Diet Tips!

This weekend the weather in Wichita was amazing!  It was over 70 on Friday and got up to 70 on Saturday.  In January.  I cannot believe I am saying this, but there is nowhere else I would have rather been this weekend than Wichita, KS.  I could not help but get excited for summer: long runs in the morning, being light out until 8 at night, bathing suit season.... oh yeah, bathing suit season.

I will be the first to admit that I am not nearly as strict on my diet in the winter as I am in the summer.  The holidays are my favorite time of the year for many reasons, the biggest being all the homemade treats.  And I definitely partake.

However, it is pointless for me to spend the hours that I do in the gym and running if I am going to slack on my diet and not see all the fruits of my labor!  So this weekend was a welcome, encouraging reminder that warm weather is on its way and time to get back on track (now that we are supposed to get inches of snow tonight and tomorrow.  Gotta love Kansas!)

I will be posting about what I eat and healthy recipes in future blogs, but I just wanted to share the basics of dieting that have worked for me.



First of all, if your main goal is to lose weight first and then start looking toned and lean, eat less carbs.  Do not eliminate them completely, but I am telling you, as soon as I cut carbs (for the most part) out of my diet, I drop pounds instantly.  This definitely reaches a point of diminishing returns rather quickly, so watch your body and be sure to add carbs slowly back in once the weight loss stops.

Secondly, to determine how many calories you should be eating a day, start by calculating your BMR.  Use this BMR Calculator to determine your BMR.  Be sure to scroll down and take your activity level into account!  For example, my BMR is 1188 calories/day, without adding in my activity level.  I would literally waste away (plus be moody 24/7) if I tried to function on this many calories.  With my activity level added in, I am allowed about 1800 calories a day.  I do think this number is a little high, and every BMR calculator will tell you differently.  For me, the optimal amount of calories I have a day is about 1600 to maintain my weight.

If you are trying to lose weight, however, you have to cut the amount of calories you have per day.  I currently weigh 110 pounds and I think I look my best when I am at 108.  So to get back down to that number, I have to slash my daily calorie intake or increase my cardio/workouts.  I find that the more I workout and further I run, the hungrier I am, so for me, it is easier to cut calories.  It has been said that if you cut 500 calories/day out of your diet, you can lose a pound in a week.  I don't think this is smart, as you will feel hungry all the time and probably become so frustrated that you will binge and gain all the weight back.  I recommend 200/calories a day, so for me, I am aiming for 1400 calories/day.

So how do you know how many calories you are consuming?  Start keeping track!  I have had a lot of success with Daily Burn and highly recommend it.  It is amazing how much more motivated you are to stay on track when you are held accountable for every calorie you consume!  I got a little OCD with it and started tracking even when I ate one M&M.  But it is absolutely key to track EVERYTHING you eat.  It is amazing how good you feel about your progress when it is right in front of you!  I like daily burn because it visually shows you the percentages of calories you are eating, broken down into protein, carbohydrates, and fats.  To maintain my weight, I shoot for 40% protein, 40% carbs, and 20% fats.  Start tracking you calories and play around with the foods you eat to determine what works best for you.

Eat small meals often.  This is a weird transition when you are used to eating 3 meals a day, but it really helps rev up your metabolism and prevents you from overeating.  Since I workout in the morning, I eat once at 6 am, breakfast at 8:30 am, snack at 11:30 am, lunch at 2 pm, snack at 4:30 pm, dinner at 6:30 pm, pre-bedtime snack at 8:30 pm (yes I am a Grandma and usually shut it down at 9).

Drink lots of water.  I'm talking drink so much water that you cannot go more than 2 hours without going to the restroom.  A lot of times when you think you're body is telling you it's hungry, it's really just thirsty.  Quench it.  Also, try to drink a full glass of water right before you eat.  It tricks your body into thinking it's not quite as empty, and you can eat less.

Lastly, and most importantly, SLEEP.  Studies have proven over and over again that there is a direct correlation between the amount of sleep someone gets (or lack thereof) and weight management.  When I am tired, not only am I grumpy and low energy, but I crave foods that are bad for me.  When I get at least 7 hours a night, I am much better about staying on track with my diet and thus having more energy!

I am a firm believer that the way you look is 30% workout and 70% diet.  Both are absolutely necessary to look your best, but diet is most important.  Not only will you look better, but you will feel better and healthier too!

JT said it best- bring your sexy back!

