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" I am sure a few skeptics think I&amp;#039;ve never had to drop a pound in my life. Not true. With each of my pregnancies, I gained 35 pounds, and when I left the hospital, I had lost only 10. My belly was so big and mushy it looked as if I had another baby on the way! The weight came off slowly \u2014 and each time the last 10 pounds were the toughest. So I can relate. After 20 years as a health and fitness professional, I have certainly seen every fad, diet, and crazy scheme. But I&amp;#039;ve also seen what works, and I&amp;#039;ve streamlined those techniques to create a one-month program for losing body fat. You will have to &amp;quot;rev up&amp;quot; your metabolism. I&amp;#039;ll show you how to burn calories throughout the day, even when you&amp;#039;re sitting in a car or cooking dinner. By incorporating exercise and movement into your daily routine \u2014 as well as eating sensibly \u2014 you can boost your energy, reshape your body, and take off those unwanted pounds for good.  Here&amp;#039;s the entire one-month plan: \u2022 Every Day Burn hundreds of calories every day with mini workouts \u2014 what I call Fidget-cizing.   and two snacks every day. Increase flexibility and combat stress with a five-minute daily . \u2022 Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, do a 30-minute fat-burning aerobic workout.  \u2022 Tuesdays and Thursdays On Tuesdays and Thursdays, spend 30 minutes toning and firming up with a variety of weight training, yoga, and Pilates.  \u2022 Saturdays Saturdays are play days. Do at least 60 minutes of swimming, biking, tennis, even gardening.  \u2022 Sundays Sundays are free days. Take the day off, or, better yet, use it to do something fun: Try a new sport or take a stroll through a different part of town.  Like most of you, I love to eat. But if I&amp;#039;m going to eat the way I like to, I know that I&amp;#039;ve got to keep moving constantly and burning those calories. I&amp;#039;m not an exercise fanatic \u2014 with a career and kids, I can&amp;#039;t be. In fact, I do only 30 minutes of &amp;quot;official&amp;quot; exercise a day. My secret: sprinkling mini workouts throughout my day.  Believe it or not, you can burn up to 500 calories a day just by fidgeting. I never miss an opportunity to move. When watching TV, I do easy toning exercises, like triceps dips and ab crunches. If I&amp;#039;m stuck in a traffic jam, I hold on to the steering wheel and do tummy tucks. When I talk on the phone, I pace back and forth. You get the idea: You don&amp;#039;t need a lot of free time to burn calories. Butt and Thigh Toner Extend your leg out behind you. Bend your knee with your heel lifting toward your buttocks. Lift and lower your leg. Continue for one full minute. Switch legs and repeat. Bottoms-Up Squats Stand with legs hip-width apart. Bend your knees halfway to floor; straighten. Keep going for as long as you can.  Bun Blaster Stand straight. Lift your right leg straight out behind you, only a few inches off the floor. Point your toes. Squeeze your buttocks tight, and feel the muscles work. Keep your hips facing straight ahead, and try not to slouch. Return your foot to the floor. Repeat. Don&amp;#039;t forget to work both legs.  Saddlebag Slimmer Stand up tall. Lift your right foot out to the side a few feet, then pull it back in. Repeat 15 times and switch legs.  Inner-Thigh Firmer Standing tall, pull your right leg in front of your left, gently squeezing your inner thighs. It&amp;#039;s a crossover action. Return to the starting position and repeat. Do 15 repetitions before you switch sides.  Wall Sits Lean back lightly against a wall. Flatten your spine against the wall. Lower your body along the wall until your knees are bent to at least a 45-degree angle, but no more than a 90-degree angle. Pretend you are sitting in a chair. Hold for as long as you can \u2014 up to 60 seconds.  Towel Chest Stretch Stand with your back straight, feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Grasp your towel and extend your arms overhead. Press your arms back slowly until you reach a point of tension. Hold for five to 10 seconds, then release. Repeat twice.  Towel Waist Trimmer Grasp your towel and extend arms overhead. Bend and stretch from side to side, very slowly, tightening your abs as you stretch. Do 10 waist bends to each side.  