How Much Should I Weigh?

To determine how much you should weigh (your ideal body weight) several factors should be considered, including age, muscle-fat ratio, height, sex, and bone density. Some say your Body Mass Index (BMI) is the ideal way to calculate whether your body weight is ideal. Others say BMI is faulty as it does not take into account muscle mass, and waist-hip ratio is better.
One person's ideal body weight may be completely different from another's. If you compare yourself to family and friends you risk either aiming too high if you are surrounded by obese or overweight people, or too low if everyone around you works as fashion models.
Even comparing yourself with people outside your immediate surroundings may not work.
The levels of overweight and obesity in one country, such as the USA or UK, are much higher than in The Netherlands. So a Dutch person may aim for a lower ideal weight than an American if all he did was to compare himself to other people.

Is Body Mass Index (BMI) a good measure?

Your BMI is your weight in relation to your height.

• BMI metric units: Your weight (kilograms) divided by the square of your height (meters)
  e.g. Weight 80 kilograms. Height 1.8 meters.
  1.8² meters = 3.24
  80 divided by 3.24 = BMI 24.69.


• Imperial units: Your weight (pounds) times 703, divided by the square of your height in inches.
  e.g. Weight 190 pounds. Height 6 ft (72 inches)
  72² = 5184
  190 x 703 divided by 5184 = BMI 25.76

Health authorities worldwide mostly agree that:

• People with a BMI of less than 18.5 are underweight.
• A BMI of between 18.5 and 25 is ideal.
• Somebody with a BMI between 25 and 30 is classed as overweight.
• A person with a BMI over 30 is obese.

In some countries health authorities say the lower limit for BMI is 20, anything below it is underweight.

Body Mass Index Calculator
cm/kgin/lb
Height:
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What is the problem with BMI?
BMI is a very simple measurement which does not take into account the person's waist, chest or hip measurements. An Olympic 100 meters sprint champion may have a BMI higher than a couch potato of the same height. The couch potato may have a big belly, not much muscle and a lot of body fat on his hips, upper thighs, in his blood and other parts of his body. While the athlete will have a smaller waist, much less body fat, and most likely enjoy better health. According to a purely BMI criteria, the couch potato is healthier.
BMI does not take into account bone density (bone mass). A person with severe osteoporosis (very low bone density) may have a lower BMI than somebody else of the same height who is healthy, but the person with osteoporosis will have a larger waist, more body fat and weak bones.
Many experts criticize BMI as not generally useful in evaluation of health. It is at best a rough ballpark basic standard that may indicate population variations, but should not be used for individuals in health care.
Put simply: experts say that BMI underestimates the amount of body fat in overweight/obese people and overestimates it in lean or muscular people.

What is Waist-hip ratio (WHR)

This is the ratio of the circumference of your waist to that of your hips. You measure the smallest circumference of your waist, usually just above your belly button, and divide that total by the circumference of your hip at its widest part.
If a woman's waist is 28 inches and her hips are 36 inches, her WHR is 28 divided by 36 = 0.77. Below is a breakdown of WHR linked to risk of cardiovascular health problems.
Male WHR

• Less than 0.9 - low risk of cardiovascular health problems
• 0.9 to 0.99 - moderate risk of cardiovascular health problems
• 1 or over - high risk of cardiovascular problems

Female WHR

• Less than 0.8 - low risk of cardiovascular health problems
• 0.8 to 0.89 - moderate risk of cardiovascular health problems
• 0.9 or over - high risk of cardiovascular problems

The WHR of a person is a much better indicator of whether their body weight is ideal and what their risks of developing serious health conditions are, compared to BMI. Various studies have shown that people with apple-shaped bodies - who have larger WHRs - have higher health risks compared to people with pear-shaped bodies - who have lower WHRs. An apple-shaped person will have more fat accumulating on the waist, while a pear-shaped person has the fat accumulating on the hips.
A woman with a WHR of less than 0.8 is generally healthier and more fertile than females with higher WHRs. They are less likely to develop diabetes, most cancers, or cardiovascular disorders. Similarly, men with a WHR no more than 9 are generally healthier and more fertile than men with higher WHRs, and less likely to develop serious conditions or diseases.
Studies indicate that if WHR were to replace BMI as a predictor of heart attack worldwide, figures would include many more people.
What is the problem with WHR?


