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Dinner Tonight



Mini Workout Three
Focus: Abdominals
Half Roll-Ups
Dead Bug
Hip Lifts
One-Leg Bridge

What you'll need: a mat or carpet

Minute 1: Cardio
Step-Ups on a Bench
Stand facing a bench or step. Quickly step up with your right foot, then your left, then step down with the right foot, followed by the left. Repeat, moving comfortably as fast as you can. After 30 seconds, switch the lead leg.

Minute 2: Toning
Half Roll-Ups (works front and side abdominals, or obliques)
Lie on back with legs extended, toes pointed. Inhale and raise arms up, fingers pointing toward ceiling. Exhale and press lower back toward floor as you roll head, neck, and shoulders up, reaching fingers toward the ceiling, until you feel a strong contraction in stomach muscles. During the move, tighten your leg muscles to maintain intensity. Slowly return to start, and repeat.

Minute 3: Cardio
Sideways Shuffle
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Step to the right with right foot, then quickly bring left foot to meet it. Repeat, picking up the pace as you shuffle sideways all the way across the room; return with left foot leading. Continue going back and forth for a full minute.

Minute 4: Toning
Dead Bug (works front abdominals and obliques)
Lie on back with hands by your sides, knees bent at a 90-degree angle, and feet off the floor. Tighten abs, and slowly lower left leg toward floor, straightening leg, as shown. Stop when you feel lower back coming off the floor. Return to starting position, then switch legs. Alternate for one minute.

Minute 5: Cardio
Football Drill
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Run in place as fast as you can. Take periodic 10-second breaks to jog, if needed.

Minute 6: Toning
Hip Lifts (works front abdominals and obliques)
Lie on left side. Prop left elbow directly under left shoulder, as shown. Keep head and neck lifted. Now raise left hip away from the floor so your left elbow and foot support your weight. Hold for a count of three, then lower to start position. After 30 seconds, switch sides.
To decrease difficulty: Bend knees to a 90- degree angle. When you lift, support your body with your elbow and knees.

Minute 7: Cardio
High Knee Lifts
Jog in place, bringing each knee up until thigh is parallel with the floor.

Minute 8: Toning
One-Leg Bridge (works front abdominals, obliques, back, gluteals, and hamstrings)
Lie on back with knees bent, feet flat on floor, and arms by your sides. Raise hips off floor as high as you can. Now straighten left leg (make sure hips remain level, and keep weight on shoulders, not neck). Hold for a count of three; lower to start position. Repeat for 30 seconds, then switch legs.

Minute 9: Cardio Cooldown
Stair Climbers
Run up a flight of stairs as fast as you can, then jog down. Repeat for 30 seconds. (If you don’t have stairs, do the Sideways Shuffle.) Then walk in place for 30 seconds to slow your heart rate.

Minute 10: Stretching
Cobra (stretches front of shoulders and upper abdominals)
Lie facedown with palms on floor near shoulders and elbows close to body. Press hands into floor as you lift upper body, keeping hips on floor. Relax shoulders, and look straight ahead. Hold for 30 seconds.

Cat/Cow Stretch (stretches abdominals and back)
From the Cobra, move into an all-fours position. Let belly button lower toward floor as you slowly arch back, looking up. Now bring belly in toward spine as you round back slowly, letting head drop. Return to start position and look over right shoulder, then left, for a slight spinal twist. Repeat once for a total of 30 seconds.