I just have to come right out and say it — 2011 is the Year of the Rear. Sure, some ladies like J.Lo have always been known for their fantastic behinds, but this year everywhere you turn people are fawning over curvaceous ladies like Kim Kardashian and Beyonce. So I’ve put together a quick, simple exercise series that will tone, shape and add you to the list of perfect posteriors in no time.

I used a yoga mat for these exercises, for a little extra padding under my hands and knees. If you don’t have a yoga mat, a towel or blanket will also work. Remember to keep your abs engaged as you do these exercises to support your lower back.

1. Straight Leg Lifts

Begin on your hands and knees. Extend one leg straight out behind you, and then lift it until it is in line with your torso. Gently and with control, lower your leg to the ground again. Repeat this move 10 times, and then keep that leg up in the air and move on to…

2. Knee Bends

Beginning with your leg off the floor and straight out behind you, bend your knee, bringing your heel toward your butt. Then extend your leg. Try to maintain the height of your leg as you do this. Repeat this exercise 10 times, and yup, you guessed, it keep that leg off the floor! It’s time to move on to…

3. Bent Knee Lifts

Resuming the lifted, bent knee position from the last exercise, keep your knee bent, but try to raise your leg toward the ceiling even more. Imagine that you are trying to make a footprint on the ceiling. Then return to the starting position, and repeat this move ten times.

After you have finished this entire series with one leg, switch legs and repeat the series. Then, repeat everything one more time on both legs. Before you know it, you might have paparazzi on your tail!

We all deal with it. Waving down a taxi, cheering during a football game or flagging down that cute guy in your chem class. It’s known as under arm flab or simply a trouble spot in the tricep area. It’s frustrating to deal with this, when all you want to do is to wear sleeveless dresses and wave your hands like you just don’t care! No worries, try out these fun moves and you’ll be good in no time. Combine these strength moves with a cardio routine to see quick results. Remember, exercising is only half of the equation. Proper nutrition and post-workout food recovery is also essential.

Stay fabulous and sexy, CC girls!

1. Half cobra push-up

Lay down on your stomach and place your hands right next to your chest. Slightly raise yourself up until there is a 45-60 degree angle in your elbow. Slowly lower yourself back down to the beginning position. Keep your elbows close into your rib cage, as they should graze as your raise and lower yourself. Repeat this move for one minute, rest and repeat 2 more times.

2. Tricep Push-Up

Stay in the same position as before. Place your hands next to your chest and raise yourself into a plank position. Beginners, start on your knees or take yourself onto your feet for a challenge. As your lower yourself into a push up, keep your elbows close in to your ribcage. This will work your tricep area, whereas a regular push up focuses on your shoulders and back muscles. Keep your hands aligned right under your shoulders for maximum results. Begin with 3 sets of 10.

With Halloween looming close, it seems that most of the costumes available to us require some (or total) revealing of the leg. To achieve that toned look, try out these killer moves for some sleek quads, hammies and glutes. And there’s no excuse not to – you don’t even need to go to the gym to get your leg toning on.

These exercises are guaranteed to cause some (hard to sit down or stand up…or drop it like it’s hot) soreness, but when that Johnny Depp look-a-alike makes a move on you during that costume party, you’ll forget all about the pain.

Get more of Jackelyn’s tips, tricks and tones (not the best word, but we love alliteration) right here. And if you need even more new moves, Tweet her (@jackelynho) and tell her what you’d like to see next time!

If you’re like most gym-going girls, you believe that lifting any weight above 10 pounds will make you too bulky. There’s a fine line between looking toned and looking like superwoman — no one wants biceps that will make people think you’ve been chugging Muscle Milk. However, according to fitness experts and a recent study carried out at the University of Arizona, this fear of heavy dumbbells is unwarranted.

In order to develop bulky muscles, you need to be consuming an excessive amount of calories (i.e. more than the recommended 2,000 per day for most adults) in addition to pumping serious iron. If you use heavier weights without consuming those extra calories, however, you will actually see more results in less time than with those dinky little baby weights.

