HEALTH

Workouts

6 moves to boost your body confidence

Even when you’re rocking jeans and sweatshirts, it’s important to feel your best. In fact, when you’re struttin’ down the hallway, you’ll always look your best when you’re feeling confident in your own skin. Here’s our quickie workout for boosting your body confidence, cuties.

Plank it

Planks are fantastic for strengthening your core—leading to killer posture and body control—as well as your shoulders and upper arms. Hold the position for as long as you can, and try to top your personal best every sesh.

Crunch master

To hit your whole six-pack area, do 2 sets of 15 of each of these: standard crunches, reverse crunches (lifting your butt up instead of your torso), bicycles (one set on each side), and then do 10 crunches lifting your torso and butt/legs together simultaneously. Feel the burn!

Super squats

Rumor has it the Victoria’s Secret models do squats backstage to get their booties looking fab before they hit the runway. For a denim-perfect bum, do 10 slooow squats, being sure to keep your back and shoulders relaxed and your knees not extending over your toes.

Love those lifts

The next time a guy asks if he can carry your books—or if you need help moving that table—confidently say, no thanks, I’ve got this. Grab a full water bottle, a brick or a hand weight and do 20 bicep curls on each side.

Put ‘em up

Hop on your feet to do a little shadow boxing. Put your hands up, fingers fisted, in front of your chest. Angle your body slightly, one foot in front of the other, set shoulder-width apart. Now bounce on your toes and punch the air for a full minute. Drop your hands and keep bouncing on those toes, working your calves, then shadow box for another minute. As you work, use your entire body: squeeze your glutes, lift up through your calves and give controlled punches to work your arms and back.

Breathe deep, babe

So it might not be a sweat-inducing exercise, but this is a good one for the brain. Sit down on the floor, legs crossed Indian-style. Rest your hands on your thighs or beside you, whichever is more comfortable, and close your eyes. Now breathe in for a five count, hold for two seconds, then slowly exhale for a five count. Repeat. Don’t think about anything but your breath, your lungs expanding and contracting as you inhale and exhale. Continue ‘til your count reaches 100. Feel better? Ahh…

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POSTED IN body image, Love your bod, get fit fast, lazy girl's workouts