Fat Busters from the Guru

Well folks, it’s time to accept a harsh reality!  Prepare yourself…part of our problem with our Mummy Tummies is down to that layer of fat on top of all that muscle!  I know, I know…what layer you say?  Well, the seven or so layers over my wrecked muscles are definitely holding me back.  It’s time to release the inner funky mama now with some brilliant fat busters from the Guru, Wendy Powell.  Ready, steady…burn…

For the last 2 weeks, I’ve been explaining the underlying muscles preventing you from having a flat post-baby tummy, & how to correct them. Well the other factor standing in your way is the layer on top.

That’ll be the FAT then.

‘No s**t Sherlock!’ I hear you cry. Well this is the first of 2 weeks on how to get rid of it.

Firstly, what won’t work… The so called ‘fat-burning zone’ is an outdated & impractical concept. Long, steady cardio exercise is mind-numbingly boring & far too time-consuming to be a realistic solution for any busy mother. What will, is high intensity interval training. Interval training is very challenging & very effective, not to mention time efficient. It’s also a good way to break a plateau if your body has adapted to conventional long duration, steady state cardio.

Here’s an example: run hard for one minute, reduce speed for two minutes, run hard for one minute, reduce speed two minutes, & so on. That’s all there is to it – that’s intervals. You need to keep ‘surprising’ your body by making it work in short intensive bursts.

Try this:

1. Start jogging gently for 2 minutes (about 4 on a 1-10 scale of exertion, where 1 would be standing still & 10 would be as fast as you could run)

2. Increase the intensity to level 8 for one minute,

3. Increase again to level 9 for one minute

4. Run as fast as you can for one minute

5. Reduce back to 9 for one minute,

6. Down to 8 for one minute again,

7. Down to 7 for another minute.

8. Back to 4 for 2 minutes

Like a pyramid with the most effort in the middle. Go up & down the pyramid once (or twice ie 20 minutes if you’ve got time). This burns body fat & stimulates metabolism.

The next stage is to introduce resistance exercise, & alternate the two for best effect.

If you only run (or do any cardio), without also doing the core exercises we talked about last week, AND some resistance work, you are highly likely to get injuries to your knees or back. You may drop fat, but you won’t gain the shape & tone you’re after.

You don’t need weights or equipment, just use ‘bodyweight’ exercises such as squats, lunges, press ups & a plank. Resistance training builds muscle, & more muscle means you burn more calories & more body fat. Resistance training also keeps your metabolism high for hours after you’ve finished exercising.

Example: First, Warm up: run up & down the stairs a few times, do step-ups over the bottom 2-3 steps for 3 minutes, take the dog for a brisk walk or dance around with your kids – just get your heart rate up.

Then do the cardio pyramid described above – it doesn’t have to be running, you could skip with a rope, or cycle. Just do some really intensive work, varying the level, for about 8 minutes.

Now do 15 squats, keeping your knees behind your toes, your back straight & your core strong. Push up through the outside of your feet & your heels. Breathe in as you squat down, & exhale & engage your core as you push up.

Wendy Powell demonstrates the Squat

Straight away, do 15 press ups. From your knees is fine. Keep your shoulders over your hands & lower your face to just in front of your fingertips. Breathe in on the way down, exhale, engage TVA & push up.

Wendy Powell demonstrates the Press Up

Wendy Powell demonstrates the Press Up

Now lunges. Really important to keep your knees behind your toes & don’t lean forward into the lunge. Again breathe in as you bend your knees, then breathe out, engage (pull in) TVA & come up. Repeat 15 times on each leg.

Wendy Powell demonstrates the Lunge

Finally a plank: a great core exercise that really works the lower back as well (don’t try a full plank until you have mastered your TVA activation exercises & belly breathing). Lie on your front with your elbows bent to your sides. Tuck your toes under & push up onto your forearms, holding your body in a straight line. Keep TVA & PF activated & don’t forget to breathe. Your goal is to hold the position for 1 minute.

Wendy Powell demonstrates the Plank

Still got some time left before the school run? Then do the whole thing again. If you did all that in pretty quick succession, with good technique & correct TVA activation throughout – you just knocked the socks off an hour’s aerobics class in about 20 minutes AND made some serious inroads towards a flat tummy… good huh?

For more tips on fitting exercises into your day in bite size chunks, see this post too. Good luck & let us know how you’re doing!

Next week: the missing link to losing the fat around your middle… FOOD!