WHR does not accurately measure a person's total body fat percentage, or their muscle-to-fat ratio. However, it is a better predictor of ideal weight and health risks than BMI.

What is Body Fat Percentage?

Your body fat percentage is the weight of your fat divided by your total weight. The result indicates your essential fat as well as storage fat.

• Essential fat - this is the amount of fat we need to survive. Women require a higher percentage than men. Essential fat is 2%-5% in men, and 10%-13% in women.
• Storage fat - this consists of fat accumulation in adipose tissue, some of which protects our internal organs in the chest and abdomen.
• Total body fat percentage - this is essential fat plus storage fat.

The American Council on Exercise recommends the following percentages:
Essential fat

• Women 10-12%
• Men 2-4%

Total fat

• Athletes
  
  
  • Men 6-13%
  • Women 14-20%
• Non-athletes classed as fit
  
  
  • Men 14-17%%
  • Women 21-24
• Acceptable
  
  
  • Men 18-25%
  • Women 25-31%
• Overweight
  
  
  • Men 26-37%
  • Women 32-41%
• Obese
  
  
  • Men 38% or more
  • Women 42% or more

Many experts say that calculating people's body fat percentage is the best way to gauge their fitness level because it is the only measurement that includes the body's true composition. Any male whose body fat percentage is over 25% or female over 31% is either overweight or possibly obese.
Body fat percentage would not make the couch potato seem fitter than the 100 meter Olympic champion - as was the case with BMI.
There are various ways of calculating a person's body fat percentage. None of them can give a 100% accurate figure, but the estimates are accepted as fairly close. Examples include near-infrared interactance, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, and bioelectrical impedance analysis.
Many gyms and doctor's practices have devices that can tell you what your body fat percentage is.

Conclusion

This article has briefly explained three ways to help you find out whether your weight is ideal, and what your target should be if it is not. You can work out your BMI, WHR, or Body Fat Percentage.
BMI and WHR can be done easily in your home. WHR is more accurate than BMI. However, BMI is a useful indicator if you are an "average" person - not an Olympic athlete or a dedicated weight trainer.
If you embark on a weight loss regime that includes exercise and diet, bear in mind that the exercise will probably increase your muscle mass, which may increase your weight, even though your waist may shrink. Muscle weighs more than fat.
It might be better to aim for target waist, hips and chest measurements. A Waist-hip ratio goal is also possible. If you feel really dedicated, check your Body Fat Percentage; if you are not happy with the reading, discuss a realistic target with a nutritionist, sports scientist, or personal trainer and go for it!

How Much Should I Weigh?
Written by Christian Nordqvist
Article date: 23 May 2010
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

What is Good Health?

 
http://www.platinumpearls.com/  By Thomas Eldridge

There are many ideas, and opinions, on what constitutes good health, or what a meaningfully healthy lifestyle feels like or looks like. It could be said that health should be a natural condition, or at least a consistent state of well being. But what is this natural condition? There are some people who accept pain and discomfort in the body as a necessary part of living. This pain is considered to be a motivator, something for the body to fight against. They accept this condition because they observe that there are so many people with health complaints and so few people free of problems. It is even taken for granted today that dying of a degenerative disease is acceptable if the person had led a 'good life'.

