....Rear Ends...We all got one...Lets keep it that way.

 I just had to pass on this great article by Debbie Powers.... She is an expert...

REAR ENDS Butts….Buns….Fannies….call ‘em whatever you want.  Our backsides are more exposed now that spring is here.  Shorts and swimsuits hide very little.  Those long winter days of consuming warm cookies, hot chocolate, or other cold-weather treats are now in full view of everyone at the pool, lake, or beach.  For this reason, I am going to spend the next few emails with suggested exercises to help tone those “now-exposed” body parts.  We all know that specific exercises will not necessarily reduce the fat you have accumulated on a specific area.  Only by reining in the calories and creating a calorie deficit day in and day out will the fat disappear.  Vigorous aerobic exercise burns calories and can reduce overall body fat.  However, exercises targeting a specific muscle group will tone those muscles and create a tighter look.  Combining the right nutrition with the right exercises will yield results.  For this reason, spring and summer are great times to enjoy the refreshing Body Wise Élancé shakes for a nutritious and low-calorie meal.    Exercising for great glutes can include both aerobic and strength work: Walking – walk very briskly so that you can push your glutes to the max. Add some hills or stairs. Jogging – like when walking, hit the hills or try some interval sprints. Biking or Spinning – increase the resistance so that you have to pump hard, or even stand to pump. Squats – stand with your feet shoulder width apart and lower into a squat as if you were going to sit into a chair. Keep the torso upright. Return to a standing position. Holding some weights increases the work. Lunges – step out with one foot and lower the back knee toward the floor. Make sure the front knee does not extend past the front foot. Push off with the front foot back to the starting position. Alternate lead foot. Hang onto a chair or wall if you need help with balance. Hip extensions – stand facing a wall, placing hands on the wall, and with a straight back push one leg out behind you as high as it can go (while keeping the leg straight). You can also do this down on the floor on all fours, and simply extending one leg back and up. Doing these exercises daily will help tone your glutes. Remember that the basic shape of our rear ends is dictated by our genetics. However, with some work, you can get a tighter look whether your butt is wide, flat, high, or low. Debbie Powers, an Executive Director with Body Wise International, is Assistant Professor Emerita of Wellness at Ball State University. She has co-authored A Wellness Way of Life, 10th ed., McGraw-Hill; A Fit and Well Way of Life, 2nd ed., McGraw-Hill; and A Fit Way of Life, 2nd ed., McGraw-Hill.