Walk off

health

great shape

Walk off Bye-bye, menopot!

Denise Austin

Exclusively for FIRST, fitness expert Denise Austin reveals the walking approach proven to outsmart the hormonal storm that packs on stubborn belly fat after age 30

How intervals restore hormonal balance Research has pinpointed the stress hormone cortisol as a key culprit behind belly fat—and hormonal changes as we age make us even more susceptible to cortisol’s fat-packing effects. “The 46 First for women

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PHOTO: JOHN RUSSO PHOTOGRAPHY. MAIN TEX T: J. JOSEPH. REAL-LIFE TEX T: LISA MA XBAUER

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hances are, you’ve uttered the words “too busy to exercise” on many a stress-filled day. And as it turns out, you’re in good company: When FIRST asked fitness guru Denise Austin how she’s managed to stay so slim and perky past her 55th birthday, we thought she might say something about being more dedicated to exercise and cranking up her workouts. What she said instead: “There just aren’t enough hours in the day to do marathon workouts.” We can relate! Still, Denise does manage to keep her belly flat…despite being plenty busy writing lifestyle books, running her fitness empire and caring for her husband and two teenage daughters—plus dealing with the metabolism-slowing effects of stress, age and hormonal changes. So we pressed her to spill her secret—and were thrilled to hear the answer is to do less, not more! “I’m fighting fat around my belly just like every woman,” Denise says. “So when I need to get into a leotard to film a new fitness DVD, I do interval training­— it’s simply the fastest way to burn tummy pudge. By varying my intensity and speed, I can spend less time exercising and achieve better results.”

3X MORE belly fat aging process naturally increases cortisol levels and causes testosterone levels to fall,” explains Shawn M. Talbott, Ph.D., author of The Secret of Vigor. “This shifts the body into a state where it’s storing fat in the belly and breaking down lean muscle tissue.” To complicate matters, additional studies have found that cutting calories and engaging in extreme exercise further elevate cortisol levels, making it even harder to lose those stubborn pounds. But as science has shown— and Denise has discovered firsthand­— interval walking can remedy this hormonal storm and the waistline havoc it wreaks. “Short bursts of intensity actually teach muscle cells to break down cortisol and metabolize sugar more efficiently,” explains Talbott. This immediately increases calorie expenditure, allowing you to burn 401 calories during a 25-minute interval walk—more than double what you’d burn walking at a steady pace. The power of intervals goes beyond burning extra calories, though—this fitness approach triggers biochemical­

changes that lead to lasting weight loss. “Cortisol levels drop by 10 percent and testosterone levels rise by 10 percent after an interval workout,” says Talbott. “The resulting hormone ratio stimulates muscle building and prompts belly fat to be burned for fuel.” In fact, scientists at Australia’s University of New South Wales found that women who did intervals for 20 minutes lost nine times more fat— and three times more visceral fat (the dangerous fat around the organs)— than those who exercised at a moderate pace for 40 minutes. Interval walking has also been shown to lower blood sugar levels, regulate female hormones and increase the production of mood-boosting brain chemicals. “Balanced hormones lead to optimized metabolism, reduced appetite, fewer mood swings and increased energy—all factors that make for fast and effortless weight loss now and help protect against future weight gain,” says Talbott. Turn the page for the lessis-more plan that will have you bikinibeautiful in time for Memorial Day!

WOW! MORE WALKING PERKS sunnier improved moods confidence

88% sounder sleep

50% better focus

10%

90%

20% less anxiety

29% fewer cravings

37% 50% fewer aches and pains fewer sick days

Taking a daily stroll can do more than blast fat—look at what else 20 to 30 minutes a day can do for you!

3 smart sips that rev results For an extra push that will help you break the stress/belly-fat cycle (even if you don’t adopt an interval walking program), try these delicious drinks!

Green tea produces calming brain waves

This brew can bring on Plus feelings of calm in just melts 15 minutes, Japanese sci- belly fat! entists report. The credit goes to the tea’s L-theanine, an amino acid that ups the production of soothing alpha brain waves by 38 percent. BONUS: Studies show exercisers who

enjoy 4 cups of green tea daily lose eight times more mushy belly fat than those who don’t drink the tea.

Orange juice dials down cortisol levels

Vitamin C dampens the Plus adrenal glands’ output erases of cortisol in response cellulite! to stressful situations, according to a University of Alabama study. Just two glasses of OJ a day can lower tension-triggered cortisol levels by 300 percent. Vitamin C revs the production of collagen. This protein strengthens connective tissue, which prevents fat cells from pushing up beneath the skin and causing cellulite. BONUS:

Whey smoothies boost metabolism Plus

Consuming 15 grams of speeds whey protein can raise toning! testosterone levels by 25 percent for 48 hours, Finnish scientists discovered. This hormone helps convert amino acids into muscle-­ building proteins—an effect that speeds toning and revs metabolism. BONUS: Drinking a post-workout whey

shake has been shown to double fat loss and boost muscle gain by 63 percent. These perks can help you look lean in weeks instead of months. 4/16/12 First for women

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great shape

“I went from a size 32 to a 6!”

La Dawn lost 235 lbs!