My parents both died of cancerous type diseases. I seem to be the only one who is not saying, but they 'lived a full life'. Keep in mind that I am the one nobody can understand. I am not quite the black sheep. I am the different one who stopped eating sugar thirty years ago. No one could understand why I would go to so much trouble to read food product labels trying to find something that did not contain sugar. Today it is many times worse because of all the sugar substitutes in our food products. If I were reading labels today I would choose sugar before the sugar substitutes if I had no other choice. My choice today is to not buy any processed food products. I believe that my continuing good health depends on me making my own food from simple organic ingredients. I seldom read food labels these days because I buy very little with a label on it.

Is good health some sort of perfection? In homeopathy good health is said to manifest when a person's "vital force" is being expressed by perfect functioning of all parts of the body and by a sense of general well being. This holistic approach to health states that nature, of which we are an important part, has a constant tendency toward what is best for it. This vital force of nature reaches its masterpiece in the human body and the human consciousness. Harvey Diamond in his part of the book Fit for Life II: Living Health states that humans are "constructed for health and happiness." Life on earth lived in its ultimate achievement is a constant and unshakeable zest for well being and enthusiasm, says Diamond. I have a lot of respect for the diet that the Diamonds recommended. It still is an excellent diet for cleansing out toxins. I am not a great fan of being all that you can be, going for it all or pursuing excellence as a lifestyle. To me this is a short road to burn out and premature gray hair. I was unconsciously going for it all in my younger years. I worked very hard. I cannot say that I experienced good health or happiness back then.

If we wanted this 'ultimate achievement' of good health our goal would be to reach old age and maturity without aches and pains, to be well-balanced and spared emotional traumas and stress-related illnesses. To have zest for life we would wish to be like the beaming, healthy-looking 90-year-olds featured in vegetarian magazine articles. Working out at the fitness club at 91 years of age could demonstrate the principle that the best condition for the body is resilience and flexibility. To take up piano lessons at 83 years might demonstrate an absence of constricting contractions in body and mind. The problem is that we tend to extrapolate these stories into believing that this example of 'good health' is the best way to go. Pushing yourself into the gym when you are exhausted and should be resting is not good health.

It seems apparent to me that for millions of years people lived in some sort of harmony with the natural forces of nature. Good health was some sort of consistent state of being. Otherwise, how would we be here? If we were always in poor health for millions of years I cannot see how we would have survived. A long time ago the dinosaurs disappeared suddenly. Today species of plants and animals are becoming extinct at an accelerating rate. Throughout history at least some of us must have maintained an instinctive natural knowledge about how to live healthily enough to allow our species to continue. How we are doing today is a mute question. Are we going to continue to survive or is our current acceptance of sub-marginal health a sign of something?

Perhaps it is time to take a look at what this instinctive natural knowledge of good health might look like in our modern culture. I feel that it is not that much different than it has been for millions of years. This 'knowledge' probably includes simple things like sunshine, pure water, sleeping when the sun sets, relying on wholesome foods from nature, having daily alone time in the outdoors and living physically active lives in communities of loving supportive people.

25 Simple Tips to Improve Your Health and Fitness

The quality of our lives is determined by the quality of our health. You can have all the money in the world but if you go through your day feeling tired, fatigued or weak, you can’t be living your life to the fullest. Here are 25 quick tips to increase your health and fitness:

1. Diets are evil Because of their temporary nature, diets don’t work. The people who do lose weight end up gaining it back again once they come off the diet. Instead of dieting, try to change your lifestyle. The changes you make to the way you eat should be sustainable for the rest of your life.

