Us women struggle with our weight all the time. With age, our body becomes not only a little sloppy but also puts on those extra kilograms a little faster. It seems that a piece of cake goes onto your hips way faster than before and it is much more difficult to get rid of the excess fat from your belly. The thing is that after you cross the magical number of 30 your body’s metabolism slows down and you need to put extra work to look like you did only a few years before.

I will not lie to you, if you want to look good, you need to work out, eat properly and lead a healthy lifestyle. I have put a little guide for you to help you with going back to (or keeping) the fabulous body you want.

Exercise

You don’t need to go to the gym, and spend money if you want to look good. You can exercise at home. Just a 15-minute workout can do wonders. Here are a couple of simple exercises you can do at home. You can do them 3 – 4 times a week, taking one-day break in between.

1. Half Seated Leg Circle

Sit on the floor, or a matt, with your legs fully extended, leaning back on your elbows, your fingers cupping the sides of your hips to keep your pelvis still. Keeping your lower back pressed to the ground, engage your core and lift your legs about 45 degrees. Point your toes, press your inner thighs together and, with both feet, count trace 12 counter clockwise circles. Then, do the same, but in the opposite direction.

Repeat 12 times in each direction.

2. Single Leg Romanian Dead Lift

Stand holding a pair of dumbbells at your sides, extend one leg behind you as you bend forward by pushing your hips back. Let the dumbbells hang towards your feet. Continue to bend forward until your extended leg and your torso form a straight line. Push your hips forward to return to start. Repeat 12 times. Change legs and repeat 12 times.

3. Lateral Shuffle

Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and turn out 45 degrees. Bend your knees 90 degrees into a squat. Your knees need to be over your ankles. Extend your arms forwards. In that position take a step out with you right foot, keeping your knees bend in the squat position. Take one step in with your left foot to return to the start. Continue walking sideways, taking 10 steps to your right, then doing the same to your left.

4. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

Hold the dumbbells just beyond shoulder – width and let your arms hang in front of your thighs. With your back naturally arched, bend your torso until it’s parallel with the floor. Pause. Go back to the start. Repeat 12 times.

5. Stability Lunge

Stand with your feet shoulder–width apart and your arms at your sides. Lift your right knee bent in front of you until it’s parallel to the floor, and lift your arms up, palms facing inwards. Hold for 5 seconds, then slowly drop your right foot into a lunge. Stand and, at the same time, bring your left foot to join the right one. Keep your arms up at all times. Do 10-12 reps and then do the same with the left foot.

6. Jogging

I thought I would mention it, even if you need to go outside to do it. Jogging is good for almost anything. It can lift up your mood, improve blood circulation, improve your fitness level, and help you get rid of your belly fat. It is free, it is refreshing and you cannot be bored with it. Running itself won’t make your belly fat disappear, especially if you only run short distances, but you can incorporate it into your training and do it at least once a week. If you need good running shoes, check out these ultra comfortable Adidas Women’s Galaxy running shoes from Amazon.

Diet

Diet is a very important factor when you are trying to stay slim. First of all, remember this simple rule: you need to burn more calories than you consume. This doesn’t mean starving yourself. A healthy lifestyle is not about strict diets and under-eating. It is about balancing your meals and remembering what is and what is not good for you. So, here are a couple of rules.

1. Fiber

Eating fiber can help you with your digestion. Try to start from smaller amounts. There is a research that says that just only 10 grams per day can help with getting rid of belly fat. That’s as little as eating two small apples and a cup of green peas.

With time try to build the amount of fruit and vegetables you eat. Replace your sweet snacks with grapes, berries and salads.

2. Breakfast

Your first meal of the day is also your most important one. Do not skip it. There are a lot of healthy ideas you can use, like a porridge with fruit and honey, or some plain cornflakes with milk.

3. Protein Powder

If you exercise and try to eat healthy then protein powder is a great way to help you with getting rid of your tire. Amino acids that are included in the powder help to build muscles and burn fat.

4. Lean meat and fish

Your body struggles to digest some of the meat you consume, so opt for lean meat, such as chicken or turkey. Fish is great, too.

Remember: the secret to a healthy diet is not overeating, not eating burgers for every meal, not drinking sweet carbonated drinks, avoiding alcohol and eating regularly.

Equipment that Might Help

1. Suspension trainers are a great way to get in an effective workout anywhere, whether you’re at home, work, or on vacation. Check out our comparison of the best-selling suspension trainers that are available today.
2. Trimmer belt – it is very popular among those that are struggling to lose weight and don’t have that much time to exercise.
3. Total Gym Ab Crunch – design to firm and tone your muscles quickly and efficiently. It also comes with a useful DVD.
4. Core Coaster – small, handy and easy to use. It is proven to help women in their exercise regime. It combines the ab wheel sliders and assistance/resistance training.

If you need more assistance and inspiration to help you start getting in shape, be sure to check out our archive of fitness articles today.