I think women, more than men, neglect this area of their body the most.  When we think of a sexy body, we think of toned arms and legs, tight glutes, and a hard core, right?  Where does your back fit into this equation?

This was undoubtedly the hardest muscle group for me to start working, as I had never touched it before.  Endless sit-ups, check.  I figured running covered my legs, so check there too.  And my arms are pretty strong from years of cheerleading and stunting, so I had some strength in that muscle group as well.  Unless it was worked out inadvertently through other activities, I had never focused on my back muscles at all.

Back is now one of my favorite workout days, especially hitting the upper part of my back, the lats.  What's ever better, strengthening my back muscles has absolutely improved my running form and posture.  And my new favorite style of dress?  Razor back!  A sexy back is key for guys and girls, and I don't just mean your behind!

I will break this down by areas of your back that you want to hit.  Each exercise will target your lats, middle back (inner and/or outer), or lower back, or a combination of these muscles.  Let's start with lats, since that is my favorite one to do!

LAT PULLDOWN
 

Form is absolutely key here.  I am pretty sure I did this wrong for the first few months, and once I started doing it right, I could really feel the difference!  Grip the bar as pictured above and pull the bar until it touches your chest.  Slightly lean back and imagine your lats squeezing together as you pull the bar towards your body.  Note:  Make sure the leg pads are adjusted correctly, or you will embarrassingly fly into the air from the weight of the bar.  Not that its ever happened to me, I'm just saying...!  I started very light on this exercise, and have worked up to 15 reps of 40 pounds, 12 reps of  50 pounds, and 8 reps of 60, then 50, then 40.  Change the bar to a close grip bar ( pictured right) to target a different part of your lats. You can also do this exercise by pulling the bar behind your head to touch your shoulders, it targets a different part of your lat muscle.  Make sure you are upright if you pull it behind your head, do not lean back and try to keep a straight back.  If I pull it behind my head, I do the same reps but with 10 pounds lighter (15 reps of 30 pounds, 12 reps of 40 pounds, etc.).

LEVERAGE LAT PULLDOWN

Same motion here as the pulldown shown above, just on a different machine.  This is a good switch up from using the bar, as you use your arms independently to squeeze your shoulders together.  Because you do not have the stability of one bar, you may need to do lighter weight here than on the previous lat pulldown.

LAT PULL-UP


At my gym, there is a bar for assistance weight for this exercise, which I absolutely use.  If you can do a lat pull-up relatively easily without assistance, try adding ankle weights or chain weights to make it harder.  Again, as you pull up, focus on squeezing your lats together towards your spine.  Here, I do 15 reps of 20 pounds (88 pounds bodyweight), then 12 reps of 15 pounds, then 8 reps of 10 pounds, 20 pounds, and 30 pounds.  I go up in weight in higher increments on the drop weight set because I lose form if I try to do more bodyweight than that!

STANDING LAT PULLDOWN

I couldn't find a picture for this one, but it is by far my favorite!  Using the lat pulldown machine in the first picture, stand in front of the machine instead of sitting on the bench.  Pull the bar down so that it is straight out in front of you at shoulder length.  Keeping your arms locked out straight, pull the bar straight down in front of your body until you touch the bar to your legs, ALWAYS keeping your arms straight, then raise them back up.  This is a LOT harder than it sounds, so I do 15 reps of 20 pounds, then 12 reps of 25 pounds, then 8 reps of 30 pounds, 20 pounds, and 15 pounds.  15 is pretty light on this machine and it can stall if you pull too hard, so go really slow on the last set and feel the burn!

Now let's move on to middle back exercises.

 CLOSE GRIP CABLE ROW
  

Pictured perfectly above, this exercise hits your inner middle back and lats.  If I am seated, I do 15 reps of 40 pounds, then 12 reps of 50 pounds, then 8 reps of 60, 50, and 40.  When standing, however, you can do more weight and the stability factor adds a challenge.  I do not like this guys form here-  when rowing while standing, lean back slightly and pull the weight towards your belly button.  NEVER lean forward.

WIDE GRIP CABLE ROW


Same idea as close grip, but this targets more of your outer middle back.

BARBELL ROW


The form on this one is hard to get, so practice to make sure you feel that you are hitting the muscle correctly. Bend your knees slightly and lean forward, always keeping your back straight.  Pull the bar up to your belly button, and slowly lower it back down.  This hits your lower and middle back, as well as your arms.  You can also switch your grip to hit different parts of your back.  I do 15 reps with 40 pounds, 12 reps with 50 pounds, and 8 reps of 60 pounds, then 50, then 40.