Triceps Toner Holding a paperweight or a can of soup, raise your right arm straight above your head. Bend your arm at the elbow, and bring the weight down to your shoulder. Your upper arm should remain straight. Repeat 10 times and switch arms. Tummy Tuck Sit upright in a chair. Hold on to the arms of the chair or a point under the seat of the chair. With your feet together and knees bent, lift your knees toward your chest while contracting your abdominal muscles. Hold for three to five seconds. Relax and repeat.  Thigh Shaper Sit up straight with your feet flat on the floor. Bring one leg out straight in front of you. Maintaining good posture, with your back straight and chin lifted, hold your leg up for five to 10 seconds. Lower leg, then repeat with opposite leg. Repeat twice with each leg.  Waist Twist/Spine Strengthener Sit comfortably, with your back straight. Twist torso toward the right, far enough so that you can grab the back of the seat with both hands. Feel the stretch across waistline, upper arm, and back. Hold for 15 seconds and relax. Twist toward the left. (This one&amp;#039;s great in the car too.)  Posture Power Clasp your fingers behind your neck. Pull your elbows back as far as you can. Hold for 10 seconds. Keeping your fingers clasped, try to bring your elbows together in front of you. Hold for five seconds. Release your hands and relax for five seconds. Repeat the sequence three times.  Upper-Body Stretch Sit up tall. Clasp your hands behind your back. Raise your hands back and up, as high as you can. Hold for five to 10 seconds, then release. Repeat twice.  To lose weight, you must participate in some form of cardiovascular exercise three times a week \u2014 anything that gets your heart rate up for at least 15 minutes. Any of these workouts will fit the bill: aerobics, cross-country skiing, cycling, dancing, elliptical machine, in-line skating, jogging, jumping rope, kickboxing, power walking, rowing, stair climbing, or swimming. One of the most time-efficient ways to burn fat is interval training, a hot trend in the fitness world that everyone from Olympic athletes to Hollywood&amp;#039;s A-list is using to shed pounds quickly.  What you do is alternate bursts of high-intensity exercise with low-intensity &amp;quot;recovery&amp;quot; effort. Intervals translate to most forms of exercise: You can do them whether you&amp;#039;re riding a bike (think spinning), using a stair climber, or swimming laps.  I&amp;#039;ve created a . If you&amp;#039;re a beginner (you&amp;#039;ve never exercised or have been largely inactive for three months or more) or you have bad knees, simply walk as fast as you can during the high-intensity portion.  Everyone else, walk as briskly as possible during the slower interval, then jog or run during the faster one. The higher you get your heart rate, the more efficient your workout will be. If you can&amp;#039;t run yet, don&amp;#039;t fret \u2014 you can work up to it bit by bit.  Week One Interval ratio \u2014 3:1 (three minutes of walking followed by one minute of jogging) Number of intervals \u2014 six Cooldown \u2014 six minutes of walking Week Two Interval ratio \u2014 2:1 (two minutes of walking followed by one minute of jogging) Number of intervals \u2014 eight Cooldown \u2014 six minutes of walking  Week Three Interval Ratio \u2014 3:2 (three minutes of walking followed by two minutes of jogging) Number of intervals \u2014 five Cooldown \u2014 five minutes of walking  Week Four Interval Ratio \u2014 2:2 (two minutes of walking followed by two minutes of jogging) Number of intervals \u2014 six Cooldown \u2014 six minutes of walking  After your walk/jog interval routine, or any other workout that uses lower-body muscles, do these stretches and tummy tighteners. Lower-Body Stretches Quad Stretch Stand with one hand holding a chair. Lift your right foot behind you, then reach back and grab with right hand. Gently pull heel toward buttocks. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds; switch legs and repeat.  Calf Stretch Stand facing a wall with one foot in front of the other (front foot is about a foot from the wall, back foot is about three feet from it). Keeping heels on the floor, place hands on the wall in front of you and lean forward, bending your front knee. Feel the stretch in the back of the leg that is extended behind you. