The Fitness Blog of Miss Melinda Has Moved!

My fitness blog has moved and it also has a whole new look! :)

You can still view the older posts here, but I have moved over to the Wordpress platform. I'm afraid to keep blogging on blogger because blogs can disappear at anytime without reason so I have purchased my own hosting to prevent that from happening. Come join us over at www.melindasfitnessblog.com!

Proper Deadlift Technique - A Video

Deadlifts are my very favorite strength training exercise. They work so many different muscles throughout your entire body. I generally do deadlifts on my "back" day along with my other back exercises.

Here's a great video demonstrating proper technique of the conventional deadlift. Proper form is incredibly important. If you don't have correct form, you risk severe injury.

My Latest Chest Workout!

I was supposed to do a chest workout yesterday, but we had Applebee's for lunch and it totally screwed up my stomach. My stomach is really sensitive to salad dressing and last night I ordered a Ceasar salad, totally forgetting about the horrible stomach pains I would have afterwards. Definitely not a smart move on my part.

So I did my chest workout late this morning, just doing flat bench and here's the routine I completed:

*35lbs 1 set x 12 reps
*45lbs 1 set x 12 reps
*55lbs 1 set x 10 reps
*65lbs 1 set x 5 reps
*75lbs 1 set x 1 rep (because Roger made me laugh...)
*75lbs 1 set x 3
*80lbs 1 set x 2!

80lbs is my heaviest lift to date. I had Roger spotting me in case I needed some help, but I completed 2 full reps. =]

Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

Ahhh yes. The holidays have fallen upon us. With Thanksgiving under our belts, let's hope we haven't all started packing on the Seasonal Seven. The Seasonal Seven is said to be the average weight gain for Americans between the Thanksgiving and New Year's holidays. Everywhere you go you'll find Christmas cookies, chocolate sweets, eggnog filled to the brim, sugar, food, sugar and more food!

Here are some ways you can help yourself avoid any holiday weight gain:

• Don't Leave Your Home Hungry: If you are traveling for the holidays, always have a nutritious snack prior to leaving so that you don't arrive to dinner starving. You are bound to eat more and more quickly, thus overeating.
  
• Avoid Excessive Use of Alcoholic Drinks, if any: Consuming alcoholic drinks not only gives you an extra 150+ calories per serving, but will also lower your overall control of making good food choices. I know whenever I take a sip of anything containing alcohol, the first thing I want to grab is a huge bag of chips. The sour cream and cheddar Ruffles. Those are so good. (But anyway...)
• Portion Control: You don't have to skip the sweets, just eat smaller portions. And that can be for everything. Don't load up your plate and it's wise to set your utensil down after taking each bite. You'll have more control of how much you end up eating because you're likely to chew more slowly.
• Socialize: Remember what the holidays are about. The holidays are not just about food. Believe that or not! ;) Spend more time socializing with friends and family members, rather than hanging out at the buffet table snacking all night.
• Stick to Your Workouts: Do not put off working out until after the New Year. Schedule your workouts, even if it's just a few minutes each day. Ten minutes of physical activity is better than no physical activity at all.
• Intensify Your Workouts: If you find yourself splurging on too much food, intensify your workouts. Up the weight you're lifting or lengthen the amount of time you workout.

Don't feel like you can't eat anything, just know that it's important to control your portions to avoid overeating. If you eat small portions and continue to exercise regularly each week, you should have no problem avoiding the Seasonal Seven. :)

6 Ways to Make Fitness Resolutions Stick!

The New Year is less than a month away, have you started thinking about your New Year's resolutions? Chances are if you have, it has something to do with fitness. Am I right? :)

Most people set goals that are focused on quick fixes. That's a really good way to burn yourself out quick.

Fiona Branton gives us 6 ways help us make our fitness resolutions stick:

*Don't do too much right away. Ease your way into a new workout regimen.
*Have fun. If you're bored, you'll quit.
*Take baby steps. You have to crawl before you walk.
*Speed up.
*Change it up. If you keep doing the same workouts day after day, you'll get bored and quit.
*Don't expect big results. Be patient.

For more, Click here for the complete article.

Finally Feeling Better!

After being sick for over 6 weeks, I can finally say that I'm nearly back to feeling 100%. My workout schedule has suffered greatly because I had no energy or motivation at all. I tried to workout a few times, but I was nowhere near to what I could do prior to getting sick. I've been a little hard on myself lately because I feel guilty for not working out regularly, but when you're sick there really isn't much you can do except for rest and and hope to get better soon right? Today was the first day in 6 weeks that I was able to do a full workout. I'm feeling a lot better already and I'm looking forward to working back up to where I was prior to getting so sick. :)

Has anybody else caught any of the nasty sicknesses going around?

