Weights
Getting in Shape for Burlesque Movie: Christina Aguilera’s Workout Routine
Christina Aguilera’s workout routine was just one of many things she did for her role in the Burlesque Movie. Imagine rehearsing 14 hours each day and still finding the time for 2-5 weight training sessions each week. This is not an easy task, but she is motivated: “I’m bringing my A-game and taking it very seriously.”
Here’s what you can learn from Christina Aguilera’s workout routine:
#1: Start your training with a 10 minute treadmill warm up.
This will prepare your body and your mind from the workout. It will take your mind off your daily routines. It’s also a great way to pump some blood before your strength training.
#2: Work your upper body with biceps curls.
Her trainer Tee Sorge tells us: “Christina does three sets of each exercise and uses weights ranging from five to 15 pounds.” He thinks that these exercises are a good way to tone the upper body.
#3: Do lots of sit-ups.
Christina does 300-500 sit-ups per training session. Abs are a symbol of your fitness and beauty. If your abs are in great shape, it’s very likely that your whole body is in great shape as well.
#4: Tricep dips keep your upper body strong.
Christina Aguilera does strength training 2 to 5 times a week. She adds tricep dips into each of her sessions. Making sure you have toned arms ensures that she doesn’t have flabby arms while singing on stage.
#5: Eat healthy each day.
For the Burlesque movie, Christina replaced her diet of white bread, sugar, rice with lean proteins and whole grains. Getting rid of sugar filled white carbs and adding in more lean protein created greater results faster.
Christina Aguilera’s workout and diet provide great advice for anyone willing to improve their own workout and diet. Take your pick and include what you like. If she works out for a movie, you could do the same for a date or a social event.
10 Ways I’m Changing My Workout this Winter
Changing up your workout is not only important to keep you mentally sane — who wants to do the same workout day in and day out? It is imperative in order to continually see your body progress towards your fitness goals.
Its also important to change up your workouts in order to see changes and progression in your body – no matter how lean you are or how many pounds you want to lose there is ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS room for improvement.
Here’s how I’m changing my workout this winter:
- Only hitting the gym 4 days a week
- Starting with 2 exercises for each body part — 3 sets for the first exercise — 2 sets for the second exercise — increasing the sets/reps and number of exercises each week
- Training Back with Shoulders two times a week (this is the area I’m trying to improve)
- Legs and Biceps at the beginning of the week — making sure one of my cardio days is after my leg workout
- Chest and Triceps once a week — in between my two shoulder/back workouts
- Cardio is low intensity only three times a week
- Focusing on lifting heavier weights — making sure to see some improvement each week
- With heavier weights my reps are only going to be between 4 at the lowest and 8 at the highest
- Focus is on building muscle not losing weight — need to keep this in mind if I don’t always like what I see in the mirror — its going to pay off in the long run
- Spending as little time in the gym as possible with the most effective workouts
- Going to try and incorporate Yoga at least once a week
These are only some of the changes I’m making to my workouts this winter. These changes — while some minor — are made to help me achieve my fitness goals this winter — help me to change my physique and create a better body. Now its off to the gym to make some moves!!
What are you doing to your workout to make improvements to your physique?
How Often Should I Change my Flat Stomach Workout and Other Questions Answered
I get asked TONS of questions on a daily basis — fitness, diet, supplement, workout gear — everything under the sun! Many questions I know I have had and I’m sure you have too — so I thought I’d do a quick Q&A to help all of us out!
Q: How often should I change my sneakers?
A: You should change your sneakers every 6-7 months – depending on how much wear and tear they are getting. If you are running miles in them everyday – you may need to replace them sooner depending on how the tread on the bottom is doing. If you are only wearing them to the gym to lift weights and aren’t doing any heavy pounding you may be able to go a bit longer.
Q: Should I be drinking protein shakes? I feel like I’m going to look like a man if I do that.
A: YES! YES! and NO! NO! Yes — you should be drinking protein shakes. Most women do not consume enough protein on a daily basis. Having a protein shake is a great way to get in a quick meal – that is good for you. The best type of quick post-workout nutrition is a protein shake. Having a protein shake post-workout will help your muscles repair faster and allow you to continue to burn fat. Add a scoop of protein powder into the blender — add a banana, some peanut butter and ice and you have yourself a complete healthy meal! Not to mention a sweet treat!
No — it will not make you look like a man. You would have to eat TONS and TONS of protein and even then it just would not happen!!
Q: Should I change up my flat stomach workout? If so – why? And how often?