STANDING BARBELL ROW


I use both arms here and interchange this exercise with the one listed above with the same weight.  This targets more of your inner middle back.

BENT OVER DUMBELL ROW


LOVE this one!  Don't like his positioning though.  stand with the weight in between your leg and the bench.  When you lower the weight, lower it past your shoulder height so you can get a better pull when you bring the weight up.  I do 15 reps on each arm with 20 pounds, then 12 reps with 25 pounds, then 8 reps with 30, 20, and 15 pounds.  Again, on some exercises I go lower than the weight I started with because I want to keep my form and really feel the burnout.

SEATED ROW


This exercise can also be done on a cable machine.  Make sure you have something to keep your feet in place so that when you lean forward, you go past your feet to get the full pull.  This exercise is great, as it hits all parts of your back when executed correctly.  Lean all the way forward and pull the weight back as you would in a row, pictured in the close grip cable row exercise above.  By leaning all the way forward, you can hit your lower back, as well as your middle back and lats when you pull back.

Let's move on to lower back.  There are 3 main exercises I do to target this area of my back.  Let's start with the one I hate the most but works the best!

DEADLIFTS


This can also be done to target your glutes by keeping your legs straight, but either execution hits your glutes and lower back.  To target your lower back, bend your knees and keep your back flat as you lower down.  Pull the weight back up, focusing on using your lower back muscles to bring you back up.  I do 12 reps of 30 pounds, 10 reps of 40 pounds, then 8 reps of 50, 40 and 30 pounds.  Honestly I lower the reps on this exercise because it is absolutely my least favorite.  They call it a deadlift for a reason- you will be dead when you're done, so always finish your back workout with this one!

BACK EXTENSION


Exactly as pictured above.  I hold a 25 pound weight to my chest and do 10 reps straight up a down, then twist my body as I come up to each side 5 times for a total of 20 reps.  I repeat this three times.

BACK EXTENSION MACHINE


Same idea as the weighted back extension, but a good switch up on the machine.  Make sure the foot rest is adjusted to your height so that your knees are slightly bent.  Lean back against the rest until your body is extended backwards, then curl back in.  Try not to ever let the weight come all the way back down until you are done with your reps.  You can do much heavier weight on the machine, so I do 15 reps of 65 pounds, 12 reps of 80, then 8 reps of 90 pounds, 80, then 65 (I know, weird increments, but that is how the machine at my gym is set up).

Do not ignore this muscle group!  It is extremely important in developing good posture and form in cardiovascular exercise... plus it does get your sexy back!

Triceps- how to get the horseshoe!

I think men and women place varying emphasis on this body part.  For example, I really like the "horseshoe" that forms through working triceps, so I do as many triceps exercises as I do biceps.  Guys at the gym tend to place more of an emphasis on biceps, because guys like the bulging muscle that appears when they curl their arms.  But make no mistake, for the most fit arms possible, for both guys and girls, triceps are a necessary body part to work!

The order of my blogs is thus far the order of my workouts.  Abs I do all 4 days.  I split my workouts into arms, legs, shoulders & chest, and back.  There are many ways to combine body parts to work them more than once a week if you prefer, such as back & bis, chest & tris, etc.  Because of the shorter winter days, I have to workout 4 days in a row Monday- Thursday, as I cannot log a 6 mile run before work on these days- it's still dark at 7:30!  In the summer, I like to go to the gym one day and run the next; however, the weather gets to control that during the winter.  If you can, I suggest breaking it up by doing straight cardio one day and working out/shorter cardio the next, as I think it gives your body more time to recover.  So if your schedule allows this, I definitely recommend it!

Back to triceps.  Personally, I cannot do as heavy of weight for my tris as I can my bis, which I think is generally true for everyone.  So if you are curling 15 pounds but can only do 5 pounds of tricep extensions, do not fret!  This is completely normal.

Here are some examples of the tricep exercises I have found to be effective.

ONE ARM TRICEP PUSHDOWNS


There are many variations of this one.  The above picture shows a one arm reverse grip pushdown (or as it is pictured, a pulldown).  Adjust the cable so that the bar hangs slightly above chest height.  If you use a strap and do one arm at a time, do not try to do too much weight!  Remember, form is key.  As I mentioned in my Bicep blog, I do 3 sets, with the last set being a drop set, where I do fewer reps and go down in weight.  So for a one are reverse grip pulldown, I start with 15 reps of 10 pounds, the 12 reps of 12.5 pounds, then 8 reps of 15, 12.5, and 10 pounds consecutively.  If you reverse the grip to a regular grip (palm facing downward), you will be able to do more weight.  For regular grip, I start with 12.5 pounds and work up to 17.5.