Increase Metabolism with Strength Training!

I just came across an excellent article by Carolyn Hansen who has worked in the Fitness Industry for over 30 years, that I wanted to share with you. :)

No More Failed Diets - Increase Metabolism With Strength Training
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Carolyn_Hansen]Carolyn Hansen

The statistics are revealing when it comes to weight loss with only two or three people in every 100 people who goes on a diet succeed in losing weight permanently. The rest gain it back again, and often gain back an additional 10 % more than was lost in the first place. More figures uncover the fact that the average dieter begins and breaks four diets a year.

No one who sets out and begins something and fails feels good about it. Where dieting is concerned, it's a story of frustration on a mass scale, and yet, the futility of dieting doesn't deter those that are determined to shed excess weight.

People think this time it's going to work, this time I'll stick to it, or this new diet or pill will do the trick. Maybe you can relate to that kind of thinking, maybe you have experienced the struggle. Then, when the diet fails yet again you feel defeated and discouraged. And why shouldn't you?

The question is, why does this happen? Why do diets fail? The answer is really easy but it is still not been recognized by the main stream. Diets fail because they do not address the real problem underlying the excess body fat.

Our modern lifestyles are what are to blame by removing any activity that could be construed as vigorous from our lives. When on a daily basis does the average person have any opportunity to do anything other than sit all day? We sit when we eat, in the car, at work, in the café, in the bar, at home on the couch, then after all that sitting we go and lie down to sleep. This goes on day after day after day.

Living this Westernized lifestyle slows our metabolic engine down to a crawl. Our lowered engine size drops the metabolism (the rate the body burns fuel) causing it to burn fewer calories. The energy needs become so low that it causes food calories to be stored as fat even when eating very little.

The usual reaction to becoming overweight is to restrict food or go on a "diet". This makes the situation even worse by slowing the metabolism down even further. The end result is fatigue, feeling miserable and deprived with the hour by hour struggle and low motivation levels not only for exercise but life in general. Not really a recipe that one would want to continue for long.

So what's the alternative? We all need to get our heads around the fact that we need a minimum level of activity in our lives if we are to remain slim, strong and energetic. Not being active also ages us prematurely and exposes us to a greater risk of disease that could well cut our life short.

The quick and easy solution is to start and continue a proper exercise program that includes at least 60% strength training to reverse this whole situation and rebuild an inadequate metabolic engine. Make no mistake no other exercise will do the job so quickly and so well as this special type of exercise.

It is important that advice on setting up this program and correct exercise instruction is obtained from a fitness professional. If it is to work properly the right exercises must be used. It is also important to use the right amount of repetitions and the right amount of resistance. Then the entire program needs to be performed with the right amount of intensity (degree of difficulty) and progression in all exercises needs to be achieved to get the full benefits.

Just 2-3 exercise sessions per week are all that is needed to recharge and rejuvenate a damaged metabolism. Add in small meals throughout the day made up of natural whole foods that will support your exercise program. You will feel so much better and will slowly reduce any excess body fat, and all without ever having to diet again.

Carolyn Hansen has worked in the Fitness Industry for over 30 years. Currently the co-owner of 2 Fitness Centres in Northland New Zealand. A National Champion Bodybuilder with over 25 years competition experience. Enjoys writing health and fitness articles for local newspapers and magazines. If you want a second chance to right the wrongs you have committed against your body, you can be rejuvenated. You can regain vitality, muscular strength, endurance and a higher quality of life. Go to http://www.over50looking30.com for a FREE Report "I've Found the Fountain of Youth"- Let Me Show You Too!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carolyn_Hansen http://EzineArticles.com/?No-More-Failed-Diets---Increase-Metabolism-With-Strength-Training&id=1680128

SuperPump 250 Vs. BSN N.O. Xplode [Review]

Remember a couple weeks ago when I posted about the supplement savings event for WheyCheap.com? I was really excited to try Gaspari Nutrition's SuperPump 250 so I purchased it the day it was on sale. I must say that N.O. Xplode is still my #1 favorite as far as preworkout drinks go.