2. Get rid of the junk food The easiest way to ensure that you don’t eat the food you shouldn’t is to make sure it isn’t available. Go through your fridge and toss out all the junk food. Next time you go grocery shopping, make sure that you don’t buy more.
3. Make use of healthy snacks Having a snack between your meals is a good idea – as long as they’re healthy. Stock up on fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds. Have them readily available for whenever you might feel hungry. This means both at home and at the office.
4. All carbs are not created equal While carbohydrates are a necessary part of your diet, there are some that do more damage than good. Avoid white carbs wherever possible and switch to the whole-grain alternatives.
5. Kill the caffeine addiction Whether it’s coffee or soft drinks, caffeine is a drug. It’s a legal drug but a drug nonetheless. If you feel the need for a warm drink, choose an herbal tea instead.
6. Don’t forget the fat Although trans-fats and the like should be avoided, you need to consume sufficient essential fatty acids. Make sure you are getting your omega-3 and omega-6 fats. These can be found in flax oil, nuts, and seeds.
7. Water is your friend Your body is made up mostly of water. The problem is most people walk around dehydrated. If you are feeling thirsty, it’s too late: you are already dehydrated.
8. Breathe deeply Oxygen is more important than water for your health. You can survive days without water but only minutes without oxygen. Most people today have very shallow breathing and are not getting enough air. Breathe deeply from your diaphragm to ensure your cells are well oxygenated.
9. Eat your veggies Vegetables are rich in micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) that are essential to your health. Plus they have a cleansing effect on your body because of their alkaline pH.
10. Buy organic Much of the commercial produce available today is devoid of nutritional value due to the depleted soil used in the industrial farming process. Organic produce also has the benefit of tasting a lot better. It might be more expensive but the benefit is well worth it.
11. Get friends that live healthy The ongoing interaction with people who have the health you desire will be a positive influence on you. It is far easier to make the transition to healthy living when you have the social support.
12. Find healthy foods you enjoy Just because you are eating healthy does not mean you need to suffer eating foods you hate. Look for healthy foods you enjoy and eat them more often. Find recipes online that are both healthy and enjoyable.
13. Take your lunch to work Not only will brown bagging your lunch save you some money, it will help you avoid eating unhealthy foods for lunch. Take the extra time to make your lunch in the morning or make extra for dinner and eat the leftovers.
14. Eat out intelligently For the restaurants that you visit frequently, find out the menu choices that are healthy options. This way, you can enjoy going out without jeopardizing your health.
15. Give yourself a cheat meal Every now and then, it’s okay to indulge in something you know that it is not good for you but you enjoy. You shouldn’t deprive yourself. Just make sure that this only happens from time to time.
16. Sleep deeply Get a good night’s rest every evening. Sleep in a quiet room that is dark for the appropriate amount of time for you. Most people have heard that you need 8 hours of sleep for proper health. In my experience, the amount of sleep I need varies with my eating habits and exercise. When I am living in a healthy manner, I find I feel fully energized with about 6 hours of sleep. Find the amount of sleep that is right for you.
17. Schedule exercise Make your workout an important appointment for yourself. Schedule it at a specific time and place. Make it as important to you as a business meeting or doctor’s appointment.
18. Get a workout buddy Sometimes your motivation to exercise wanes. When you have a partner that pushes you, it is far easier to take action. Working out with a friend also tends to make it a lot more fun.
19. Exercise aerobically Cardiovascular exercise helps to burn fat and raises your metabolism. It also strengthens your heart and lungs. Do at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise at least 3 times a week.
20. Don’t forget to stretch Stretching is important for your flexibility and the recovery of your muscles. Don’t stretch a cold muscle – it’s a good way to injure yourself. If you stretch before your workout, only do so after warming up. It’s always a good idea to stretch after a workout where your muscles are already warm.
21. Train for strength Building muscle not only increasing your strength but also increases your metabolism. Strength training also stimulates the release human growth hormone in your body which slows the aging process. It’s important to engage in strength training 2-4 times a week.
22. Make exercise a habit The easiest way to follow through and make sure that you exercise is to make it automatic. Exercise at the same time every day if possible.
23. Get a trainer Although a personal trainer is not necessary, having one while you start out exercising can be very helpful. They can show the proper form for exercises and help motivate you to really push yourself.
24. Make changes gradually If you’ve been living an unhealthy lifestyle for a long time, the challenge of healthy living can seem daunting. Instead of trying to change everything at once and getting overwhelmed, make sustainable changes gradually.
25. Don’t give up If you fall back into unhealthy patterns, there is no reason to beat yourself up about it. Identify why the lapse occurred and learn from your mistakes. Move forward with this knowledge and continue to move towards health. This article was written by Anand Dhillon. Anand writes about personal development at www.AnandDhillon.com. For more from Anand, read his series, How to Master Money & Wealth. Photo by Ernst Moeksis