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds; switch legs and repeat.  Hip/Hamstring Stretch Lie on back with buttocks up against a wall. Extend one leg up so foot rests against the wall (leg forms a 90-degree angle from torso); the other leg should be bent so that outside ankle is resting on thigh. Slowly bend the knee of the leg against the wall. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds; switch legs and repeat.  Ab Firmers Lower-Ab Tightener Lie on back with knees bent and lifted so they&amp;#039;re above hips. Place hands behind ears to lightly support neck. Exhale as you curl up so your shoulders lift off the floor slightly; pull belly button in toward spine. Inhale as you release and lower shoulders. Aim for two sets of 15 to 20 reps. Waist Trimmer Lying on your back, bend knees and elevate feet. Lift your left shoulder off the floor; reach both hands toward the outside of right knee. &amp;quot;Pulse&amp;quot; for 15 to 20 reps. Inhale as you return to starting position, then exhale as you reach both hands toward the outside of left knee. Pulse for another 15 to 20 reps. Aim for two sets on each side.  These soothing moves can be done at any time of day \u2014 and they take only five minutes. First thing in the morning, they make for an inspiring start to the day. For those who spend a lot of time sitting, a midafternoon routine will help unlock tightness in the neck and back. And when done before bed, these moves will help clear your mind so you get a better night&amp;#039;s sleep. Tai Chi Push and Pull Stand with your feet hip-width apart, one leg in front of the other; your weight is over your back foot, hands in front of your chest, elbows bent out to the sides, parallel to the floor, palms facing toward your heart. Shift your weight forward to your front foot as your hands push outward. For about 30 seconds, shift your weight backward and forward. Switch legs and continue with the opposite leg in front.  Reach-to-the-Sky Alignment Stretch With your legs together, stretch your arms over your head as if you&amp;#039;re reaching for the clouds. Feel your spine elongate. Hold for five seconds. Relax for two seconds, then repeat.  Height Enhancer Stand with your feet together and your knees slightly bent. With your arms extended overhead, clasp your hands and stretch upward. Maintaining the stretch, bend your body to the right and hold for three deep breaths. Return to an upright position, then bend to the left. Hold for three deep breaths. Repeat.  Yin and Yang Stretch Stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Place your hands above your knees to support your back. Keeping your back flat, rotate your torso to the right. Hold for 10 seconds. Return to center and repeat on the left side.  Soothing Back Stretch Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent, and arms relaxed. Tuck your chin to your chest and slowly roll down until your hands reach the floor. (Don&amp;#039;t lock knees.) Feel your upper body hang loosely. Hold for 10 seconds. Slowly roll to an upright position one vertebra at a time. Repeat the entire move.  Remember all those crazy diets you&amp;#039;ve tried in the past \u2014 only brown rice, only juice, only protein, only bean sprouts. Sure, you lost a few pounds, but where are those pounds now? They&amp;#039;re back. My way of eating is simple, realistic, and not ridiculously strict. On each day, you should try to consume approximately 1,500 calories, divided as follows: Breakfast: 300 calories Midmorning snack: 100 calories Lunch: 400 calories Midafternoon snack: 200 calories Dinner: 500 calories  Your body burns calories more efficiently with a balanced diet, so each meal should contain a healthy mix of protein (about 25 percent of total calories), carbohydrates (about 50 percent of calories), and fat (about 25 percent of calories).  Make fiber the foundation of your meal plan: Go for plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans.  As you can see, I&amp;#039;ve called for three meals and two snacks \u2014 &amp;quot;grazing&amp;quot; keeps your metabolism operating in top form. (And it&amp;#039;s always a good idea to take a multivitamin daily as insurance.) "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/diet-nutrition/advice/a16869/fitness-denise-austin-diet-1101/>