The SuperPump 250 has a great taste to it. We got the tropical punch flavor and the taste is actually pretty phenomenal. I was able to drink it much easier than I can N.O. Xplode. To me it kind of tasted like cotton candy bubble gum, but not as bad. I was a bit surprised by how good it actually tasted.

After using the SuperPump 250 prior to a few workouts, I didn't really notice much of a difference than if I had not taken any preworkout drink at all. There was no real energy rush and I didn't feel any "super pumps".

I'll continue to finish what I have left, but I don't think I'll be buying the SuperPump 250 again. Some people swear by the stuff, which is why I decided to try it, but it didn't make much of a difference to me. It could be because I have already been taking N.O. Xplode though? Either way, Bodybuilding.com offers free samples of SuperPump 250 so you can try it out for yourself and see.

N.O. Xplode gives me awesome energy, especially for doing cardio and I also seem to be able to lift more weight on the days I train when taking the N.O.. I hate cardio so I usually rely on my N.O. to get me through it. It seems that people either prefer the N.O. Xplode or the SuperPump so you'll just have to see which one suits you best! =)

Getting Back Your Before-Baby Body

<--Hours before delivery. 3.25.08

You may not know that I never got into a regular exercise routine until after having my second son. I honestly think that because I started exercising within a matter of weeks, that it helped to get my pre-body back even faster. I'm still not where I want to be, but I am getting there. I'm getting there because I've stayed dedicated to working out. It's been amazing both for my physical health and also my mental health.

I have been suffering from severe depression following an unfortunate time in my life off and on for over 10 years. I've also been prescribed different anti-depressants throughout the past few years, which I am totally FOR. I was miserable prior to finding the right anti-depressant for me. But what I have found, is that by adding regular exercise into my lifestyle, it's really helped my mental health. Exercising post-baby can greatly help lessen the mom's chances of experiencing postpartum depression and I can honestly say that I didn't have to go through it. (I had a very mild case of it after having my first son, but I attribute that to having already been suffering from severe depression because of years prior.)

Lisa Druxman, the creator of Stroller Strides and author of "Lean Mommy" (Center Street, 2007) has created a guideline for women to follow post-natal in regards to working out. This is a guideline only and may not work for everyone.

Begin pelvic floor rehab immediately: Kegels.

Weeks 0-2: Focus on gentle activity; begin pelvic tilts and small abdominal crunches.

Weeks 2-4: Short walks, 5-15 minutes.

Weeks 4-6: Maintain routine, don't rush progression.

*Always check with your doctor before starting any physical activity after a birth.

You can view the rest of the article here.

Want a Good Arm Workout? Carve 6 Pumpkins!

Pumpkin carving is a pretty serious thing, in case you didn't know - just check out the picture. Lol (That's my fiance's son and I)

I have spent the last 2 days gutting and carving pumpkins and it's been a great workout for my arms. See? Workouts don't have to be traditional all the time. I was actually starting to sweat and was amazed at how much you actually use your arms and shoulders while carving pumpkins. And...it should be noted that I didn't use a regular knife. We do have a pumpkin carving knife thing, but I don't know that it's actually all that much easier or more convenient to use!

If you're interested and haven't carved any pumpkins yet, you still have about a day left! Carve between 3-5 pumpkins and you'll really start to feel it towards the end!

Happy Halloween everyone!

How do you do Your Halloween Costume Shopping?

Halloween is fast approaching, do you have all the costumes you need?

Ever since I can remember I have been buying costumes from Halloween Costume Stores online. I hate shopping in stores, period. I will never shop inside of a store unless I absolutely have to. I hate the crowds. I can almost always find great deals online and free shipping too, so I always buy the Halloween costumes that I need for my family, online. If you're into saving money (which, who isn't these days), then I suggest you try compare shopping for Halloween costumes online too.

There are many benefits to shopping online for Halloween costumes and the biggest advantage I can think of is being able to compare prices with dozens of different stores. You'd be surprised to see how much the prices can differ on one costume sold on several different websites.

Another nice benefit to shopping online is you don't have to drive around to different stores wasting gas trying to find the perfect costume. When you shop online, you can choose from thousands of costumes right at your fingertips!

Not only can you find Halloween costumes, but you can find Christmas Costumes as well. Can you believe Christmastime is almost here? It's crazy how fast time is flying by!

Happy Halloween!

90 Minute Full Body Workout!

Here's an amazing full body workout for you to try - cardio included! It's a different kind of cardio routine, but that's what makes it fun and you'll be surprised by how much it makes you sweat!

