Body makeover: So long trouble spots
Danny's top fit tips
Mix Up Your Workouts: To burn fat and tone trouble spots, you need to alternate intense cardio with weight training. Warm up for two minutes on a treadmill, elliptical machine, stairclimber or bicycle. For the next three minutes, work as hard as you can. After one minute of recovery, do another three-minute drill, such as jumping jacks. Eventually your recovery time should be only 30 seconds between moves.
Eat Less, More Often: Eat five or six small healthy meals a day. Cut out unhealthy carbs, sugar and fat, while increasing protein to help build lean muscle.
Drink Water Religiously: Have plenty of water throughout the day and especially right before you eat. It helps you consume less and improves digestion.
Sneak in Fitness Anywhere and Everywhere: Waiting in line, stopped at a light or just chilling in front of the TV? Take advantage of the opportunity to do 10 to 20 butt or ab squeezes. Try a random set of lunges while on the phone, or hold a plank during a commercial break.
And here are his six moves to help you kick fat to the curb.
Get Motivated By a Virtual Personal Trainer: Download Danny Musico’s Celebrity Fitness app for extra tips, tricks and words of motivation, as well as a customized workout with training drills.
Step and squat
Stand with feet together, hands on your hips . Take a wide step out to the right, squeezing your glutes as hard as you can. Lower body down into a squat, keeping knees behind toes. Hold squat for a count of two, then slowly straighten legs and step feet back together. Repeat 12 times using your right foot, then switch and do 12 using your left foot.
Perfect your form: Imagine you’re sliding down a wall, so pull shoulders back and down and keep chin level with the ground.
Dial it down: Skip the side step and just do the squats.
Amp it up: Hold a five- or 10-pound weight in each hand. Or perform move with arms raised overhead.
Walking lunges
Stand with feet together, hands on your waist . Starting with your left leg, step forward and bend both knees into a lunge position. Next, straighten your legs and step your right foot up beside the left. Repeat the lunge, this time leading with your right leg. Continue lunging, alternating legs, for 12 reps. Do three sets.
Perfect your form: Engage your core to improve your balance.
Dial it down: Skip the walking portion and do stationary forward lunges.
Amp it up: Carry dumbbells or hold a medicine ball with arms extended in front of your chest.
Ball push-ups
Get into a push-up position with your shins and feet resting on an exercise ball. Bend elbows and slowly lower your upper body toward the floor. Return to starting position and repeat. Do five to eight reps.
Perfect your form: Don’t lock your elbows or allow your butt to sag.
Dial it down: Do push-ups from your knees, without the ball.
Amp it up: Roll the ball in toward you at the top of each push-up.
Boxer’s jump rope
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and pretend you’re holding a jump rope with your hands. Skip as fast as you can without stopping for 30 seconds. After a 15-second break, skip again for 30 seconds. Repeat for three minutes.
Perfect your form: Keep shoulders down and relaxed and knees soft. Push up off the balls of your feet and land lightly on them. Keep elbows close to your sides.
Dial it down: Perform leg portion only, lifting feet only a few inches off the ground.
Amp it up: Make larger movements. Travel forward, back and side to side in a square or circle pattern.
Power plank
Get into push-up position, gripping a light hand weight in each hand. Slowly pull one hand up toward your chest. Lower arm back down and repeat move with the other hand. Do 12 reps per side.
Perfect your form: No twisting allowed! Keep your core strong, hips raised and body level.
Dial it down: Do the move from your knees and skip the weights.
Amp it up: Use heavier weights and add a few reps.
Double reverse crunches
Lie on the ground with your hands behind your head and your feet off the floor, knees bent to 90 degrees. Keeping feet together, bring knees in toward your chin. Return to starting position and lower your arms to the floor (for balance). Then straighten your legs, contract your abs and curl your hips off the floor, reaching your feet up toward the ceiling. Do three sets of 12 reps.
Perfect your form: Don’t swing your legs in and out; lead with your abs, using controlled movements. If your back starts to lift, stop moving your legs and hold the position for two to three seconds. (Try to visualize squishing something between your lower back and the floor.)
Dial it down: Do the crunches without lifting your legs.
Amp it up: Do gentle flutter kicks while your legs are in the air.
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