The trick is to do sets of 8 reps at 70 to 80 percent of your ability three times a week. This means that while your arms will be aching by the end of each exercise, you should be able to finish each set without cheating. The scientists who led this experiment followed a group of 122 women for six years, and found that the people who stuck to this exercise routine lost more weight than women who completed more repetitions with lighter weights.

Of course, if you’re trying to seriously beef up your arms, this may not be the best approach. But for women who are lifting weights simply to tone up and slim down (since we all know that muscles continue to burn calories even when your body is at rest), the combination of challenging weights and fewer repetitions will burn the most body fat — especially in the intra-abdominal region.

Since we’ve officially approached bikini season — it was 80 degrees in Boston on Wednesday, and the academic quad at Tufts turned into a beach — toned arms are essential. Need some help? All you need is a set of dumbbells and a barbell (which looks like a three-foot long dumbbell and is available in any gym) to complete these 3 easy routines.

1. Barbell bicep curls: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and curl the barbell so that the weight is in line with your shoulders. Keep your elbows still at your sides. Lower the barbell down and repeat. (This can also be done with dumbbells, and can be done using one or both arms at a time.)

2. Barbell bench presses: Lie on a bench and hold the barbell at your chest. Extend your arms, lifting the barbell up so that your arms are almost straight. Don’t lock your elbows. Lower slowly and repeat.

3. Dumbbell tricep presses: With both arms extended towards the sky, hold one dumbbell in both hands. Slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head, bending elbows gently. Raise arms and repeat.

It’s strange, considering I write the a column on health and fitness, but I really don’t like exercising.  I like the benefits of exercising, though, so I’ll do just about anything to get those without having to step foot into the stinky, sticky gym. So when a shoe company’s all, “PSH girl, you don’t need to go to the gym! Just wear these shoes instead!” I get a little excited. Okay, REALLY excited. But could a pair of shoes really tone my lower body enough (making me look like the girl in the ad) to make them worth the $50+ they cost? Do these things really work?

Here are the facts:

Fitflops/Shapeups/Easytones work by messing with your balance (an effect similar to walking on sand) to work your muscles more than usual. They claim to tone you up without going to the gym (making “your boobs jealous”) and burn more calories than walking in a standard shoe. And women are totally buying into the claims. These shoes are flying off the shelves faster than the holiday-themed chocolate-covered strawberries in my fridge (and let me tell you, those are disappearing really quickly).

According to studies (by the companies that created the shoes, mind you), these shoes do work. But how much can we really trust the results? They weren’t even thorough! Reebok, for instance, conducted a study with a total of five (count ‘em, FIVE) women, which doesn’t leave much room for accurate results. And it doesn’t really make me jump for joy – not that I could anyway. You’re not even allowed to jump or run while wearing these shoes. (Yet you still somehow get a really awesome workout…)

Even if the studies are legit, none of the companies have done long-term research to see if your muscles actually get more defined over time from wearing them. Plus, research on instability equipment in general (like those Bosu balls) shows that if you’re already in good shape, the unbalanced shoe will not increase your muscle activation. And even if they do work, what happens after your feet get used to them? No one knows if they’ll still be effective. But hey, Reebok’s head research guy says that they collected 15,000 hours of data from shoe users who “feel something in their muscles after they’ve walked in the product.” Great – I like “feeling something” in my muscles as well, but I’m pretty sure that happens in normal shoes, too.

The experts (mostly people who aren’t being paid by sports companies) say that the shoes might work because people will walk faster and with more purpose than they would in a regular shoe. But that’s not really due to the shoe itself. And I know the difference. So if if I’m already in good shape and they won’t be as effective, AND I can’t even run in them, it looks like I’ll just have to suck it up and hit the gym.

At least I’ll have that extra fifty in my wallet for Christmas presents, though.