*Adjust the weight lifted to what is comfortable/challenging enough for you. This is kind of more of a beginner routine or someone just starting out with weightlifting, but anyone will benefit from the workout.

45lb flat bench - 3 sets x 15

30lb barbell curl - 4 sets x 6

30lb bent over rows - 4 sets x 12

5lb overhead dumbbell press - 3 sets x 15 (ouch!)

35lb seated rows - 3 sets x 15

35lb leg extension - 3 sets x 15

35lb leg curl - 3 sets x 12

15lb tricep overhead extension - 3 sets x 12

30lb barbell twist - 4 sets x 15

overhead crunches - 4 sets x 15

CARDIO CIRCUIT

Jump rope - 110 rotations

Side bends - 100

Incline reverse crunch - 15

Jump rope - 110 rotations

Side bends - 100

Incline reverse crunch - 15

Jump rope - 120 rotations

Side bends - 100

Incline reverse crunch - 15

Jump rope - 150 rotations

Side bends - 100

Incline reverse crunch - 20 (these are KILLER!)

Chest Workout - Up to 75 lbs and I'm sick! :)

I have been neglecting my chest workouts a little bit the past couple of weeks, so I trained them pretty hard recently. I surprised myself and was able to bench 75 pounds...and I'm sick! Now I can't wait until my next chest day so I can see how much I improve!

Here's what I did:

Flat Bench

35# - 1 set x 12 reps
45# - 2 sets x 10 reps
55# - 1 set x 6 reps
65# - 1 set x 4 reps
75# - 1 set x 2 reps, 1 set x 1 rep

I'm really loving that pink bench! Maybe someday I can convince Roger to buy me one of my very own. :)

The Greatest Supplement Savings EVER!

This past weekend has been hell! Well...the highlight was that I found my wedding dress! But...I have been sick ever since. The worst cold I've had in a long time. I have no voice, my throat hurts and my head feels like it's going to explode.

On the bright side of things, I have some deals for you that you might wanna check out!

Bodybuilding.com presents: wheycheap.com and their 31 days of the greatest supplement savings EVER! The catch is, the sale starts every day at 8:00am Pacific time and when the day's deal is gone, it's gone! *Only one unit per customer, per day.

Here's the remaining items for sale for October:

10/13 - Whey Protein (Scivation) $54.99 for 10 pounds! Savings of $65.00
10/14 - Atro-Phex (BSN) $29.99 for 98 capsules! Savings of $34.95
10/15 - Anabolic Signal (CMI) $26.99 for 200 capsules. Savings of $53.00
10/16 - IntraXCell (Atheletic Edge Nutrition) $16.99 for 180 capsules. Savings of $33.00
10/17 - Meltdown (VPX) $26.99 for 200 capsules! Savings of $53.00!
10/18 - SizeOn (Gaspari Nutrition) $29.99 for 1290 grams. Savings of $50.00!
10/19 - Fast Twitch (CytoSport) $21.99 for 2.04 pounds! Savings of $32.96!
10/20 - Dren (MHP) $14.99 for 30 capsules! (I paid almost $30.00 for mine!) Savings of $25.00!!
10/21 - Novedex XT (Gaspari Nutrition) $22.99 for 60 capsules. Savings of $24.96!
10/22 - Nitrix (BSN) $24.99 for 180 tablets. Savings of $35.00
10/23 - Xtend (Scivation) $12.99 for 30 servings. Savings of $21.96
10/24 - CellTech Hardcore (MuscleTech) $34.99 for 6.7 pounds! Savings of $45!
10/25 - Primal N2O (PrimaForce) $14.99 for 367 grams. Savings of $29.96!
10/26 - NO Shotgun V.3 (VPX) $24.99 for 644 grams. Savings of $44.96!!
10/27 - Tight Xtreme (S.A.N.) - $20.99 for 80 capsules. Savings of $26.98
10/28 - NaNo Vapor (MuscleTech) $27.99 for 2 pounds. Savings of $36.00!
10/29 - SuperPump250 (Gaspari Nutrition) $11.99 for 280 grams. Savings of $18.00
10/30 - Lipo 6 (Nutrex) $19.99 for 120 Vcaps! Savings of $29.96!!
10/31 - Anavol Hardcore (NxLabs) $19.99 for 180 capsules. $34.96 in savings!

All you need to do is log onto wheycheap.com around 8:00am Pacific time each day to save big! This month only!