TRICEP PRESSDOWN


This is the same concept as the one arm, but by using both arms you can do more weight.  The picture above shows the use of a bar, which can be interchanged with a rope. This can also be done in reverse grip with less weight.  I usually do regular grip.  I start with 15 reps of 30 pounds, then 12 reps of 40 pounds, then 8 reps of 50, 40, and 30 pounds.

TRICEP KICKBACK


When I do kickbacks, I usually do them last, as it burns my little tris out!  With this exercise, it is important to fully extend your arm back until it almost locks, then slowly return to the start position.  I do 15 reps of 10 on each arm, then 12 reps of 12.5, then 8 reps of 15, 10, and finally 8 pounds.

SKULLCRUSHERS

Lovely name, right?  That is exactly the motion you want to make!  Start with the bar directly above your head (I start with a 20 pound barbell).  Keeping your upper arms locked, extend your forearms backwards until the bar touches your forehead and slowly return back up.  I do 15 reps with 20 pounds, then 12 reps with 30, then 10 reps with 40 pounds.  I usually do not do a drop set of skull crushers simply because the gym is always busy and I do not want to hog the weights.  If you are at the gym at a slower time, try to do a drop set.

DECLINE BENCH TRICEP DUMBELL EXTENSION


This is the same concept as the skull crusher, but with the use of dumbells.  This grip can also be switched (palms facing away from face) to target different areas of the tricep muscle.  This is a great switch up from the skull crusher, as the dumbells do not provide as much stability as the barbell.  I try to do the same weight, so I will do 15 reps of 10 pounds in each arm (20 pounds total), then 12 reps of 15, then 8 reps of 17.5 (haven't worked up to the 20 pound yet!), then 12.5, then finish with 8.  These are easier to do a drop set with, as there are typically a few sets of weights at the gym that others can use.

DUMBELL TRICEP EXTENSION


I'm not sure why he is gripping his chest, I usually do not grip mine!  However, the motion is correct for the tricep extension.  I try to do these on a chair with a straight back so that I do not get lazy and use the rest of my body to pull the weight up.  I use the same weight here as in the tricep kickbacks, so this is a good alternative to that exercise.  You can also use both arms (pictured right) and do heavier weight.

DIPS


This exercise works the chest as well.  If you are really strong and can do unassisted dips, get it!  Or if you are a true bad ass, chain some weight to yourself and hop on like Kyle does.  However, I use weight assistance for dips (pictured right).  My gym has a similar looking machine with a step on it for weight assistance.  I start with 15 reps of 20 pounds (My weight 108-20 pounds= 88 pound dip).  I move on to 12 reps of 15 pounds, then 8 reps of 10 pounds, 20 pounds, and 25 pounds consecutively.

BENCH DIPS


This exercise is great because you can do it anywhere!  Use a chair instead of the bench and you have your own dip machine.  I have progressed on from this exercise to bench dips with weight (pictured right).  I grab another bench and place my feet on it.  I then place a 25 pound weight on my thighs and do 20 dips.  I then do 15 reps with 25 pounds, and finish with 10 reps of 30 pounds, 20 pounds, then 10 pounds.

TRICEP PUSHUPS


I honestly find that sometimes exercises without weight can be the most challenging!  If this is easy for you, place weight on your back to make it more difficult.  This will also hit your chest muscles.  I usually do these in between reps with weight for a major burnout.

CABLE TRICEP KICKBACK

I could not find a picture of this one, so I will do my best to explain it, as I think it is hands down the most effective way to end your tricep workout.  Level the cable so that it is the height of your hip.  The cable should not have anything on it, just the hook. Remove the hook so that the only thing on the cable is the ball at the end of it. Facing the cable and with your arm parallel with your body and slightly bent, grasp the ball at the end of the cable with your hand.  Extend your arm as far back as you can and fully extend and straighten your arm, then bring it back in. This is the same basic movement as the kickback. I can do about 10 pounds on each arm for 15 reps, then 15 pounds for 10 reps and I am done!

Now you have a combination of bicep and tricep exercises for a great arm workout.  What are you waiting for?  Get to the gym and start seeing results!

