The 14-Day No Sugar Diet(37)

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Blood-Sugar Burner Body Weight Circuit



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Warm up with a few minutes of total-body movement:

? March in place for a minute, lifting your knees high and swinging your arms.

? Do 20 special jumping jacks, called Seal Jacks, that are easier on the shoulders for those who have pain there. Stand with feet together and arms across your chest. Jump and spread your legs as in a normal jumping jack but swing your arms out to your sides instead of over your head. Jump your legs back together while simultaneously swinging your arms across your chest. Repeat.

Circuit exercises: Do 8 to 12 repetitions of each of the following exercises. Rest for 30 seconds or less after each exercise. Then go on to the next exercise on the list. The last exercise is called a “finisher.” It brings an extra aerobic component to the workout to burn more calories. After completing the finisher, rest for two minutes and then repeat the circuit. During week 2 progress to doing 3 total circuits.

For each bodyweight exercise, except for the finisher, I’ll give you an easier version and a more challenging version. Choose the one that’s right for you and work toward eventually being able to do the more challenging exercise.

Arms-Up Squat

Spread your feet shoulder-width apart with toes pointed slightly outward. Raise both arms above your head. Keeping arms raised, bend your knees and push your butt back as if sitting in a chair. Lower your body until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Pause a second and quickly straighten your legs to stand. Repeat immediately and quickly for 8 to 12 repetitions.

Easier: Do the exercise with your hands on your hips. Don’t squat so low. Stop and stand before your thighs are parallel with the floor.

Harder: Do the superhero squat jump. Do the arms-up squat as described above but from the squat position, explosively press your feet into the floor to jump as high as you can so that your feet leave the ground. When your feet touch back down, immediately squat and repeat.

Step Pushup

Get into a pushup position, but instead of placing your hands on the floor, place them on a stair-step, low bench or other stable structure that’s raised off the floor. Keep your back straight from heels to head. Your arms should be extended straight. Brace your abs. Bend your elbows to lower yourself until your chest is an inch off the step. Pause a second, then push yourself up. Repeat. Do 8 to 12 repetitions.

Easier: Plank: Get on all fours and then extend your legs out straight behind you. Your hands should be directly under your shoulders. Straighten your arms. Brace your core and keep your back flat, forming a straight line from your heels to your head. Hold this rigid position for 30 seconds.

Harder: Standard pushup: Get into a plank position with your palms on the floor directly under your shoulders and your arms straight. Your back should be flat and rigid from your heels to your head. Brace your core. This will help you maintain proper form and burn more calories because you are engaging more muscle fibers. Bend your arms to lower yourself toward the floor until your chest is about an inch from the floor. Press yourself up. Repeat.

Flutter Kick

Lie on your back on the floor with your arms palms-down next to your sides and your toes pointed. Engage your abs to lift your feet about a foot off the floor. Keeping your legs rigid, begin quickly flutter kicking your straight legs back and forth as you would while swimming. Every four kicks equals one rep. Do 8 to 12.

Easier: If your core isn’t strong enough to flutter kick, just lift your feet a few inches off the floor, hold for a few seconds and rest them back on the floor. Repeat.

Harder: Combine a short set of flutter kicks, 5 repetitions, with bicycle crunches, 5 repetitions. This adds rotation and side-bending movements to the core exercise. To do bicycle crunches, lie face up with your hips and knees bent 90 degrees so that your lower legs are parallel to the floor. Place your fingers on the sides of your forehead. Lift your shoulders off the floor and hold them there. Twist your upper body to the right as you quickly pull your right knee in until it touches your left elbow. Simultaneously straighten your left leg. Return to the starting position and repeat to the right.

Forward Lunge

Stand with your feet together and your hands on your hips. Take a large step forward with your right leg and lower your body toward the floor. Your front leg should bend at the knee, forming a right angle. Your back leg should be bent slightly. Lower yourself until your back knee hovers an inch above the ground and your right thigh is parallel with the floor. Pause in this position for a second.

Press your right foot into the floor to push yourself back to the starting position. Next, step forward with your left foot and repeat. That’s one repetition. Do 8 to 12.

Easier: Step forward and lower your body toward the floor. Then rise up to standing but keep your feet in place. Don’t step forward but lower yourself again without moving your foot position. Repeat this sequence five times, then switch leg positions and do another five reps without moving your feet.

Harder: Do the forward lunge while holding a dumbbell in each hand to boost resistance. If you don’t own dumbbells, hold a jug of water or a large soup can in each hand.

Hip Raise with Press-Out

Lie face-up on the floor or an exercise mat with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place your arms out to your sides at 45 degree angles, your palms facing up. Place a 20-inch mini exercise band around your legs above your knees and spread your knees slightly against the resistance as you perform the exercise. Now, raise your hips so that your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Pause for up to five seconds in the up position and then lower your body to the starting position. Do 8 to 12.