DAY 7—TOTAL BODY WORKOUT
Phase 3 exercises: See “Phase 3 Weekly Exercise Plan” Section.
Take a recreational walk at Easy Pace for 15–20 minutes (optional).
Phase 3 Total Body Workout Exercises
Wall Sit
Chest Hug
Double Arm Reach
Breaststroke
Heel Beat
Swimming Frog
Alternating Leg Kick
Straight Leg Triangle
Straight Leg Circle
PHASE 3 TOTAL BODY WORKOUT
WALL SIT
Strengthens and shapes the butt, thighs, and calves.
Squat against a wall with your palms pressed against the wall, your feet planted firmly on the floor hip-width apart, and your knees in line with your ankles. Tighten your abdominals. Pretend you are sitting on an imaginary chair. Try to squeeze your legs together without moving them. Hold the squeeze for 15 seconds (this is 1 rep). Release the squeeze.
Do 5 (15-second) squeezes.
Tip: Make sure your palms stay pressed against the wall—they help to stabilize your back muscles.
Caution: Stop if this exercise causes any knee pain.
Variation 1: While sitting against the wall, lift your heels and hold for 5 seconds. Return to the starting position. Repeat. Work up to longer holds as you get stronger.
Do 5 (5-second) holds.
Variation 2: While sitting against the wall, extend your left leg. Do 4 outward circles and then 4 inward circles with that leg. Return to the starting position, and repeat with the right leg.
Do 3 sets of 4 circles outward and 4 circles inward with each leg.
CHEST HUG
Shapes and strengthens shoulders, biceps, and triceps.
You can use 1- to 3-pound hand weights or perform this exercise without weights. Don’t use weights if you have shoulder injuries or feel any pain.
1.With a weight in each hand or with your hands in fists, stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold your arms out in front of you at chest height as though hugging someone (your closed fists are facing you).
2–3. Working from your elbows, open your arms, then, still working from the elbows, bring your arms back to the starting position. Think of your elbows as the hinges of a door that’s opening and closing. Each out-and-in movement is 1 rep.
Do 3 sets of 8 reps.
Caution: People with existing shoulder injuries or previous rotator cuff or impingement issues should not use weights.
DOUBLE ARM REACH
Strengthens and sculpts the shoulders and arms.
1. Stand up straight with your legs shoulder-width apart. Hold both arms at chest height, with your upper arms parallel to the floor, elbows bent at 90 degrees, and palms facing toward you. Keep your chest open and lifted on all movements. Your chin stays parallel to the floor and should not jut forward.
2. Straighten both arms as you raise them toward the ceiling. Feel the muscles under both arms contract as you do so. When your arms are straight overhead, rotate your hands and arms away from your body.
3–4. In one fluid motion, keep your arms straight as you slowly move both arms behind you and down. Without stopping, continue to move your arms down and around until your elbows are at your hips and bent at 90 degrees, palms facing up. Return to the starting position. This is 1 rep.
Do 3 sets of 8 reps.
Caution: People with existing shoulder injuries or previous rotator cuff or impingement issues should be careful doing this exercise.
BREASTSTROKE
Strengthens and sculpts shoulders, biceps, and triceps. This is the dry dock version of the breaststroke.
You can use 1- to 3-pound hand weights or perform this exercise without weights. Don’t use weights if you have shoulder injuries or feel any pain.
1. With a weight in each hand, stand with your legs shoulder-width apart. Hold your hands in front of you at chest height, with your elbows bent as though hugging someone but your palms facing away from your chest.
2. In one continuous motion, open your arms and pull your elbows behind your shoulders as though doing the breaststroke. Squeeze in your shoulder blades and contract the backs of your arms to intensify the movement.
3–4. Bring your bent arms down, around, and, in a circular motion, toward your waist, as you move toward the starting position. This is 1 rep.
Do 3 sets of 8 reps.
Tip: This exercise should be done in a fluid, rhythmic motion in which one movement flows into the other, just like swimming. Do not stop between reps.
Caution: People with existing shoulder injuries or previous rotator cuff or impingement issues should not use weights.
HEEL BEAT
Strengthens and flattens upper and lower abdominal muscles, sculpts and strengthens the legs, and improves flexibility and function in hip joints.
1. Lie on your back on the floor. Prop yourself up on your elbows and press your forearms and palms firmly into the floor, fingertips facing forward. Squeeze your shoulder blades together to keep your chest lifted. Your legs are straight, your feet are flexed, and your legs are hip-width apart. Lift your legs off the floor about 4 inches.
2–3. Opening and closing your legs, slowly beat your heels together without actually letting your heels touch. These movements should be fluid; don’t stop between beats (1 beat is 1 rep).
Do 3 sets of 8 reps.
Variation: If you have mastered the basic move, try this more difficult variation. When your legs are lifted off the floor, flex your feet and do 1 small circle inward with both feet, followed by 1 small circle outward (this is 1 rep).
