Killing the muffin top

A: Lashelle, you just asked the question I get asked the most by women. You are not alone.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to “spot-lose” weight. You must take a whole-body approach to work on these areas.

We can reduce the fat by increasing exercise and eating a healthy diet. If fluid retention is your issue, watch your salt and sodium intake, and drink lots of water to flush out your system. It sounds a little counterintuitive, but it helps.

I recommend 30-40 minutes of low-impact cardio movement like jogging, swimming, aerobics or biking four to five times a week.

To tighten and firm the lower body, glutes, hamstrings and quads, I recommend a variety of lunges: stationary, traveling and side lunges. My favorite lunges are a “traveling lunge series” that targets the entire hip, thigh, buttock and core region.

Start in a standing position with good posture. Shoulders back and over the hips, chest open, tummy tight and head level and facing forward. Take a giant step forward while taking your back knee almost to the ground. As you step up toward the next step, push up and forward through that front heel toward the sky to take your next step. This keeps your weight focused over the back of your body.

With this lunge, make sure your toes are forward and your core is tight. Keep your lower abs in with eyes facing forward. Repeat these lunges for about 10 steps or repetitions. If you experience any pain in the knees or lower back, these will have to be modified (at least initially) by dipping less as you step and shortening the steps, too.

The second lunge in the series is performed exactly the same way, but now your toes should face a little toward the outside. For the third lunge, bring your feet in a little toward the center, like walking pigeon-toed.

Remember to read your body—pain is not the goal—and progress slowly to build these muscle groups.

225 fitness advisor and Health & Beauty issue contributor Nickie Jordan answers your queries about healthy living. Jordan operates RecFit, a business that includes personal training, motivational speaking, corporate wellness consulting and more. Email your questions for her to [email protected].