Exercise is springboard to recovery for cancer patient

Courtesy of USA TODAY
Shannon Miller's competitive spirit and life-long love for exercise are helping her fight the brave fight again. This time, beating cancer is her mission.

"A friend said to me: 'This cancer diagnosis is like being on the balance beam. You fall off. You get back up.' "

The former Olympic gold-medal gymnast is "back up" after being diagnosed with a germ cell malignancy, a form of ovarian cancer, in December. She started nine weeks of chemotherapy March 9 after doctors removed a baseball-size cyst and an ovary. And she started an exercise program that she follows faithfully, even during treatment.

Experts say she is on the right track: assisting her treatment by exercising. Many of the 12 million cancer survivors in the USA also would benefit, they say.

"There is a growing body of research showing exercise not only helps with the side effects of treatment but also decreases the recurrence risk and improves overall survival," says researcher Melinda Irwin, an associate professor of epidemiology and public health at Yale.

"My prognosis is good," says Miller, 34. She says her doctors have said they're hopeful that she and her husband, John Falconetti, will be able to have more children. Their son, Rocco, is 15 months old. The family lives in Jacksonville near John's parents, who, along with friends, help with Rocco on treatment days.

Miller concedes it isn't easy. She says there are many days she just wants to lie in bed, usually during the first week of a three-week treatment cycle. That's when she has five straight days of chemotherapy for five to six hours a day. The other two weeks, she has chemo one day a week.

Nutrition can be a problem. She says she always has had a tendency to become dehydrated, and at one point, she ended up in the hospital because of dehydration after a round of chemo.

Exercise isn't always possible, but more often than not, she says, she finds time to be on her exercise mat at home.

"I find exercise is really helping me with the nausea and fatigue and helping me regain control of my life," says Miller, who won two gold and seven Olympic medals overall in 1992 and 1996.

She says her physical activity also helps her with "chemo brain," a fogginess that can cause forgetfulness and lead to depression.

A far cry from Olympic workouts

The level and kinds of exercise Miller does are endorsed by the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute.

"People think. 'Oh, she's an Olympian. She's probably doing three-hour workouts.' That's not the case at all," she says.

After getting a green light from her physician, Miller began a routine in which she spends 10 to 15 minutes a day doing yoga, lifting 2- to 3-pound weights and walking or swimming. She says she gets winded and has to listen to her body, "which I got very good at doing as an athlete, learning when to rest and when to push it."

The 2006 American Cancer Society guidelines on nutrition and exercise say patients receiving chemotherapy and radiation therapy who are already on an exercise program may need to exercise at a lower intensity and progress at a slower pace temporarily, but the principal goal should be to maintain physical activity as much as possible.

Epidemiologist Larry Kushi, ACS spokesman, says the organization is in the process of updating the 2006 guide and will expand on the benefits of exercise. He adds that he's unaware of any research showing exercise has a negative impact on cancer treatments.

"She's totally doing the right thing," says Yale researcher Irwin, who is a former competitive gymnast herself, "but not nearly as good as Shannon Miller."

The research behind it

Irwin says the verdict is still out on how exercise benefits cancer survivors, but she notes studies in which breast cancer survivors who exercise have lower levels of insulin, and some studies have shown that high levels of insulin strongly increase the risk of breast cancer recurrence and death.

Her National Cancer Institute-funded trial involving 230 sedentary women diagnosed with ovarian cancer is examining the impact of exercise on quality of life, fatigue and survival.