Arm Workout + New Back Photo

As promised, I took a picture of my back this morning and it's definitely starting to look smaller and more toned, which is exactly what I was hoping for so I'm pretty happy about that!

I can also see a bit more bulge in the bicep area so my arm workouts must be working alright.

Here is my most recent arm workout:

• Preacher Curls: 20# 3 sets x 20 reps
• Hammer Curls: 15# 3 sets x 10 reps
• Tricep Pushdowns: 35# 3 sets x 6 reps

All I worked out was arms and I actually worked up a pretty good sweat. I probably rested no more than one minute between each set.

How to Stay Motivated to Workout

I just saw the weather forecast for the upcoming week and it's supposed to be cool and rainy for about the next 4 days. I am not excited. Some days it's hard enough to be motivated and productive, but when the weather is dreary, it can be even harder.

I have written an article on eHow called, "How to Stay Motivated to Workout". It was featured on their home page a couple of months ago and I think it can be really helpful for people to read if they're having a hard time staying motivated. I have listed 5 things that you can do to help keep yourself motivated so you don't lose your 'fitness focus'.

If you have any tips or advice to recommend, please feel free to leave a comment here and I can keep adding to the list!

*Also, I will be posting a new, updated picture this week!

A Full Body Workout = Sore Muscles for Me!

Every once in awhile I like to a do a whole or full body workout consisting of exercises for arms, back & legs. I think this workout only took me about 25-30 minutes because I used weights that were somewhat heavy for me and I did my sets quickly to the point that I worked up a sweat during my first set of deadlifts.

I think maybe next week I'll post another picture of my progress so you can see that I'm not just talking about of my butt or making stuff up. :)

(the picture shown is from July 2008)

Here's the full body workout I did:

• 6 assisted pull ups. Try as I may, I cannot do a pull up on my own! I will do one someday. All by myself. I promise!
• 50# deadlifts - 3 sets x 12 repetitions each
• 50# bent over rows - 2 sets x 8 reps each and 1 set x 6 reps
• 20# preacher curls - 3 sets x 12 reps
• 25# tricep pushdowns - 3 sets x 12 reps
• 45# leg extensions - 3 sets x 12 reps
  

How to Get Fat Burners for FREE!

I'm serious. You can get a sample of many different fat burners absolutely free. No, I'm sorry I don't know how you can get free full size bottles, but free samples are nice because you can choose which one you want to buy based on the sample that works best for you.

You can choose from the 3 time award winning Nutrex Lipo 6, Lipo 6x, Lipo 6 Hers (formulated just for women), Controlled Lab REDuction and Axis Labs Adipo-X.

I have recently written an article on eHow about how to do this:

How to Get Free Fat Burners

If you'd like to skip all that and just go get your free samples, just visit Bodybuilding.com and search for "free fat burners" or "free fat burner samples".

I think you will find this very helpful if you're interested in adding a fat burner in addition to your regular fitness regimen. Remember though, fat burners will work by themselves for a short time, but you need to incorporate a healthy diet and an exercise regimen to get the best fat burning results!

Chest / Biceps Workout

On Monday I had a great lifting day. I worked out my chest and my biceps. That may be a weird combination for some, but I never like to only workout my chest, I always have to work on another area as well. For this day, I chose my biceps. My chest is still a bit tender from that workout!

Flat Bench Press - 35# x 12 reps, 45# x 12 reps, 50# x 9 reps, 55# x 5 reps, 60# x 4 reps and 70# x 2 reps. 70 pounds is the heaviest I've lifted so far. I had Roger spot me just in case, but I completed 2 full reps at 70 pounds! :)

Preacher Curls - I did 4 sets of 20# x 15 reps each.

*I haven't decided what I'm going to do for a workout tonight yet. I'm thinking either back or legs. I don't really have a set routine that I do since it's important to keep your body guessing, so I just make my routines as I go along and workout what I feel needs a good workout.

Muscle Milk Protein Supplement

There are so many protein supplements available, it's hard to choose one. It's important to know that more expensive does not always equal better. If you're more into lower prices than taste, then I'd just opt for the least expensive protein supplement. But if you're picky on taste, I wouldn't necessarily shop by price then. If you're going to buy a protein supplement, it's a waste of money if you don't like it and won't drink it.

The best tasting protein powder or shake in my opinion is Muscle Milk. I have tried vanilla flavored Syntha-6 and Optimum Nutrition Milk Chocolate Whey too and Muscle Milk is still my favorite. Every flavor I've tried, which includes: Mocha Joe, Chocolate, Cookies and Cream and Vanilla, have all been very good. You can either buy Muscle Milk Protein Powder or Muscle Milk ready-to-drink shakes.