48 First for women

The day La Dawn H. Hearns received her breast cancer diagnosis, she stood in the shower screaming, trying to wash the illness away. When the shock wore off, she knew: I have to get busy fighting for my health! Until that point, La Dawn had lived a sedentary life—a big chunk of her day was spent in her car, and during her downtime, she relaxed on her couch. She knew the pounds were steadily creeping on, but she hadn’t felt motivated to change. Lack of motivation was no longer an issue after her diagnosis, so La Dawn started leaving her car behind and walking most places she needed to go. During the first week, her legs were shaky and her muscles were burning, but she soldiered La Dawn H. on, adjusting her pace by speeding Hearns, 46, up when walking downhill and slowAlpharetta, GA ing down when tackling inclines. Height: 5'6" The results were amazing: “Walking really took the weight off, NOW: especially in my belly,” La Dawn 155 lbs shares. “It gave me curves. And I found I had bursts of energy!” La Dawn has maintained her weight for the last two years, and her cancer is stable. Plus, she enjoys what she calls “virgin moments”— doing things she could never do before, like heading into the misses section and picking out size 6 jeans.”Next, I’m thinking about going dancing!” she says. La Dawn also started coaching other women to achieve their health goals through her website, AYRyou.com. “I have courage and self-esteem that I never had before,” she raves. THEN: 390 LBS “I feel I’ve broken free!”

4/16/12

Now that the weather is warming up, there’s no better time to start strolling outside—especially since outdoor activity is three times more effective at lowering cortisol levels than indoor exercise. So we asked Denise Austin to create an exclusive walking plan using the strategy she herself successfully relies on to ward off a menopot. “You’ll get incredible results fast, as long as you challenge yourself during the high-intensity bouts,” Denise says. How to tell if you’re in the slimming zone: At a moderate pace (5 out of 10 difficulty), you should be able to hold a conversation. Then for each increase in intensity, you should feel more out of breath. By level 8 you shouldn’t be able to say more than a few words without pausing for a breath. The payoff, according to Denise: “Repeat this routine three to four times per week and you should start to see sleeker arms, slimmer thighs and a flatter belly in as little as three weeks!”

PHOTO, L A DAWN: TODD BAUGH PHOTOGRAPHY. H & M: PAT TI SIMMONS/BRUSHWORX

It worked for me

Your hormone-

Denise’s sound track FIRST asked Denise to share the tunes that power her through her walk. Downloading the songs and playing them in this order will help you keep the right pace during your walking workout.

1“I Run To You” by Lady Antebellum

“The lyrics to this song always get me pumped up to start my workout— they’re very motivational!”

2“All-American Girl” by Carrie Underwood

“I love anything Carrie sings. And all of us girls can relate to this song in some way. It gets me going!”

3“Mine”

by Taylor Swift

“This song is 122 beats per minute— that’s the perfect pace for a fun, upbeat walk.”

health

Melt 9x more fat

balancing plan

HAIR & MAKEUP. PHOTO, TAMMY: SEAN ARMENTA. H & M: SHEIL A NORTHCUT T

Minutes 1–5: Warm up with a moder-

ate walk. (Intensity level: 5 out of 10) Minutes 6–7: Power walk while pumping your arms back and forth alongside your body. (Intensity level: 6 out of 10) Minutes 8–10: Walk at a moderate pace. (Intensity level: 5 out of 10) Minutes 11–12: Speed up to a power walk and punch your arms out in front of you, alternating arms as you step. (Intensity level: 7 out of 10) Minutes 13–15: Walk at a moderate pace. (Intensity level: 5 out of 10) Minutes 16–17: Speed walk as fast as you can—up to a jogging pace. (Intensity level: 8 out of 10) Minutes 18–20: Slow down to a moderate pace. As you walk, alternate circling your arms back (as if doing the backstroke) for 1 minute, then reverse and do forward arm circles for 1 minute. This will open up the shoulders and chest to help release any built-up tension in the upper body. (Intensity level: 5 out of 10)

for slimming

4 “Firework” by Katy Perry

“This tune picks up the tempo to get you to a fast calorie-burning pace.”

5“This One’s for the Girls” by Martina McBride

“I love to sing to this one—it helps me power through.”

6“Since U Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson

“This song will help up the pace of your walk to rev your metabolism.”

7 “The Lucky One” by Faith Hill

“This one puts me in a great mood.”

8 “Need You Now” by Lady Antebellum

“At just 106 beats per minute, this is a great song for your cool-down.”

It worked for me

“I feel 25 years younger!” “It seems like something is trying to push my eyes out from behind,” Tammy Rones lamented in a doctor’s exam room, once again trying to describe the mysterious headaches she’d been experiencing for three years straight. She didn’t voice her deepest fear: What if I’m dying? Tammy had been under incredible pressure while living in the Middle East for her husband’s job. The fact that her weight was climbing and diets no longer worked made her more stressed, and now her faltering health had her downright scared. Deciding she needed to do more to care for herself, Tammy made time for what she calls “wogging”— walk/jog intervals—hoping the activity would relieve her tension, help melt her excess pounds and improve her overall health. To keep her motivation up, Tammy turned to the online community SparkPeople.com, and soon realized her wogging strategy was working. She felt less stressed and was finally free of her headaches, which doctors ended up diagnosing as tension headaches. “I remember thinking, Wow, this is too easy. You mean I don’t have to live with daily doses of painkillers?” Wogging made Tammy so happy and energized that she started signing up for races. She’s completed 16 half marathons so far and has a blast doing them—she even wore a tutu and fairy wings for one! Tammy has dropped more than 70 pounds and is thrilled that her family now knows a calmer, happier, healthier version of her. “At 35, I felt 60 years old,” she says. “And THEN: 250 LBS now at 51, I feel 35!”

Tammy Rones, 51, Corona, CA Height: 5'9"

NOW: 173 lbs

Tammy lost 77 lbs!

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