"Our study is the largest exercise trial in cancer survivors," she says. It will provide critical information in understanding the potential mechanisms through which physical activity may affect ovarian cancer risk and prognosis, including what roles estrogens, insulin and insulin-like growth factors might play.

In a 2008 study in which she participated, Irwin says, "we not only showed an improvement in survival from breast cancer, but survival from other causes, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, so exercise is really associated with a multitude of benefits."

Miller says she has kept up with the research on exercise and cancer, but that hasn't been the driving factor behind her workouts.

Even before her diagnosis, she had long been an advocate for healthy living. She started her own business, Shannon Miller Lifestyles, after getting a marketing degree from the University of Houston and a law degree from Boston College. The focus is on fitness, health and nutrition, and pregnancy and motherhood.

She is an author and motivational speaker, and she has continued her radio show on SML Radio during her treatments.

Her son 'keeps me going'

Being an avid journal writer has helped Miller lately. She has kept journals for as long as she can remember, she says, but now, outlining her treatments, diet and workouts has helped her feel she has regained control of her life. She's featuring her writings on her website, documenting her journey through chemotherapy.

"I have trouble remembering what works and what doesn't," she says. "I write everything down. That way, when you're having a bad day, you can look back and see what you did that might help you have a good day again.

"Sometimes even looking back and knowing you had a good day is a big boost."

And being a mom has helped as well. By far, walking with her toddler to the park is her favorite way to get her exercise.

"People think it must be tough with a small child," she says. "But he keeps me going. He loves to walk. He holds onto my hand and walks to the park with me. We can't slow him down."

Rocco certainly plays a role in her weight-lifting routine as well, she says.

"Anyone with a toddler knows you have to be able to pick them up and carry them around," she says. "So I need to stay strong.

"Plus, this will get me back on my feet faster once the chemotherapy is over."

chemotherapy. Experts agree that many cancer patients can benefit from following her example.

Easier than you think

Easier than you think

From Health magazine
Ever caught yourself staring enviously at the toned abs and tight butt of the woman next to you in the produce section? Chances are, she’s getting help from Pilates.
Pilates is the workout to turn to for a flat tummy. A 2008 study found that Pilates mat exercises engage and strengthen the deeper ab muscles responsible for a sleek, flat stomach. But Pilates isn’t just about whittling your waistline: It can also give you exceptional whole-body toning and graceful posture, plus make your daily activities (like hoisting groceries) easier to do.
Ready to get a Pilates body of your own? We’ve partnered with New York City–based expert Kristin McGee (her clients include LeAnn Rimes and Soledad O’Brien), shown here, to bring you the ultimate 20-minute Pilates workout. Do it three times a week for a month to drop up to 6 allover inches.

Circles in the sky

For core, inner thighs, outer hips, butt
Lie on your back with hands behind your head. Contract abs, lifting upper body slightly off the ground. Raise right leg 5 inches (or keep it on the ground if that’s too challenging) and left leg straight up toward the sky (shown). Keeping your core engaged and hips stable, trace 4 softball-size circles clockwise with your entire left leg; reverse, circling 4 times counterclockwise. Lower both legs, switch sides, and repeat.

Incline plank

For triceps, biceps, chest, core, quads, hamstrings, butt
From a seated, feet-forward position, place hands on ground slightly behind waist, fingertips facing forward. Straighten both legs, pressing heels and palms into the ground, and contract abs while lifting hips up, forming a straight line from head to toe. Keep gaze forward and shoulders pressed down; don’t lock your elbows. Lift your left leg straight up as high as you can (shown), then lower it without allowing your right hip to sag. Do 4 reps; repeat on opposite side.