Prior to buying any protein supplement, I would do a quick google search to read reviews from other customers. Just type in "muscle milk chocolate reviews" for example.

The best supplement place to shop at is Bodybuilding. They have the best selection, great prices and fast shipping. You might find lower supplement prices on the internet, but then they really get you with their shipping charges. Plus, I've experienced a lot of backorder issues when ordering from anywhere other than Bodybuilding. Bodybuilding also offers Muscle Milk Light.

3 Moves to Sexy Arms

Arms have been one of the easiest parts of my body to tone up and define. If you are looking to get toned arms, try the following routine 2 x per week.

Preacher Curls - 3 sets x 10 reps

There are multiple ways to complete this exercise, but I normally use an EZ-bar. Doing preacher curls lessens any momentum that would help you if you were doing regular bicep curls.




Tricep Pushdowns - 3 sets x 10 reps

I love the burn in my arms that I feel when I'm doing tricep pushdowns. When working out your arms, don't neglect your triceps.



Hammer Curls - 3 sets x 10 reps

I never used to like the thought of doing hammer curls because I thought it was more of a "guy's" exercise. Since I started doing them, I have really noticed shape in my inner biceps. Before I started working out, my left arm was substantially smaller than my right (I'm right handed) and dumbbell hammer curls really helped to build up my left arm. Now it doesn't look so ridiculous in comparison to my right arm! :)



If you follow this workout routine 1 or 2 x per week, I can guarantee you will notice a difference in the muscle tone of your arms.

For a great challenge, try completing 4 sets instead of 3, or try adding additional weight to really work your muscles!

Reebok to Unveil Their Brand New Women's Fitness Website!

I don't know about you, but I haven't heard much about 'Reebok' in quite some time. Reebok is a on a mission to get women to workout and they will be unveiling their brand new website on September 15, 2008 - which is Monday. Visitors will be able to share their experiences and ideas, and also learn about some fun ways to keep themselves motivated to exercise.

Reebok will also be showcasing their brand new fitness apparel line for the upcoming Fall season. They have created the new website to help inspire consumers to become active and think about fitness in a whole new way. Nobody will keep working out if they're getting bored and Reebok has hand-selected global fitness instructors who will help to bring the fun back to fitness!

Read more about Reebok's plan here.

Subscribe to My Newsletter!

I have yet to launch my newsletter, but I'm planning for my first monthly edition to be published October 1st!

I plan to offer fitness tips and advice, a featured recipe for the month as well as a featured workout or strength move and I also plan to offer answers to some of the most common fitness questions related to women. (of course!)

If you would like to see something else featured in the newsletter, please let me know and I'll do my best to accommodate your request. :)

Click here to subscribe!

*And no, I will NOT share your information whatsoever. I hate spam too!

4 Ways to Tone Your Butt

Many people wonder how you can obtain a nice, round butt. A few lucky people were born with 'bubble butts', but some of us weren't as fortunate and that's okay! You'll just have to work a little bit harder to get that round booty. Read on to learn 4 moves you can use to shape and tone your butt.

1. Squats!

Squats are wonderful for building up your butt muscles and they are my favorite 'butt move' of all time. If you're just starting out, you don't have to add any weight, you can just perform the squat. As you get accustomed to doing 3 sets of squats regularly, you'll eventually want to add weight. The most important thing to remember is that you should NOT be afraid to lift heavy. You need to push yourself to fire up your muscle fibers.

2. Lunges.

Okay, to be honest, I hate doing lunges. I personally think they're extremely boring, but they do help to tone and shape your butt, so I thought I should add them anyway. Some people may enjoy them, I just prefer to do other kinds of exercises. (like squats) If you are first starting out, you can perform the lunges without weights. Once your body gets accustomed to lunges, try adding some hand weights to your workout.

3. Stair/Hill Climbing.

I know not everyone has access to a hill that they can run up on a regular basis...but if you have stairs, they are a great alternative. You could also use a stair stepping machine. Skipping a stair or two will get your butt in shape even faster, plus you'll burn more fat because your body is working harder.

4. Running.

If you love to run (unlike me...haha), it can be very beneficial to your backside, plus you're getting your cardio in as well.

I hope these butt-shaping moves are helpful to you. If you have other ways to tone your butt, please do share with the rest of us. :)