Result:
There is no “quick fix” to a fit body. Spend your money on a cross trainer/running shoe and hit the gym. Or go for a run. Or just go for a walk. You’ll have a more versatile shoe (you know, one you can actually job and walk in) and you’ll get real results.

So when I do finally muster up the energy to make it to the gym I know I have to make it count. I don’t want to waste any time so I’ve started streamlining my workout by doing exercises that combine cardio and weight training. The cardio aspect gets my heart rate up, allowing the strength training exercises to burn more calories and be even more effective.

I’m all about the multi-tasking and after this workout I feel stronger and skinnier and happy. In fact, I can feel the endorphins kicking in already…

Jumping Lunges
Don’t settle for typical lunges if you want a great butt! Speed up the process by doing jumping lunges. These will spike your heart rate while also toning, so you’ll see results a lot faster. I usually do these in one-minute intervals with a 30 second break between.

How to:
1. With your hands on your waist, lunge forward with one leg.
2. Jump, pushing off both feet and switching your legs in mid-air.
3. Land in a lunge with the opposite leg forward.
4. Repeat.

Up-Downs

Ladies, if football players can do these, we can too. Up-downs burn some serious calories; give you a great ab, arm and leg workout, and can provide some amusement for your lazy roomies. Make them join you, or have them call the shots, boot camp style. Start off doing Up-downs in one-minute intervals and work your way up.

How to:
1. Start by running in place.
2. Every ten seconds, drop to the ground in a push up formation and push yourself back up to your feet.
3. Keep your abs engaged and repeat!

Jumping Squats
Squats work wonders on your butt and legs. Make them even more effective by adding a burst of cardio!

How to:
1. Start with your feet shoulder width apart.
2. Squat, making sure your knees are lined up right over your ankles, then jump up.
3. When you land, sink immediately into another squat and repeat.

Bring ‘Em Overs
These might look a little funky to strangers, but you’ll definitely feel it in your abs and legs after!

How to:
1. Bring your arms up by your chin, like a boxer. Stand with your feet together.
2. Grab a nearby stool or pretend there is one in front of you (should be a little lower than your waist).
3. Extend your leg out and bring it over the stool, so it ends up on the other side. Keep your abs tight!
4. Follow with the other leg, so both legs end up on the other side of the stool. Repeat, back and forth across the stool.

Good Mornings
This move is a bit harder than the others, but it gets your whole body moving, while specifically working your abs and legs! If this is difficult, try doing just a few. You will begin building up the muscles and you’ll be able to do more in no time.

How to:
1. Lay down on your back, legs and arms fully extended along the floor.
2. Keeping your arms extended straight upwards, use your abs to roll upward to a crouch, and then to a standing position.
3. Keeping your arms extended over your head, sink down into a crouching position and roll back to the starting position.
4. Repeat!

WTF?

Whenever I see workouts in magazines/online that tell me that I need 23,494,201 pieces of equipment to get a full-body workout all I think is, “I’ll stick to the elliptical thankyouverymuch!” But while the elliptical is a great cardio workout, it’s not enough to get into shape and stay healthy. A girl’s gotta lift some weights.

But where? And how?

Typically, the weight room on college campuses is the “man’s domain” (as we control the cardio machine kingdom), so walking in there – never-mind actually using different machines while frat guys look on with tongues hanging out – seems less than appealing for many women. You think I’m gonna do some squats while that meat head looks on? No thank you.

And that’s pretty much why I designed this workout. The routine hits all the important areas of the body and doesn’t require a lot of time, equiptment, or beefy guys staring at you as you fumble with the inner/outer thigh machine. All you need is one flat bench and a set of weights, anywhere between 5 and 15 pounds depending on your strength level.

I recommend starting with the biggest muscles (legs) and then moving on from there, but the order is totally up to you!

