The one part of my body that I really hate are those flaps under my arms.  Every girl knows about this little problem area, the “extra skin” that hangs under our biceps.  Here are four exercises that will help you to tone them up:

Exercise 1:  Bench dips. 

• Find a bench

• With your back facing the bench, place both hands behind your back and rest your palms on the end of the bench

• Lie at an incline with your legs extended and your hands holding you up

• Extend your arms, lifting your body

• Do four sets of 10

Exercise 2:  One Arm Rows

• Find a bench

• To work your right arm rest your left knee and left hand on the bench

• Hold an appropriate dumbbell in your right hand and lean your body forward

• Hold your right arm close to your body and bend at the elbow to a 90 degree angle

• Extend arm backward

• Do four sets of 10

Exercise 3:  Diamond Pushups

• Get in a regular push up position

• Move your hands inward toward your chest

• Make a diamond shape with your hands

• Do four sets of 10 pushups

Exercise 4:  Tricep Lifts

• Get a dumbbell

• Hold it with both hands

• Lift over and behind your head

• Extend your elbows upward

• Do four sets of 10

These are four basic exercises that you could even do around the house in your plus size t-shirts and sweats.  Doing these exercises will help you to tone and strengthen your triceps, eliminating that extra fat we all hate.   

Losing weight isn’t easy.  If you’re like me then you’ve probably started many diets and exercises and quit in a month.  With only myself to be accountable to it’s always easy to give up.  The only way I was going to stick with my diet and exercise was by joining a sport.   So, I went out and bought a few plus size sports pants to wear during practice and joined a local basketball league.  Knowing that I would be letting down my entire team if I quit I went to every practice and game. 

I’ve always wanted to play basketball and I’ve never seen an overweight basketball player.  I went online and researched what the average basketball player eats and followed the same diet. 

Instead of eating 3 large meals everyday, I ate 6 small meals throughout the day.   For breakfast I ate a fruit and switched between oatmeal and cereal.  In between breakfast and lunch I ate a low fat yogurt.  For lunch, I ate a sandwich with no mayonnaise.  In between lunch and dinner I snacked on a fruit salad.  For dinner, I mainly ate chicken with steamed vegetable because it is full of vitamins and proteins. 

Once the season was over I had lost a total of 20 pounds, by eating healthy and staying active. Now I feel great, am active and made some workout friends. 

Everyone wants a great butt to fill in their plus size leggings, jeans, dresses, and swimsuit.  With these three easy exercises you’ll tighten, and lift your butt.   

1. Squats: This exercise works out all of the gluts, hips, and thigh muscles. 

• Stand with your back straight, feet shoulder width apart, hands straight out in front of you or on your hips.

• Drop your hips down and back up again squeezing your buttocks and abs as you come up, and keeping your back straight.

• For balance, swing your arms in front of you as you go down.

• Start out with a set of 10 working your way up to a set of 20.

2. Buttock Stretch: This exercise will relieve your neck and shoulders of the stress built up from your bottom.  While you do this exercise, keep your breathing steady, and don’t concentrate on how high to lift your hips but on the contraction.

• Start by lying on your back, hands to your sides.  Keep your right foot on the floor and your right knee bent and put your left ankle on your right knee.

• Squeeze your abs and lengthen your back as you curl your hips upwards lifting your butt off the floor.  Keep your butt tight for 4 seconds; slowly lower your butt for about one second to the floor.

• Switch legs and repeat.

• Do a set of 10 for each leg.

3.  Leg Raise: This exercise works for your gluts and your hamstrings. 

• Start out on all fours, leaning on your forearms.  Stretch your right leg out behind you while tightening your abs and stretching your spine. 

• Make sure that your hips are above your knees, shoulders above your elbows.

• Lift your right leg so that it is at a 90 degree angle, squeezing your butt and hamstrings.  Then stretch your leg out higher squeezing harder.

• Make sure that you do not let your hips or waist twist by keeping your back straight and controlling your leg movement. 

• The tighter you squeeze the more intense the workout.

• Do a set of 10 for each leg.  Increase the reps for a better result.

My favorite dress, top, and blouse cut is the sweetheart.  It is called a sweetheart cut because of the shape of the neckline design. You’ll know that your garment is a sweetheart cut if it is low cut, round neckline over the bust line that drops and meets at the middle point of the bust area.  Resulting in a heart shaped neckline that is modest but still draws attention to my figure. 

A plus size cami bra is best in a sweetheart cut because it is flattering on any body type.  It is sexy, but still has the full support of a bra.  The lower sweetheart neckline lengthens your neck and accentuates your bust.  By accentuating your bust you draw attention upward instead of down below where we seem to carry the most weight.  With the vertical dip of the neckline the larger parts of your face and waist look slimmer. 

Wear a sweetheart shaped cami bra with a pair of plus size leggings for a walk in the park or workout and you’ll not only look cute but stay comfortable.