Curls for the Girls!

I am going to broaden the interpretation of the title of this post.  Boys, girls love big biceps.  And ladies, believe it or not, guys love sexy, cut arms!  The following exercises can be used for both.  For guys, if you are wanting to build muscle, do a decent amount of sets with heavy weight, at least 6 reps.  Ladies, you DO want to tone those arms!  Skinny is not sexy, toned is!

Arms are the body part that I dreaded working out the most, and now it is my favorite body part to work (well besides abs).  I figured that lifting arm weights would undoubtedly make me big and bulky.  I still have a long way to go, but for the first time in my life my arms have tone and definition, which I absolutely love.  Plus I feel like I could kick someone's ass if I needed to ;-).

At the risk of putting myself on blast, I am using my own before and after photos to show the difference pumping iron can make in your arms.

BEFORE


I love this picture :-)  However, my arms not so much.  No tone, no definition.

AFTER

































HUGE difference!  Now my interpretation of sexy may be skewed from dating a bodybuilder, but none the less I think my arms look better and I look forward to further progress.

This blog will focus on biceps, and in the next one I will give you some ideas for triceps.  Both are important in the development of arm muscle! Now since I am a female, I start off with a manageable weight that I can do 15 reps with.  For curls, for example, I start with 15 pounds (this is so exciting, I used to start with 5 pounds!).  I then do my next set with one increment heavier, which at my gym is 17.5 pounds, and do 12 reps.  I finish off with what is called a drop set.  I do this with almost every exercise for every body part.  It completely burns me out and I love it!  So sticking with this example, I finish curls with a set of 8 with 20 pounds, then another immediate set of 8 with 15 pounds, and a final immediate set of 8 with 10 pounds.  You will notice that my last set is lighter than I started with- if you can go down in smaller increments of weight, more power to you!  I get tired :-)

I tend to see the quickest results (and feel the most sore the next day) when I use free weights, aka the weights that are not attached to machines.  However, I think it's important to incorporate as many different exercises as possible to always keep your body guessing.  Try any or all of these exercises and see what works best for you!

Free Weight Bicep Curl


I actually like to do curls sitting down.  I tend to get lazy on my last set and start using my back when I am standing up.  I have found that sitting down really helps to isolate my bicep and force me to use that muscle.  I described my set in the example above.

Variations of the Bicep Curl


This one really works my biceps and forearms as well.  Same sets as regular bicep curls.

Cable Bicep Curl


The cable bicep curl you can do with both arms at once or one arm at a time.  If I do both arms at once, I start with a set of 15 with 30 pounds, then a set of 12 with 35, then a drop set of 8 with 40 pounds, 30 pounds, then 20 pounds.  If I do one arm at a time, I start with a set of 15 with 10 pounds, then 12 with 15 pounds, then a drop set of 8 with 20, 15, and 10 pounds.

Preacher Curl

This one can be done with a barbell (the long one) using both arms, or with dumbells (the short ones) using one arm at a time.  Again, variation is key, but I prefer one arm at a time,  I really feel the burn at the end!  If I use a barbell, I start with a set of 15 with 20 pounds, then 12 with 30 pounds, then a drop set of 8 with 40, then 30, then 20 pounds.  If I do it with dumbells, I do a set of 15 with 10, then 12 with 12.5, then a drop set of 8 with 15 pounds, then 10 pounds, then 7.5 pounds.

Hammer Curl


Get it girl!  Notice she is holding the weights differently than in a bicep curl.  Rather than gripping with your palms facing up, grip with your palms facing each other.  As was the case with the curls, I like to do these sitting down.  Traditionally, you can do more weight on a hammer curl than a bicep curl.  As a basic rule, just start with one increment higher weight than you would for curls.  So I start with a set of 15 with 17.5 dumbells.  I then do a set of 12 with 20, and then a drop set of 8 with 25 pounds, then 15, then 10.

Bicep Curl Machine

Grab the handles and curl.  This one is pretty self explanatory.

Cable Curl


This one actually hits my chest as well. Load each side with the appropriate weight, making sure it is even on each side.  Since you will be using both arms, use a heavier amount of weight than you would with just one arm.

Bicep Pull Ups


Ending with the best one.  I felt so proud of myself when I could do these without any weight assistance!  At the gym, you should be able to find a machine that has a bar you stand on to offer some assistance in these pull ups.  I start with 15 reps with 20 pounds of assistance, then 10 reps with 10 pounds of assistance, the 8 reps with no assistance. You can also switch your grip so that both palms are facing each other, if your gym has two bars that face outwards on the bicep curl bar. I cannot do a drop set of these yet, I am burnt out after the unassisted set!  But these are my favorite, it really makes you feel the burn and feel strong!