A: Changing your workout every few weeks is a GREAT idea! Why? Changing your workout most importantly keeps YOU entertained. A lot of people think their workouts get boring and therefore will stop going to the gym because they ‘always do the same stuff’. Not only will you be more excited for the change but your muscles will as well.
If you do the same workout and exercises day after day and week after week – your muscles begins to get adapted to those movements and routines. Eventually your muscles will become so adapt that you will not see any forward progress. Using different exercises works different muscles in each muscle group — allowing your muscles to continue to grow and change — burning more fat and helping you see even better weight loss results!
Do you have a question you want answered? Let me know by posting it below!
Your Arm Training Questions Answered
With all the my recent posts about arm training, I’ve received a ton of questions regarding different arm related topics.
Flat Stomach Workout – Upper Body Band Workout
With summer around the corner – which means tank top season and sleeveless dresses – its time to pump up the upper body workouts and get our arms tight and toned. This week’s flat stomach workout of the week is a change from the usual routine – spicing up your usual routine and increasing results.
It’s Over – Reflecting on the Journey to My First Two Bikini Competitions
Its over…..
A sixteen week weight loss journey of dieting and training and extreme focus have come to an end. Sixteen weeks of nerves, laughs, second guessing myself and growing have written their final chapter.
A sixteen week adventure that begun with a silly idea have ended in two spectacular shows.
Flat Stomach Exercise of the Week – Barbell Close Grip Chest Press
Need a new exercise for your workout this week? Still trying to get rid of those flabby arms? Well, then I have the exercise for you!
This week’s flat stomach exercise of the week is the barbell close grip chest press. Its a bit of a mouthful, but its a GREAT exercise for your upper body. The barbell close grip chest press will help to change up your workout just a bit – give your muscles a new movement that will have them guessing and continually progressing.
The barbell close grip chest press targets both your triceps and your chest muscles. Women NEED to lift weights in order to see continual weight loss improvements. Many women also tend to stay away from the chest press because
One Move to Get Rid of Flabby Arms
We all know that women need to lift weights in order to get a tight and toned physique. One exercise that many women stay away from is the Chest Press. However, this is a big mistake, especially when trying to tone your arms and get rid of arm flab.
First, I would like to say I understand WHY many women stay away from the chest press. Its the one exercise that you look at and not only does it look kind of scary, but there is always some dude at the gym with 4 plates on each side trying to get his ‘pump’ on. And going to sit next to him is always slightly intimidating because what if you don’t know what you are doing?
But that can no longer be your worry – as of now you will know exactly HOW to do a chest press and WHY you need to add it to your exercise routine.
Watch the video below and you’ll be burning fat and getting rid of arm flab in no time!
Still have questions? Add a comment below or email me – melissa@womensabworkout.com – and I’ll be happy to help!
Flat Stomach Exercise of the Week: Dumbbell Step Ups
Its a New Year and its time to give you a new exercise to step up your workout and help you make this year YOUR year. Its another weight exercise for women who lift weights, to help you tighten and tone your body. This week’s exercise targets your lower body – ensuring that your legs will look great by the time you have to show them off!
This week’s flat stomach exercise for your flat stomach workout is one of my favorite for getting your heart rate pumping and the fat burning – the dumbbell step up.
The Step Up is a GREAT exercise to help you get tight, toned and sexy legs by working all of the major muscles in your lower body: quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes.
No matter your workout experience the step up is an exercise for all levels. If you are a beginner, start with a smaller step and no weight. As you become stronger, you can increase the weight or the height of the step to make the exercise more difficult. Another variation for this exercise, to increase its fat burning abilities is to time yourself. Instead of doing 10-12 reps, try taking a lower weight and doing the step-ups for a minute. See how many you can do in the minute, take a minute rest and repeat. This will have your heart rate pumping and the fat burning.
More Flat Stomach Exercises:
Flat Stomach Exercise of the Week – Stability Ball Dumbbell Chest Press
Flat Stomach Exercise of the Week – EZ Bar Skull Crusher
Four Types of Pushups to Strengthen and Tone Your Arms and Abs
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Dedication and Focus – Keys to Reaching Your Flat Stomach Goals
I get a lot of emails from readers, and honestly – it’s one of the best parts about the internet – interacting with my readers and clients without meeting them in person and continuing to help motivate and guide them to reach their flat stomach goals.
Well, I recently received an email in response to my last article about Why Women Need to Lift Weights in the Gym. Here’s what she said….
Hey Melissa!
