The Little Black Dress Workout

All you need to put by is 3 or 4 simple 30 minute workouts a week. Here’s Louise’s suggestions:

Tummy Tuck

“If your first thought is to go running and do some stomach crunches, think again!

The primary role of the abdominal (core) muscles is to stabilise the spine against flexion (bending forward), extension (bending backwards) and rotation (twisting). Great 'abs' is all about nutrition. Doing hundreds of crunches is damaging to your lower back and only serves to exacerbate the bad posture that comes from sitting at your desk every day.”

“You can make an enormous difference in just one week before your Christmas party if you cut out alcohol and processed foods, drink plenty of water and do some metabolic exercise including weight training and cardiovascular intervals to fire up the fat burning process.”

“The plank[i], side plank[ii] and quad ‘Supermans’[iii] will go a long way to making your spine healthier and improve your posture, instantly giving the impression of losing a few pounds.”

Tight Ass

“Sitting on your bum all day, not only reduces circulation to this area but also weakens and inhibits the gluteal muscles. You need to activate these muscles then get them stronger and looking better. Doing Hip Bridging[iv] at home will start the process, and the Cook Hip Lift is a fantastic exercise for working the glutes. Start by pulling one knee to your chest and lifting the hips by squeezing the glutes on the opposite side. Hold this lifted position for 10 seconds and repeat 3 times on each side.”

“However, for these muscles to look and work the best (meaning more calories burned and a healthier lower back) you need to load them with more than just your bodyweight. Exercises such as squats, deadlifts, step ups and lunges are all great choices. The more that you use the right muscle groups at the right time with an appropriate amount of strength the more calories you will be burning when you are doing a run, class, or even walking down the street. Don't be afraid to lift weights; females have ten times less testosterone (a hormone that stimulates muscle growth) than men, meaning that you will not build 'bulk'. You will however fire you metabolism through the roof and burn some serious fat.”

Bingo Wings

“Forget about bicep curling tins of beans and tricep dips off the back of a chair to beat bingo wings. A 500g tin of beans won’t help you to achieve a strong and healthy body, or sexy arms for your Christmas party dress. You need to be doing exercises that involve large muscle groups - press ups, pull ups and inverted rows – to help define muscles and burn calories.”

Get on the move…

“Interval training is the most effective form of cardiovascular training to help your body to burn fat. To shock the body into burning fat try alternating one minute of sprinting on the treadmill, cross trainer or bike with one minute recovery and repeat six to ten times. Combine this with weight training and being as active as possible when you are not exercising and see the difference in your entire figure before Christmas.”

“Your revved-up metabolism will also mean you are much more likely to keep weight off rather than gain it back, which often happens after diets that restrict calories and slow the metabolic rate. It also means you can indulge a little more when you have your Christmas lunch knowing that your body is burning more calories even at rest.”

“Exercising 3 - 4 times a week is generally an ideal amount of exercise to see results, without being over trained. Exercising too often doesn't give your body enough time to rebuild and recover from your previous training and training only once a week will not give your body enough stimuli to burn fat or build muscle. Focus on intensity of exercise in your workouts rather than duration.”

[i] Plank

Target Muscles: Abdominals, mid-section stabilisers
Execution: Lie face down. Lift your body from the floor so you are supported only by your forearms and toes. Hold your body straight from ankles to shoulders.

[ii] Side Plank

Target Muscles: Internal/external obliques, abdominals, mid-section stabilisers
Execution: Lie on your side. Lift your body from the floor so you are supported only by one forearm and foot. Hold your body straight from ankles to shoulder.

[iii] Superman

Target Muscles: Glutes, spinal erectors, mid-section stabilisers
Execution: On all fours with a flat back, slowly lift your right arm and left leg. Pause at the top position, and then slowly lower and repeat with opposite arm/leg. Keep your torso as still as possible throughout the movement.

[iv] Hip-Glute Bridge

Target Muscles: Glutes, spinal erectors, mid-section stabilisers
Execution: Lie on your back with feet hip-width apart and knees bent. Place your arms across your chest. Lift your hips from the floor by squeezing your glutes and lower back. Pause at the top, and then lower under control.