Weighted step ups
Works: hips and thighs

Grab one of your weights in each hand and stand directly in front of your bench. Step up with your left foot, then your right, then down with your left, then right. Repeat 12 times on the left side for one set, then 12 times with your right leg leading. Do three sets of 12 on each side.
Expert modification – switch step-up leg after each full up and down motion. Also, add a bicep curl while standing on the top of the bench for an added challenge.

Weighted lunges with one leg up on bench
Works: hips and thighs

Place your left foot on top of the bench, right foot lunging straight behind you (far enough back that your heel is in the air), and a weight in each hand at your side. Dip your right knee toward the ground as if in a lunge, and then come up. Repeat 12 times per side, three sets per side.

Weighted calf raises with stability challenge
Works: calves and abdominals

Stand atop the bench with a weight in each hand at your sides. Your heels should be hanging slightly off the back edge of the bench. Dip your heels down below the line of the top of the the bench, and the slowly rise up onto your toes. It will be hard because the bench is squishy! Flex your core to keep your balance, and repeat 12 times, three sets.
Even harder: Challenge your core by lifting one foot off the bench and doing raises on only one foot. Alternate sides.

Chest press
Works: chest

Lay flat on the bench on your back with a weight in each hand. Bring elbows to 90 degree angles at your sides, in line with your head, palms facing up. Press up slowly and bring weights toward each other. Lower. Repeat 12 times and three sets.

Standing bicep curls/hammer curls
Works: biceps

Standing with knees bent and feet shoulder-width apart, take one weight in each hand and place arms at your sides with elbows at 90 degree angles, palms facing in toward each other. Slowly raise weights at the same time toward your shoulders, keeping elbows close at your sides. Lower to 90 degrees, not going any lower. Repeat three sets of 12.

Triceps extensions
Works: triceps

Stand behind the bench, feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, shoulders back and tummy held taunt. Join both hands behind your head holding a weight, arms at 90 degree angles. Slowly straighten your arms out above your head, and then return to the starting position, not going past 90 degrees. Keep the area from your shoulders to your elbows completely stable. Repeat for three sets of 12.

Ab pusher
Works: abdominals

Lay face up on the bench with your legs straight up in the air. Holding one weight with both hands, arms straight above your head and parallel with your legs, lift (don’t’ curl) your shoulders up to the ceiling, pushing the weight upward toward your feet. Be sure to keep your abs pulled in and tight, and be sure to press upward toward the ceiling, rather than curling your neck. Three sets of 12.

Leg throws / up-downs
Works: Abdominals

Lay flat on your back on the bench, with legs straight up in the air. Place your hands behind your lower back or your booty. Slowly lower your legs straight down so they are in-line with the bench then lift them back up. Lower them again, this time off to the left, then lift them back up. Lower again, this time to the right, then back up. Repeat 12 times or as many as you can do!

Weight training is really important, and now that you have a quick and easy workout, there’s no excuse to skip it. Not only does it increase your metabolic rate, but it can help prevent osteoporosis, increase lean muscle mass, help to prevent injury (when you stumble, maybe drunk), improve your balance (in 4’’ heels or otherwise), enhance your physical and mental health, and help you to feel better and look better!

Sounds worth it to me!

My abs are tight. My legs are toned. But what about my lady parts?!

We thought we’d help and every Thursday our friend Dr. Lissa Rankin will be answering your questions. The ones you couldn’t ask your doctor in person. Just leave your questions in the comments, or send em over to us. (We’ll keep it all anonymous for you.) Dr. Lissa will answer anything – really, anything – about sex and other lady things. Don’t be shy; she’s waiting for ya!

Q: Everyone is always talking about Kegel exercises. Do those things really help? And do we really need to do them? I’ve had a boyfriend for 3 years (and we’ve been having regular sex for the entire time), so is it possible that I’m not as “toned” down there as I could be? Is that something I need to worry about?

A: Do the rest of you know what a Kegel exercise is?  It’s an exercise to strengthen the pelvic floor. To do Kegel exercises, contract and release the muscles surrounding the vaginal opening. If you’re not sure what I mean, run to the restroom, pee, and try to stop your urine mid-stream. Those are the muscles we’re talking about here.

