The Lean Body Challenge (Lesson 6)

The Lean Body Challenge Exercise Program

How long does it take to break or change a habit? Typically it takes 30 days to establish a new habit. Can you stick with a program for 30 short days?

1. Weight training should be the foundation of your exercise program.

• It builds muscle, which helps you burn more fat and calories, even when your body is at rest.
• It stimulates and drives your metabolism.
• It shapes and curves the body, creating a more attractive and "lean" look.
• It increases your body's strength and endurance.

2. Don't forget your cardio.

The inclusion of cardiovascular exercise in your program will levels and improved overall cardiovascular health.

During an intense workout, your body uses primarily muscle glycogen and carbohydrates as its energy source. But after the workout, it switches over to burning stored fat. Some studies have noted a 300% increase in fat burning after intense exercise! This demonstrates how you can change your metabolism with physical exercise. It also demonstrates that intense training-alternating weight training with cardiovascular exercise - really works.

The Workout

For the workout portion of the program, you will do 4-day routine that repeats itself, In order to stimulate your muscles and increase your metabolism, you will need work various muscle groups. Your program will look like this:

DAY 1: Back and biceps (Plus Cardio)
DAY 2: Chest, shoulders and triceps
DAY 3: Cardio (and rest)
DAY 4: Legs and abs

Then repeat. I recommend that you integrate at least 30 minutes of cardio 3-4 times a week jogging, cycling, spinning, aerobics, etc.) in addition to the resistance training. See the above list for how to accomplish this. Once you get started, it's not as hard or as time-consuming as it might seem at first. Perform the exercises listed on the chart found on the next page.

Note: We recommend that you consult a physician before beginning any new exercise program.

How to make every workout count

Weight Training:
When working out with weights, perform 5 sets of each exercise (a set is 8-12 repetitions of a single exercise - for this program, do 10 reps per set.). Perform at least 2 different exercises or "stations" for each muscle group. For example: when working your chest, do 5 sets of bench press, 5 sets of dumbbell flys, ets.

Cardio:
Perform 30-45 minutes of cardio at a moderate pace. After a few weeks, try increasing endurance by adding periodic 2 minute high intensity bursts. For example: Jog for 8 minutes, sprint for 2 minutes, repeat.

Stretching: 
Don't forget to stretch before, after, and even during your workout. The important thing to accomplish is making sure your muscles are loose and warm before you begin working them. This is helps prevent injury-especially for beginners.
Resting:
Rest between sets only long enough to catch your breath. This allows the body to properly replenish its oxygen deficit.

Continue click here..........