Do 3 sets of 8 reps.
SWIMMING FROG
Sculpts and strengthens upper and lower abdominal muscles. Improves flexibility and function of the hip and knee joints.
1. Lie down on your back on the floor. Prop yourself up on your elbows and press your forearms and palms firmly into the floor, fingertips facing forward. Squeeze your shoulder blades together to keep your chest lifted. Bend your knees and open them to either side. Press the bottoms of your feet together. Tighten your abdominal muscles. Lift your feet off the floor about 4 inches.
2. Still pressing the bottoms of your feet together, extend your legs until they are straight, then flex your feet at the point where you can no longer keep the bottoms of your feet pressed together.
3. Separate and extend your straightened legs wider than hip-width apart. Make sure that your tight abdominal muscles are holding you in position so you don’t strain your back.
4. Bring your heels back together. Bend your legs and press the bottoms of your feet together as you return to the starting position (1) to complete 1 rep. Your legs will still be hovering about 4 inches off the floor. These movements should be fluid. Don’t stop between reps.
Do 3 sets of 8 reps.
ALTERNATING LEG KICK
Improves hamstring strength and endurance, strengthens the back and abdominals, and improves posture.
1. Lie facedown on the floor. Prop yourself up on your elbows and press your forearms into the floor. Contract your arm muscles and feel your arms pull toward one another, but don’t actually move them. Keep your chest lifted—don’t let it sink into the floor.
2. Tighten your abdominal muscles and contract your butt as you lift both legs about 4 inches off the floor.
3–4. Bend your right leg at the knee and try to kick your butt with your right heel, then, in a continuous motion, switch legs and try to kick your butt with your left heel. This is 1 rep.
Do 3 sets of 8 reps.
Caution: Don’t do this exercise if you have low-back pain or disk or knee injuries.
STRAIGHT LEG TRIANGLE
Great for hamstring strength and endurance.
1. Lie facedown on the floor. Prop yourself up on your elbows and press your forearms into the floor. Contract your arm muscles and pull your arms toward one another without actually moving them. Keep your chest lifted—don’t let i
t sink to the floor. Tighten your abdominal muscles and contract your butt. Flex both feet and bend your knees.
2. Straighten your legs, then separate them to form a triangle, keeping your feet about 6 inches off the floor.
3. Bring your legs together, lower them, and return to the starting position. Repeat 4 times.
Reverse the order: Begin with your legs in the Step 3 position, move to the Step 2 position, and end in the Step 1 position. Repeat 4 times.
Do 3 sets of 4 triangles each way.
Caution: Don’t do this exercise if you have low-back pain or disk or knee injuries.
STRAIGHT LEG CIRCLE
Improves hamstring strength and endurance. Strengthens back and abdominal muscles.
1. Lie facedown on the floor. Prop yourself up on your elbows and press your forearms into the floor. Contract your arm muscles and pull your arms toward one another without actually moving them. Keep your chest lifted—don’t let it sink to the floor. Tighten your abdominal muscles and contract your butt as you lift both legs about 4 inches off the floor.
2–3. While keeping your legs straight, simultaneously circle each leg in an outward direction 4 times. Without stopping, do 4 leg circles in an inward direction. This should be a slow, controlled movement. Rest between sets if you need to.
Do 3 sets of 4 outward and 4 inward circles.
Caution: Don’t do this exercise if you have low-back pain or disk injuries.
Make Exercise a Lifestyle
You’ve now finished all three phases of the South Beach Supercharged Fitness Program, and you deserve a huge round of applause. By now, when you look in the mirror, you should be delighted with your reflection. To maintain your good results, you’ll want to incorporate exercise into your daily routine. Here are some tips on how you can go forward with what you’ve learned and adapt it to your own lifestyle.
Continuing with Interval Training
Now that you fully understand the principles of interval training, you can apply them to nearly any type of exercise or sport to enhance your results. You can take the Interval Walking program in this book and use it as a blueprint for an interval cycling or swimming program, for example, or adapt it for the treadmill, stationary bike, or elliptical trainer, as described in “Interval Training Indoors” on “Interval Walking Basics” Section. Better yet, mix up different types of exercise on different days to keep your routine fresh.
If you’ve discovered that you really love walking, simply continue with the Phase 3 program and repeat it in the 4-week cycles described on “Phase 3 Weekly Exercise Plan” Section. Because we know that most people are pressed for time, we intentionally designed the walking program to be 20 minutes long. But if you enjoy doing cardio for a longer period, you can adapt the program to fit your schedule. For example, if you like taking an hour-long walk on weekends, you can certainly do intervals, but don’t try to spend the entire hour working at high intensity. Never forget this key concept: The longer you exercise, the lower the overall intensity of your intervals. And be sure to always add in your recovery periods.
