Booty Burning

The trainer at my gym asked me to take some photos of myself in a bathing suit this past weekend for before, during, and after photos of my pregnancy; talk about getting out of my comfort zone!!! I have never been hesitant to put on a two piece until now. However, rather than looking at those photos with embarrassment and shame, I actually looked at them and thought "not so bad, at least I can still fit my rear into it!" Not to mention I now have even more motivation to continue hitting the gym until I go into labor.

I'm sure all of you ladies out there, pregnant or not, are starting your crash dieting and amping up your workout routines to get ready for summer. Looking for some new exercises to shape your thighs and get that round, firm booty to fill out your new bikini? Try these squat variations!


Squats are great way to tone your thighs, hips, glutes, and hamstrings. Add 3 sets of 15 reps to your leg workout each week and you'll have a toned tushy  in no time!


Regular Squat:

Stand with feet shoulder width apart, chest up, lower back slightly arched, and butt out. Squat down until your hamstrings are parallel to the ground, if possible,  and rise back up to starting position. You can increase the difficulty by holding a weight plate or bar with weight plates on each side.

If you are sporting a belly like me you may need to put your feet farther than hip width apart to get low enough in your squat.

Side lunge Squats:
These target your glutes as well as your adductor muscles, or inner thighs

Start standing feet together, toes facing forward. Step your right leg out to the side, lunging with your right leg. Your left leg strays straight. Return to standing position and step and lunge sideways with your left leg. Left and right count as 1 rep. Maintain the same position as if doing a regular squat: chest up, butt out and knees over ankle.

To increase difficulty hold a dumbbell in each hand.





Squat with leg lift:

Perform a regular squat, however, when coming back up to starting position lift one leg parallel to the floor, keeping your turn forward. This will work your abductor muscles, or outer thighs.

Don't wait until you are fully standing to kick your leg to the side, you should be lifting it as you are rising from the squat.

I did these three exercises along with: hamstring curls, quad extensions, lunges and the adductor/abductor machine and my rear and legs were feeling the burn!!!

LUNCH MEAT MADE EASY!

Store bought lunch meat is full of chemicals, dyes, and preservatives, not to mention it's extremely expensive!!

Here's a quick and easy way to make homemade deli meat! All you need is a pack of boneless skinless chicken breast and your favorite marinade or dry rub!

Marinade or rub your meat down with you favorite ingredients, bake in the oven at 350 for 35-40 minutes and thinly slice your meat with a knife or mandolin as they would in the deli!

PRESTO! Cheaper, more natural, and flavored to your own liking, lunch meat.