How can Kegels help you? Let’s break it down into three ways- sexual enhancement, prevention, and treatment.  Because these muscles tone the vagina, they can be used to enhance intercourse. By contracting these muscles, you may offer additional pleasure for you and your lover, especially if you’ve had a few babies and things have become a bit loosely goosey down there.

What about prevention? As we age, our tissue gets weaker and our risk of pelvic prolapse and urinary incontinence increases.  What’s pelvic prolapse? Well, believe it or not, your uterus, bladder, vagina, and rectum can all sort of fall out. I’ve seen uteruses hanging between people’s legs and herniations of the bladder and rectum into the vagina. This looseness in the vagina can lead to incontinence, pelvic pressure, difficulty with urinating and having bowel movements, and a whole host of other unpleasant symptoms. Kegel exercises help prevent pelvic prolapse and incontinence.  By toning these muscles, you help keep things tucked up inside, where they belong.

Kegels help to treat these same conditions. If you’re suffering from pelvic prolapse or incontinence, doing Kegel exercises may be so effective that you can avoid painful surgeries. Although it may not be effective enough, we always start by recommending Kegels. They’re cheap, safe, and easy to do at home. Reminds me of a time I walked into labor and delivery and the nurses were all sitting around a table silently. I couldn’t figure out what they were doing. Were they having a séance? Meditating? Finally, one of them, seeing my confused gaze, said, “We’re doing Kegels!” So yes, you can do them anywhere.

Do you need to do them? Not necessarily. If you’re young, healthy, and have a happy sex life, there’s no need to add yet another thing to your busy To Do list.  But it can’t hurt. If you think of it- sitting in class, in traffic or out to dinner – why not contract and relax those muscles a few times? Use it or lose it, they say. And trust me, these are definitely muscles you don’t want to lose.

–Dr. Lissa Rankin’s book, What’s Up Down There? Questions You’d Only Ask Your Gynecologist If She Was Your Best Friend, will be published by St. Martin’s Press in Fall 2010. She invites you to join her Pink online community (www.owningpink.com/forum) or read more of her writing at Owning Pink (www.owningpink.com).

All of those reasons are why the idea of working out in the privacy of my own apartment or dorm, was much more appealing from time to time. When I lived in my sorority house, my roommate turned me onto Denise Austin and her DVDs. Unfortunately, our floor space was limited so we couldn’t easily exercise at the same time, but somehow we each managed to squeeze in quite a few workout sessions in that tiny room.

Luckily, that experience prepared me for living (and working out) in a tiny NYC apartment post-college. However, funds are limited to say the least, so I can’t afford to buy DVDs extraneously. That’s why, in the time since I’ve been out of college to now, I have discovered a number of great, FREE workout options that you can follow to get fit, toned and best of all, do them in your underwear at home!

Here are some of my favs:
- Exercisetv - On this site (the online component of the ExerciseTV channel, which, if you have DVR/Time Warner cable, you most likely have available to you for free), there are tons of free full length workout videos available to watch or download that range from cardio to pilates. Here are a few examples: Zen in Your Den, Absolutely Amazing Abs or Ballet Strength Workout.

- Yogadownload – I just stumbled on this site a few months ago, and LOVE it so far. They have hundreds of free 20 minute yoga programs. And that amount of time is just about right for me; I tend to get a bit bored and antsy with super long yoga sessions. Plus, if I’m feeling up to it, I’ll do two different 20 minute routines in a row to change things up. Everything from gentle-hatha yoga to hot-power fusion is available, free of charge.

- Squeezeitin – Although this site is targeted a bit more towards busy moms (which I am far from), I think we can all relate to the aspect of not having much time to squeeze in a workout during a hectic day. So, the short videos with catchy titles like Va-va-va vacuum or Countertop Push-ups reinforce the idea that anyone really can incorporate fitness to their daily life. Sitting around watching reruns of Gossip Girl? Grab some canned foods and curl those biceps. Cleaning your disaster of a dorm room? Do some lunges instead of just meandering around.