Thanks for the great articles and info on your site – it’s really helped me get back in the gym. Lifting weights used to be my big fear, however, now I’m having a problem staying dedicated to my routine. I’ve learned to eat healthy and clean and I’ve lost some weight. But, it’s not enough – I want a flat stomach, I want to lose more weight.
I’m motivated and I know what to do in the gym but I can’t seem to stay focused or dedicated to my workout. I’ll go to the gym for a few days and then won’t feel like going one day and then I don’t go back for days. I don’t know what I need to do to get focused because I’m starting to get frustrated at my ‘ditzy ways’ with the gym.
Any suggestions?
Thanks for your help
Monica
I know Monica is not alone. Personally, I have struggled with the same issues of dedication and focus as sometimes life comes at you fast and from angles you are least expecting it too. If you’re not 100% motivated or dedicated to working out, it makes getting there and achieving your goals that much harder.
Today, we’re going to solve Monica’s problem (and yours) and we’re going to make the commitment and stay dedicated to our goals and fitness plan…
First, answer these three quick questions:
1) Why are you working out?
2) What are your fitness goals?
3) Do you like working out?
The answers to these three questions are connected and I’ll show you how here…
#1 – Why are you working out?
If your answer is ‘because I have too’ – if I was grading this answer as a paper – I’d give you a D! Not enough information and that truly does not tell me WHY you are working out – do you have to because you ‘feel’ like you have to or do you ‘have’ to for health reasons? WHY are you working out?
If you don’t know why you are heading to the gym every day before or after work –t hen why bother going? Maybe you workout because you truly enjoy it – AWESOME – now from here we create your fitness goals of what you want your body to look like, feel like, and be like. You may workout because it is necessary for your health – from there you create your flat stomach goals.
*Being Dedicate + a No Pain No Gain Attitude has gotten Ava Cowen to THIS level*
However, if you are working out because you feel like you have too – then we have a problem that needs fixing. My first question is – What or who around you is making you feel like you ‘have’ to work out? Yes the benefits, of working out, are but you shouldn’t feel like you HAVE to do it – you make your own decisions everyday – you control what you want to do – don’t let anyone else make you feel like you ‘have’ to do something – we’ll continue this one in number three.
#2 – What are your fitness goals?
I’ve heard many people respond to this question by saying – wait I need goals when I work out? WOAH!! Stop right there – like question one – if you have no purpose for what you are doing – then why are you doing it? You are wasting your time!
When setting up productive goals – you need to set up long term goals, and then the short term goals that will help you get there. Like Monica mentioned – she wants a flat stomach – well – if you don’t have the dedication daily – you’re not going to get there (sorry for the hard truth!) How can we fix this?
First, make getting a flat stomach by X date your long term goal. Make the commitment, put the date on your calendar in pen, sign up for the show, the race, and the climb, whatever it is. Now you’re committed – hopefully the date is a few months in advance – and from here you set up your flat stomach workout to help you reach that goal – you are committed and know what you are working for.
Since we sometimes get distracted by life and all that is around us, it is also important to set short term goals along the way – I want to lift x amount of weight by this day, I want to run X amount of miles in X time by this day, etc. Short term goals; have to be accomplished to get you to the big picture in the end. Even set up daily and weekly goals. The more goals you set up for yourself the greater commitment you make to yourself and the more dedication you have because you want to achieve those goals. No one wants to set themselves up for failure – only success. Goal setting helps you reach that success – and what is better than being successful? Knowing you reached your goals is one of the most exciting steps in the process.
#3 – Do you like working out?
If you answered 
NO WAY JOSE to this question – I want to know why you are doing it then. Why are you forcing yourself to do something you don’t want too? This question relates back to number one – why are you working out if you absolutely hate it! If you don’t like walking on the treadmill – find another way of doing cardio that you like – there are TONS of options.
If you don’t like going to the gym and lifting weights in front of all those big meat heads – find a private trainer, or studio that you can work out in. There are SO many options out there – find one. If you are a fitness fanatic (like myself) then awesome! But now it’s time to figure out WHY you are working out and from there make a plan and make your time in the gym effective towards some ultimate goal.
One more tip – Tell someone what your goals are. Email me – melissa@womensabworkout.com – and tell me what your goals are – I’d love to know. When you tell someone, they help to hold you accountable and they can help keep you going.
Now it’s time to be dedicated to you – no more excuses as to why you don’t have the six pack you want, why you don’t fit into your ‘skinny’ jeans – the time for you to do it now. Exercise is exercise. Make the commitment, stay dedicated, and focused and you can do it. And let me know what you’re working towards – I’d love to know and we can work together to make sure you get there!
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