Continuing with the Total Body Workout
Now that you’ve completed all three phases of the Total Body Workout, youre going to notice how great you look. But these changes go even deeper. You’re now far more aware of how your body works, and your everyday movements are more graceful and purposeful. You stand taller and straighter, and you’re more flexible. Good posture is now second nature to you. Your shoulders don’t slump, your head doesn’t jut forward, and your belly doesn’t sag. You’re using your core muscles to hold you up and keep your body in proper alignment, and you look and feel better for it. You may be surprised that a nagging ache in your knee or pain in your lower back has vastly improved or even disappeared. And you are undoubtedly delighted that your abdominal muscles are flatter and stronger and your arms and legs are leaner and better defined.
Sticking with our core functional fitness program and adapting it to your lifestyle will help you maintain a toned body for the rest of your life. Here are some suggestions on how you can keep the Total Body Workout working for you.
Do two phases in succession. You can create your own workout by combining the exercises from any two phases. Do all the exercises in Phase 1 and then go right into Phase 2 or 3, or do all the exercises in Phase 2 followed by Phase 3. Keep the workout fresh by doing different exercise combinations on alternate days. Don’t work so fast that you’re sloppy, but try to do both workouts in under 30 minutes.
Do three phases in succession. For a fun, high-energy workout that’s also a real challenge, once a week set aside an hour to do all the exercises in all three phases.
Do Phase 1 anytime. Phase 1 contains basic movements that make you feel great. All of the chair exercises can be done at your desk in the office or while sitting in your living room. Do them whenever you want to give your joints and muscles a treat. Keeping up with these exercises will help you stay flexible and injury free.
Stops and Starts
Of course there will be times when you must take a day or two off from the Interval Walking program and/or the Total Body Workout. Skipping a few sessions won’t make a big difference in your overall fitness level. Just pick up where you left off as soon as you are able. If, however, you miss several weeks of exercise, I recommend that you start again with Phase 1 for both the walking and the core exercises. This will gradually prepare your body for a more intense workout and keep you from injury.
Change It Up
Whatever activity or activities you choose, you do need to continue to do something. In fact, now that you’re in such good shape, it’s a great time to explore new types of exercise. Maybe you used to love riding your bike outdoors but haven’t been on it in years. On the next beautiful day, take your bike out of the garage and give it a try—just for the sheer joy of it. If you love the feeling, start doing bicycle intervals. Or maybe you’ve always wanted to participate in a walk for your favorite charity but thought that you couldn’t keep up with everyone else. Trust me, after you’ve completed the three phases of the Interval Walking program, the other participants will have trouble keeping up with you. Or maybe you’ve always wanted to try Pilates, go ballroom dancing, or take a Spinning class at the gym. Stop thinking about it—do it! Experiment with different forms of exercise and see what you really enjoy. Doctor’s orders!
Staying active will prevent the weight you’ve lost from creeping back and will keep you fit and healthy for your entire life.
And that’s what the South Beach Diet is all about.
PART III
Supercharged Eating on The South Beach Diet
Getting Started on the South Beach Diet
If you’re new to the South Beach Diet, you’re undoubtedly eager to begin losing unwanted pounds and improving your health. On the following pages, you will find all the tools you need to get started. The secret to looking and feeling great is literally right at your fingertips.
If you’re already a follower of the South Beach Diet, you’re probably eager to see what’s new. I’m delighted to say that we’re providing expanded lists of Foods to Enjoy, as well as helpful new Meal Plans and fresh, delicious, easy-to-prepare recipes for Phases 1 and 2.
I’ve also been listening to you for 5 years—in my practice, in my daily encounters, and on SouthBeachDiet.com. Some questions about the diet seem to come up time and again. Therefore, I’ve provided a question and answer section for each phase.
So let’s get started.
By now you know that the South Beach Diet is divided into three phases. On Phase 1 Foods to Enjoy” Section, you’ll find the Phase 1 Foods to Enjoy list, followed by Phase 1 Foods to Avoid. The Phase 1 Foods to Enjoy include the lean proteins, good fats, good carbohydrates (vegetables and legumes), and low-fat dairy products that you’re allowed to eat during this 2-week phase. Bear in mind that even on this, the strictest phase of the diet, the Foods to Enjoy list is much longer than the Foods to Avoid list. Furthermore
, it will be only 2 weeks before you start Phase 2 and can resume eating fruits and whole grains again. I guarantee that if you plan your meals and snacks around the Foods to Enjoy list for Phase 1, you will feel satisfied, and your cravings for sweets and starchy carbs will likely disappear.
On “Foods to Reintroduce on Phase 2” Section, you’ll find the list of Foods to Reintroduce on Phase 2. As you move from Phase 1 to Phase 2, you will gradually add these foods back into your diet (“PHASE 2: Achieving Your Health and Weight Loss Goals” Section explains how to do this while continuing to lose weight).
The South Beach Diet Super Charged Page 16