Mamatoga Fit Tip Tuesday: At Home Fitness. The Paper Plate Workout and Nutrition Basics, Part I

Yes, you are reading that correctly. Paper Plate Workout. If you have been following my blog for long enough, you  know that I am all about eliminating excuses as to why you can’t get in shape. Well, this is another one of those moments. Excuses, be gone. If you have a small bit of floor space, some paper plates, maybe a coffee table or chair, you can do this workout.

And by the way, for all of you fitness elite who may be taking a first glance at this and thinking it looks like fluff, trust me…don’t knock it till you try it! (I have been told by many a client that “I make it look so easy!”)

I have provided some pictures here on Mamatoga’s pages but there are more how to videos on Real [Fit] Life as well, so be sure to click on the link and hop over to Real [Fit] Life to read more about the exercises, and watch the videos,  when you are done here.

This workout is made up of nine exercises. We are breaking this segment down over the next three weeks so here are your first three exercises. This week, only the ab slide requires plates but there will be more use of them to come, so don’t worry. Oh, and also don’t eat off of them after…;)

As in the past, use this week to practice, and get familiar with these exercises.

Use your warm up that I gave you for the At Home Workout I showed you on here in January. The exercises in this workout are slightly more advanced. The exercises I gave you in our first At Home Workout series will prepare you for this workout. So…do not just jump into this if you haven’t done the other workout yet. Start at the beginning. I promise you, it will be so worth the extra effort.

Exercise #1

Single leg bent knee deadlifts

This is an excellent exercise for waking up the glutes (booty) and training for better knee stabilization. Ladies (and gents), we need BOTH.

I also show a modified variation, by bringing the floor closer to me with a step. If touching down to the floor is too hard, then don’t go that far yet. Remember, quality over quantity.

Here are a few more tips:

  1. It is very important when doing these that the action of the hip goes back, and you should be able to keep some (most) weight in the heel of the standing leg. You heel should never leave the floor.
  2.   In addition, maintain a nice long line from your tailbone to the crown of your head. In other words, don’t hunch over and round your back.
  3. If you can’t squat all the way down without hunching, use a prop for now. (like in the photo)

Exercise #2

Ab slides

This exercise focuses on stabilization and strength in the core, shoulders, and back.

The most important things to be mindful of here:

  1. Keep the abs braced and do not let your back drop toward the floor. Maintain that nice long line from your tailbone to the crown of your head.
  2. Make sure you move your whole torso as the arms slide forward. (your hips move too)
  3. Press into the plates the whole time. Do NOT lift your hands away from the plates to make it “easier”
  4. Only move the hands as far forward as you can without letting the shoulders collapse toward the floor. Keep your shoulder blades drawing onto your back.

Exercise #3

Side plank hip lifts

This is another great total body strengthener. Again, I show two variations for this exercise. One is easier than the other. Pick the one that is the most doable for you now, and that you can do with proper form.

Tips:

  1. Stay in one long line from your head to your toes.
  2. Do not lean forward with your torso. Keep hip over hip, shoulder over shoulder, chest open, shoulder blades on your back.
  3. You should not feel any discomfort in your shoulder. Ever. If you do feel pain, stop immediately and check your form.
  4. Focus on lifting your underside (hips and waist) AWAY from the floor as far as you can.
  5. SLOWLY lower your hips back down to the floor. (You will hate me the whole time, but it will be SO worth it. So go ahead, curse my name now. You can thank me later.)

 

Basic Nutrition Tip #1

Eat breakfast. Period. 

(when I say basic, you know I don’t mince my words)

For more on the WHY part of this Basic Nutrition Tip and to watch the how to videos for The Paper Plate Workout hop on over to Real [Fit] Life.

See you all next week!