oil and garlic for a savory side. Grill asparagus and a skirt steak. Use your imagination and watch the pounds peel away.
For more ideas, check out
Chapter 16
for "
15 Delicious Muscle-Building, Fat-Fighting Meals You Can Make in 15 Minutes or Less
."
*
Any vegetables besides potatoes, peas, and corn are fair game.
What to Drink
Fill your cup with beverages that have 5 calories or fewer per serving. Water is a no-brainer, but a bit boring. Stock up on herbal teas, pick up some Crystal Light, go ahead and enjoy your coffee (just skip the sugar). Diet soda is okay on occasion, but opt for healthier beverages when possible.
As for alcohol, close the bar after one or two drinks per day, whether it’s wine, beer, or hard alcohol. And watch the mixers. Juice, soda, and sugary blended drink mixes amp up the sugar and calories fast. Skip them.
How to Make It Work
IF THIS WAY OF EATING IS COMPLETELY NEW, YOU MIGHT ENCOUNTER A FEW BUMPS AT FIRST. HERE’S A TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE FOR COMMON GLITCHES.
Mood swings.
When you change the way you eat, your body sometimes protests by making you grumpy or tired. This should only last a couple of days. If it lingers a week, be sure you’re taking in enough fluids to stay hydrated. And by all means, eat enough fat. This diet is designed to make you a better fat burner, so you absolutely need to eat this important source of fuel.
Tummy troubles.
Introduce the high-fiber veggies a bit at a time, so your body can make the enzymes you need to digest them. If you suspect you’re not getting enough fiber because you’re eating fewer grains, try taking some Metamucil or Benefiber once a day.
Stuck scale.
If the weight isn’t coming off, do a quick calorie check. Multiply your target body weight by 10 to 12. That’s how many calories you should aim for each day. Count them out for a few days so you know what that amount of food looks like. Many of us don’t have a sense of proper portions.
AVOID THE SUGAR SPIKERS
Foods high in starch and sugar spike your blood sugar too quickly and cause a crash, slowing down your superfast route to a new body. Some common culprits to avoid (or in the case of fruit, simply limit):
•
Bananas
•
Biscuits
•
Candy
•
Chips
•
Cookies
•
Doughnuts
•
Grapes
•
Ice cream
•
Pasta (refined)
•
Rice (white)
•
Soda
•
Sweet tea
•
White bread
Chapter 4:
15-Minute Total-Body Workouts
THE FASTEST WAY TO BURN CALORIES, LOSE WEIGHT, AND TONE MUSCLES EVERYWHERE IS RIGHT HERE.
Superfast Total-Body Workouts
In this chapter you’ll find power-packed workouts specially designed to help you fry flab and sculpt lean, shapely muscle from head to toe—fast. These total-body workouts do that using an exciting mix of high-energy, challenging exercises that fire up every muscle fiber. The more varied your movements, the more motor units you recruit, which activate and build more muscle fibers. As a bonus (because your body also includes your brain), we’ve added mind–body workouts, like the 15-minute mood-lifting routine, too. They’re a perfect complement to resistance training and can be done on your 2 open workout days to let you feel as good as you look.
Start with the basics...
Brand new to strength training? The workouts in this chapter are excellent, but might be a bit outside your comfort zone straight out of the gate. So, cut your teeth (and jump-start body sculpting) with a simple routine of four basic moves. The
Basic Superfast Total-Body Workout
is designed to get you up to speed, fast. Focus on form and use light weights (5 to 8 pounds) until you feel confident that you’re performing the movements smoothly and steadily. Then try the more advanced routines. For the best results, do all of the workouts in the goal area of your choice each week. For example, if you want to shape up for your high school reunion, do both of those workouts and one special area workout (like a lower-body workout) each week. Do the prescribed number of sets and reps for each exercise, opting for a weight at which you can barely squeeze out the last rep of your final set with spot-on form.
FIND IT QUICK:
YOUR 15-MINUTE TOTAL-BODY CIRCUIT PLAN
Basic Superfast Total-Body Workout
Test-the-Water Squat and Biceps Curl
Rotational Lunge and Shoulder Press
Sumo Squat Side Knee Raise and Side Crunch
Reverse Lunge with Rotation and Biceps Curl
Squat with Leg Abduction and Lateral Raise
Hamstring Curl with Chest Press
Dumbbell Reverse Lunge and Curl
Balancing Pushup and Barbell Rollout
Side Stepup with Triceps Kickback
