The season of LOVE is upon us and honestly? I’m not loving these squishy love handles I’m carrying around at my sides. Love handles are among the hardest areas to trim and tone, but I’m determined to try! Are you with me? This 28-Day FREE fitness calendar features daily exercises to help you {and me!} fight the bulge! Love handles be gone!
—>Make sure you also join our Facebook Lose the Love Handle Fitness Challenge event for daily check-ins and motivation! <—
The Exercises
We have 3 exercises for you this month:
Russian Twists: Sit your booty on the ground with your knees bent and flat feet. Lean back slightly, making sure to keep your back straight and strong. Don’t let it round or curve. Extend your arms straight out in front of you, with your hands on top of each other. Suck your belly button into your spine and twist your torso from side to side. 1 rep = twisting to both sides once. The movement comes from rotating your ribs, not from momentum from swinging your arms.
Want to increase the intensity? Do one or more of the following: Tap the floor near your hips with each twist, hold a dumbbell or weighted medicine ball, lift your feet up off the floor.
If you have lower back problems, this exercise may not be for you.
Bicycle Crunches: View demo video here. Hit the floor and lay flat on your back. Press your lower back into the floor and suck in that navel! Bring your hands to your ears and bring your legs up, knees bent. Engage your abs, lift your shoulders and upper back off the ground and move your right elbow towards your left knee, meeting in the middle. As you bring one leg in, straighten the other leg. Repeat on the left side. 1 rep = twisting to both sides once. Go slowly and focus on your form and breathing – you do not need to touch your elbows to your knees!
Side Plank Hip Lift: Get into your side plank position: elbow on the ground, legs and hips resting on the ground, too. Engage your abs and, keeping your body straight, lift your body up off the ground. Lower down and repeat. For an example, watch this video. Do the total reps on EACH side!
**Before we start, go snap a few before and after pictures of yourself. Hurry, I’ll wait! You won’t believe your eyes come March!
**Rest days are provided every five days to give you a chance to let your muscles recoup. As with all of our monthly workout calendars, these daily exercises are intended to supplement your current fitness routine.
**On Days 1-19, perform two sets of each exercise. Days 20-28, do three sets!
Stay aware of your form at all times! It’s quality, not quantity that counts. If you find the daily total too difficult to achieve, just do as many as you can, or break it up into smaller sets. Challenge yourself, but not to the point of injury. If the days are too easy for you, add in another set. Please consult with your doctor before beginning any new fitness regimen.
The hashtag we will be using as we tweet, Facebook, and pin our progress in the love handle war? #loselovehandles
The Fitness Calendar
Find a downloadable Google Calendar at the end of this post!
New Weight Loss Challenge
You can also lose your love handles by joining our newest weight loss challenge! It begins on February 4th and will run for 28 days. Psssst…. You can also win MONEY! Sign up here:
Google Calendar
Find other free monthly workout calendars here.
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What’s a good alternative for the Russian twist if I feel it’s too much strain for my back? I have DDD (degenerative disc disease) and have had 3 surgeries on my low back over the last 4 years so I have to be cautious with my exercises as to not reherniate my disc again.
I just did 175 squats. I see what comes next.
Loving the google calendars! Makes it so easy on the go!
Helo is this helfull?I have fats on.love handles.plz help me….nd wher can I get lov handls exercises videos