In Case You Missed It ...
Apr 3, 2009 3:11 pm US/Central
Gina Miller Tackles Bathing Suit Season Fitness
NORTH TEXAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
It's close. It's lurking just around the corner. Not tax day. Not that Easter Sunday family dinner that might have you stressing over clover-ham and side dish recipes. I am talking about something more dreaded, feared, and high-blood pressure inducing than any of that. I'm talking about… bathing suit season!
I know. I know. Nightmares of poochy tummies and saddle bags are clouding your dreams. Okay, maybe not yours, but they're certainly haunting mine. But fear not! There are some bathing suit targeted moves; perhaps more specifically '
bikini specific' moves that can help you trim those problem areas.
Karon Karter is a Dallas-based pilates instructor who has authored eight books on health and fitness and hosts a TV show or two. She's developed a program that can get you that bathing suit body. In the video at right, check out the moves she showed me from her book
The Six-Week Bikini Countdown. Karter says the exercises will give you
serious results in six weeks.
The moves we did focused on the stomach, gluteus and thighs. Let's be frank: women's trouble spots. "I love the concept of core strength," Karon says. "When you have strong belly and back muscles, then the rest of the body gets strong."
For a goal of getting in bathing suit shape in six weeks (that's pretty quick), you would need to do the profiled workout about six days a week, in conjunction with a solid cardio program, and incorporate interval training to keep your heart rate high, to burn calories. An approach this focused will require commitment and you will have to eat a healthy, balanced diet.
Beyond pursuits of vanity, though, a strong midsection is good for everyday living. Sitting at a desk all day? You need a strong core for good posture. Carrying around children, laundry and a telephone? You need that solid middle to power you through the day. Want to look hot in that bathing suit? A strong, toned midsection is key. It's all related.
If looking good is your goal (and there is nothing wrong with that because when you look good, you feel good, too), Karon has a great tip. "Go out and buy a bikini. Put it on and discover what you want to change about yourself," she suggests. "Write it down and as you go through the program, watch every week and see what is disappearing."
I love this idea. It gives you a starting point and helps you chart your progress and see your tangible improvements. I'm big on progress, goals, and start and end points, and her point resonated with me.
Let's be honest, the goal might not be a bikini. Maybe it's just tightening up and losing an inch or two. They key is getting healthy and feeling better about ourselves and, hey, if it helps us look good in a bathing suit or two, I'm in.
To learn more about Karon's program,
check out her website. Her most recent book,
The Ultimate Body Shaping Bible, is already on store shelves.
The moves we used for this particular workout were taken from the book
The Six-Week Bikini Countdown.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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