- YouTube – Yes, that same youtube that provides us with our daily smattering of entertaining lip dubs and painful, but hilarious, videos of people falling. There’s actually a large amount of health/fitness videos available on there if you have the patience to search. Just to get you going, check out this four part “Weight Loss Yoga” series from a great NYC yoga instructor.

What are your favorites? Any other websites I’m missing?

Forty-five minutes on the elliptical, on the treadmill or in a spin class – that’s my usual cardio routine. But, like many fitness fanatics, I tend to get bored easily. There always comes a time when I crave a workout adventure to keep me motivated.

I’ve sweat through an hour and 30 minutes of  bikram yoga; I’ve trained for and run a half marathon. So when my very good friend suggested I try something called Xtend I was totally down.

I’m sure most of us have heard of the latest fitness trend that incorporates ballet and pilates. The Tracy Anderson Method, Physique 57 and Fluidity are examples of this intense stretching and strengthening program. Xtend is the one found in good ole Hoboken, NJ.

Quite honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I mean, I was told to wear spandex, so I new there would be lots of bending (or maybe some sort of 80′s movie dance routine). But the class regulars explained that I would soon be very, very sore. This excited me because I absolutely love having sore muscles. You really know you’ve gotten a good workout when you can’t walk down stairs the next day.

Anywho, we all lined up and got ready to workout. We began with arm circles, then added in light weights. “Not so bad,” I thought to myself. Looks like I spoke to soon. The workout soon progressed to squats and  ballet barre work and – good Lord! – I’ve never done so many reps in my life. It was CRAZY. I felt the burn in the first 3 minutes of warming up, but the instructor was not forgiving; she kept it comin’.

After an hour of this class, I felt very tight and toned. It felt great to work my muscles in a new way without fear of bulking them up. My main qualm is that there was very little cardio involved. I really like a good sweat and this didn’t do it for me… especially considering it costs $20 a session.

If you’re interested in a good toning workout, but not cool with the hefty price tag, here are some moves you can do on your own, at home or at the gym. (Thank you SELF magazine!)

Jive Hop
Stand with feet together, arms down. Begin hops: jump onto left foot as you kick right leg to side, reaching left arm up and right arm out to side. On next hop, land on the right foot, kick to left and switch arms. Alternate sides for one minute.

Lunge & Lift
Stand with legs together, arms out to sides at shoulder level. Lunge right leg to side, then bring left leg to meet right as you rise onto the balls of your feet, crossing left leg behind right. Drop heels; do a mini-squat (looks like plies in dance). Repeat lunge-squat sequence on left side. Alternate sides for one minute.

Rumba Reach
Stand with feet hip-width apart. Extend left leg to side, pointing toes to the floor; lift arms overhead, palms in. Bend torso as far left as you can with hips square, reaching through fingertips, then bend right. Alternate sides for one minute. Switch so right leg is extended; repeat for another minute.

Jive Cross
Stand with feet together, arms down. Hop onto ball of right foot, kicking the left leg across your body as high as you can and reaching your arms in the opposite direction at shoulder height. Hop onto left foot and kick right leg across body as you switch arm positions. Alternate sides for one minute.

Samba Squat
Stand with right foot turned out, left leg extended to front, toes pointed to floor, arms crossed over chest. Lower into a squat as you raise right arm overhead and left arm out to side at shoulder level. Return to start. Repeat 30 seconds. Switch sides; repeat.

Side-Step Trimmer
Stand with feet together, left heel lifted, arms down. Step wide to left, landing with heel lifted, toes turned out and knee bent as you circle left arm up and to the left. Return to start. Repeat 30 seconds. Switch sides; repeat.

Click this link to see the moves on video.

If you’re like me and need to shake up your exercise regime, these slimming moves will definitely keep you on your toes … literally. Enjoy!!