Donkey kickbacks

For triceps, biceps, core, butt, hamstrings, back
Kneel on all fours, toes tucked under, keeping your back neutral. Draw your belly in toward your spine as you contract your abs and lift both knees about 2 inches off the ground. Keeping abs engaged, bring right knee to nose (shown). Then kick right leg straight out behind you, squeezing your butt (shown); keep lower abs contracted and hips facing the ground to protect your back. Repeat 8 times; switch legs and repeat.

Swan dive

For triceps, shoulders, lower back; stretches abs, chest
Lie on your stomach, stretch your arms overhead, point your toes, and lift your arms and legs about 6 inches off the ground. Hold for 1 count, imagining your legs being pulled out and back, away from your hips. Next, circle your arms out to the sides and behind you. Exhale and reach your arms toward your toes, palms facing in (shown). Hold for 1 count, then bring arms back to starting position and relax entire body to ground. Repeat 6–8 times.

Side incline with a twist

For triceps, biceps, core, waist
Lie on your right side with forearm directly under shoulder, hand perpendicular to your body, and legs stacked. Engage your abs and the right side of your waist, lifting your hips so your body forms a straight line from head to feet. Extend your left arm toward the sky, staying engaged through your core (shown). Now scoop your left arm in front of your body and reach under the space between your chest and the ground, twisting only from the waist up. Come back up; repeat 4 times, then lower body to the ground. Repeat on the opposite side.

Charlie's Angels abs

For triceps, lower abs, inner thighs, hips
From a seated, feet-forward position, lean your upper body back while contracting your abs. Straighten arms, interlacing all fingers except your index fingers. Lift knees, forming a tabletop with shins. Keep arms pointing forward and circle knees to the right, down, to the left, and up (shown); reverse direction. (If this is too challenging, place palms on floor behind you for support.) Complete 4 circles in each direction. Maintain a 120-degree bend in knees, straightening out as you circle through the 6 o’clock position. Continuously contract abs to protect lower back. Repeat 2–4 times.

Thigh shaper

From Health magazine
For inner and outer thighs
Lie on your left side on the floor with the ball between your calves. Support your head with your left hand and balance yourself with your right hand on the floor in front of you. Squeeze the ball between your legs, slightly lifting your left leg off the floor.
Hold for a second, then relax; that’s 1 rep. Do 3 sets of 10–12 reps, resting up to 30 seconds between sets; repeat on your right side.

Ball pull-in

For core, chest, and shoulders
A. Kneel with stability ball in front of you, then walk hands forward, rolling up on the ball until it’s beneath your shins and your body forms a straight line from your head to your feet.
B. Keep upper body stationary, and pull ball in toward chest with both legs. Return to extended position to complete 1 rep. Do 3 sets of 10–12 reps, resting for 30 seconds between sets.
Trainer tip: Keep your chin tucked throughout the move. For an extra challenge, target the muscles on the sides of your stomach by twisting your right knee toward your left side (and vice versa) when you pull the ball in.

Ball squat with front raise

For butt, thighs, and shoulders
A. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and arms at your sides, pressing a stability ball between your lower back and a wall.
B. Keeping the ball pressed against the wall, squat until thighs are nearly parallel to the floor and lift arms in front of you to shoulder height. Hold this position for 2–3 seconds, then lower your arms and return to standing. Do 3 sets of 10–12 reps, holding the last rep in each set for 10–15 seconds, and resting for 30 seconds between sets. 
Trainer tip: For more of a challenge, hold a 5-pound dumbbell in each hand or a 10-pound medicine ball with both hands through­out the move.

Ball push-up

For chest, core, and triceps
Kneel with stability ball in front of you, then walk hands forward, rolling up on the ball until it’s beneath your thighs. (Your body should be in a straight line, with hands directly beneath your shoulders.) Bend your arms and lower your body until your nose almost touches the floor. Straighten your arms to complete 1 rep. Do 3 sets of 10–12 reps, resting for 30 seconds between sets.
Trainer tip: To protect your back, don’t let your hips sag. Mastered this move? Try it with the ball beneath your shins instead of your thighs.