Here is a fat burning workout designed with beginners in mind. This teaches you basic movements and lets you build from there. You will be toning and tightening and learning all along the way. You will need a set of hand weights – depending on your fitness level, anywhere between 3-10 pounds. If you don’t own weights yet, use canned veggies, grab some weights next time you’re out. You will need them in the future

Warm Up:

Take five minutes to prep your body to work out. Get your blood flowing, get your heart rate up and muscles moving. Create your own playlist from the moves below!

• Marching, running, skipping in place or around your house
• Jumping jacks or cross jacks
• Arm circles, big and small
• Walking or running stairs
• Jumping rope
• Side shuffle

Circuit 1:

Squat

• Stand with your feet slightly wider than your shoulders, feet parallel or toes pointed out slightly. Hold your hands out in front of you for balance, as shown. Shift your pelvis back, bend your knees, and lower your hips as if you were sitting into a chair. You’re aiming to bring your thighs parallel to the floor, but don’t let your knees go beyond your toes. Your weight should be in your heels.
• Press your heels into the floor to straighten your legs and return to standing. Squeeze your glutes when you’re standing to complete the exercise.
• This counts as one rep. Do 12-15.

This move works the thighs, butt, and core. Many exercises build on the basic squat, so it pays to master your form before adding weights and variations to your workouts. Practice by squatting onto the edge of a chair if you feel you need more guidance on form.

Bent Over Row

• Holding a dumbbell in each hand and standing with your feet hip-distance apart, bend at the waist. Keep your back parallel to the floor with a neutral spine — not rounded.
• Extend your arms out in front of you, keeping a slight bend in your knees.
• Engage your abs and squeeze your shoulder blades together as you bend your elbows back bringing the weights to your torso. Keep your arms close to your torso.
• Slowly lower the weights back to the starting position to complete one rep. Repeat 10 times.

This exercise works the upper back, specifically the muscles between your shoulder blades, which tend to be weak from slouching at computers or hunched reading a smartphone.

Bird Dog

• Begin on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips. Pull your abs to your spine as you bring your left knee and right elbow together under your torso.
• Keeping your torso stable and level, straighten your right arm and left leg. Reach through your left heel to engage the muscles on the back of the leg and your butt.
• This completes one rep. Shoot for 8 on each side.

This exercise works the core and teaches the abs and back to work together to stabilize the torso. This move will help get your ready for planks, too.

Click on to page 2 for Circuit 2