Leave Your Fat Behind!

Power off pounds with this easy, 6-week walking workout that trims and firms your hips, butt, and thighs
Are you sitting down? We bet you are. If youre like the average American, you now sit more than ever before spending about 8 hours a day parked in your car, at your desk, and on the sofa. Along with widening your waistline, all that sitting weakens the glute muscles in your buttand weak glutes dont just sag in your favorite jeans, they slow you down. To the rescue: our Strong Strides plan, designed by trainer Leigh Crews, an American Council on Exercise spokesperson. Youll notice a lift in your Levis after just 2 weeks, drop about 10 pounds in 6 weeks, and if you keep it up, walk off 20 pounds and two sizes (or more).

THE STRONG STRIDES PLAN

This program includes Butt-Booster strength moves to wake up your glutes, Hill Walks to train those butt muscles to power every step, and a Bun-Shaper Walk that combines cardio and toning to give your rear the ultimate lift and blast fat faster.
DAY 1 WEEK 1
Walk 30 min (brisk pace*)

DAY 2
Rest

DAY 3
Walk 30 min (brisk pace) Butt Boosters (1 set)

DAY 4
Walk 30 min (brisk pace)

DAY 5
Walk 30 min (brisk pace) Butt Boosters (1 set)

DAY 6
Rest

DAY 7
Walk 30 min (brisk pace) Butt Boosters (1 set)

DAY 1 WEEK 2
Hill Walk

DAY 2
Rest

DAY 3
Walk 30 min (brisk pace) Butt Boosters (1 set)

DAY 4
Hill Walk

DAY 5
Walk 30 min (brisk pace) Butt Boosters (1 set)

DAY 6
Rest

DAY 7
Walk 30 min (brisk pace) Butt Boosters (1 set)

DAY 1 WEEK 3
BunShaper Walk

DAY 2
Rest

DAY 3
Walk 30 min (brisk pace) Butt Boosters (2 sets)

DAY 4
Hill Walk

DAY 5
Walk 30 min (brisk pace) Butt Boosters (2 sets)

DAY 6
Rest

DAY 7
Walk 30 min (brisk pace) Butt Boosters (2 sets)

(20-sec drills)

Week 4 Same as Week 3, but do 40-sec drills for Bun-Shaper Walk Week 5 Same as Week 3, but do 60-sec drills for Bun-Shaper Walk and 3 sets of Butt Boosters Week 6 Same as Week 5
*About 3.5 to 4.0 mph, the pace youd walk if you were late for an appointment

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THE WORKOUT ButtBooster Strength Moves

Do these exercises in addition to walking on days 3, 5, and 7. Youll work all your glutesfrom the big gluteus maximus, which powers you forward, to the smaller medius and minimus muscles, which ensure a smooth stridefrom every angle for a firmer, curvier posterior.

Do the moves below before or after your walks. A set is 8 to 12 repetitions, unless otherwise indicated.
1

Twisting Lunge

With right leg, step across body to the left (the 11 oclock position if you were standing on a clock face). Bend knees until right thigh is parallel to floor, as you twist torso to right. Stand up. Do 1 set, then switch legs and repeat.

Stability Ball Leg Curl

Squeeze glutes, lift hips off floor, bend knees, and roll ball toward butt with heels. Extend legs, rolling ball out. Repeat without lowering hips.

Donkey Kick Circle

With a 2- or 3-pound dumbbell tucked behind left knee, rotate leg from hip and draw 5 to 6 circles with knee in both directions. Switch legs.

Bridge with Towel

With toes lifted and a rolled-up towel between calves and thighs, squeeze glutes and raise hips so body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees. Slowly lower and repeat.

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THE WORKOUT The Hill Walk

Do this routine on days 1 and 4 of week 2 and day 4 of weeks 3, 4, 5, and 6. The Hill Walk incorporates inclines and specific intervals proven to activate maximum glute muscles while you walk. When you move from flat terrain to hilly ground, more muscle fibers in your glutes are activated to propel you against the force of gravity.

Walk for 30 minutes, hitting as many hills as possible. (Or climb stairs or stadium bleachers at a track.) Time how long it takes you to go up a hill, staircase, or set of bleachers, then recover by walking on level ground for about half that time. For instance, if youre climbing for 45 seconds, recover for 20 to 25 seconds. Timing doesnt have to be exactjust aim to make the majority of your walk uphill. Or hop on a treadmill and do the workout below.
TIME ACTIVITY Warm-Up (easy, window-shopping pace) INCLINE

1% 1% 3-5%

0:004:59

5:009:59

Flat Walk (brisk, late-for-an-appointment pace)

Incline Walk (maintain brisk pace) 10:0011:29

Flat Walk 11:3012:29

1% 3-5% 1% 1%

60%
The boost in calorie burn you will get from walking uphill or climbing stairs or bleachers. The result: faster weight loss!

12:3025:59

Repeat 90-sec Incline Walk and 60-sec Flat Walk intervals (minutes 10:0012:29) 5 more times.

Cool-Down (easy pace) 26:0030:00

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THE WORKOUT

BunShaper Walk
Do this routine on day 1 of weeks 3, 4, 5, and 6. For maximum benefit, focus on contracting your butt muscles (you should feel your buns working, not just your thighs) throughout the drills. Then maintain that active glute feeling when youre walking, squeezing your butt muscles with every step.

Start walking at an easy, window-shopping pace. Gradually increase to a brisk, late-for-an-appointment speed over the next 10 minutes. Then stop walking and do drill #1 (at left) for 20 seconds. (Each week, increase duration by 20 seconds until youre doing each drill for a full minute in week 5.) Follow each drill with 5 minutes of brisk walking. After the last drill and brisk walking interval, cool down by strolling at an easy pace for 4 minutes. Total workout time: 35 to 38 minutes

Sweep right leg out to side and jump. In one smooth motion, land on right leg in a partial squat and swing left leg diagonally behind you. Then leap to left, sweeping right leg behind you. Continue jumping side to side.
2

1 Speed Skater

glutes

quadriceps

Take a long step forward with left leg (about 2 to 3 feet), bend knees, and lower right knee toward ground. Simultaneously lean forward from hips and reach as though setting something on ground by front foot. Press into left foot, pull hands back, and stand up with feet together. Repeat with opposite leg.
3

Long Lunge with Reach

quadriceps

glutes
hamstrings

glutes

Stand with left foot on step or curb, right leg hanging off. Bend hips and left knee and lower right foot, gently tapping right heel on ground. Press into left heel and straighten leg, then repeat. Switch legs halfway through.
glutes
quadriceps

Single-Leg Step-Down

quadriceps

Raise toes off ground and walk so youre balancing on heels only. Take short, quick steps and swing arms naturally. Your pace will probably be slower than normal.

Heel Walk

shin

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