I hope this helps you get started.  Try to challenge yourself with heavier weight, but remember that form is the most important part of this.  If you aren't fully extending your arms and fully bringing them up in a slow, fluid motion, try lighter weights.  And pretty soon you'll start feeling like you could kick someone's butt too! :-)

Ab Workouts- My favorite!

I might as well start off the workout blogs with my favorite- Abdominals!  This is one of those "Do as I say not as I do" situations though, because I definitely think I overwork my abs, past the point of effectiveness.  I do abs before every lift session, which is completely unnecessary.  Here is my defense:  I like to feel and engage my core throughout the rest of my workout, so I wake those muscles up first to make sure I am using them properly throughout my workout.  But again, I really do not think you need to do abs before every workout.  2 to 3 times a week is definitely sufficient.

I have good news and bad news about your abs.  Let's start with the bad news first and get it out of the way.  The most important part in developing a lean core is your diet.  You will never see a six pack without eating right.  It wouldn't matter if you did 1,000 sit-ups a day- that belly fat isn't going anywhere if you aren't eating right.  I know, this sucks.  Believe me, as much as I like eating healthy, if they ever develop a program where you eat cake for all meals and all you have to do is workout to be lean, I will be the FIRST person to sign up.

Now the good news- once you start eating right, doing ab workouts consistently and correctly WILL help you develop that fabulous flat stomach!  It just takes time, so be patient and persistent!

I think I will probably have more abdominal exercises to share than anything else, simply because I have at least worked out my abs for quite some time now.  I think most forms of abdominal exercises- sit-ups, crunches, bicycles, etc.  But I got burnt out on doing floor exercises all the time!  So here are a few that you may not have heard of that I really like.

Hanging Abdominal Crunch



I prefer to use the straps, but if your gym doesn't have them, just hag from a bar with your hands.  The key to this exercise is keeping your body as stable and straight as possible.  Lift your legs straight up into a reverse crunch without swinging, then slowly lower them back down.  I do 3 sets of 10 straight up and down, and 3 sets of 5 to each side.

Cable Abdominal Pull Down
    

The picture is pretty self explanatory.  You can also do this one facing the cable on your knees, and pulling the weight in.  I start with 10 straight pulls and 5 to each side with 50 pounds, and work my way up to 70 pounds for a total of 3 sets.

Weighted Abdominal Leg Raises


I do this one with a free weight in between my feet, but I started with no weight at all.  From this position, lift your legs up to the ceiling while keeping both legs straight.  The lower them back down past horizontal for an extra pull.  I start with 10 reps of 5 pounds, drop the weight and do 10 more with no weight.  I do 3 sets of these, first with 5 pounds, then 7.5, then 10.

Ab Roller


If you have access to one of these, this one is a must do!  Start with the wheel right in front of your knees, with your shoulders directly above the wheel.  Then slowly roll the wheel out to as far as you can go, as shown above.  Then pull it back in.  For these I do 10 straight forward and back and 5 to each side, 3 sets.

Weighted Ball Crunch


I do this one with a weighted ball behind my head, usually 8 pounds.  Align your feet up against a wall for stability.  Bend all the way back over the ball and crunch all the way up.  I do 10 straight up and down and 5 to each side, 3 reps.

Weighted Side Crunch


There are 2 versions of this one I like to do.  The first is as shown above, with a 25 pound plate.  I hold the weight across my chest (or you could use a lower weight and hold it in your downward facing arm).  Bend over the cushion towards the ground and back up.  I do 20 on each side 3 times.

The other variation is, to describe it in the picture above, to remove the right leg from behind the cushion and bend the keen inward towards your body, focusing on crunching the right oblique.  The turn your body around and do the other side.  I do this without weight, 20 on each side 3 times.

I also think floor abdominal exercises are very effective, and great to do if you do not have access to any of the items listed above.  Plank holds, crunches, side crunches, leg lifts and sit ups are all great ways to work your abdominal muscles.

Give these exercises a try- it is a fun way to switch up your abdominal workout and feel the burn!  It's all about switching it up and keeping your body guessing.  Side note: I do not do ALL of these exercises EVERY day.  I usually just pick 3 max.  I am not THAT crazy!