I can’t figure out why, but people universally neglect to train their legs. It’s a funny thing, since proper leg training will dramatically deliver total body results.Walk into any gym and you will see the bench press taken, the dumbbells being curled and an empty squat rack in the corner.Leg exercises are tough, I won’t deny that, but the benefits are more than worth the exertion.A case for your legsYour legs are a major muscle group, so it’s no surprise that training them will get you big time results. Training your legs willMelt fat from your body: As I mentioned above, leg exercises are tough. Your legs are a large part of your body, so each exercise literally moves your whole body. This is precisely why a good leg workout will fire up your metabolism to melt fat. You’ll burn more calories while exercising your legs than any other body part. Due to the intense nature of a leg workout, your metabolism becomes elevated for more than 24 hours. That means that for an entire day your body continues to burn extra calories without any extra effort on your part. Who wouldn’t love that?Build strength for everyday life: How often do you use your legs? Most of us depend on our legs constantly throughout the day. Wouldn’t it make sense to strengthen our individual mode of transportation? It’s kind of like putting a super charger on the engine of your car. Exercising your legs isn’t only about increased strength; you’ll also improve your coordination and balance. This means you’ll be able to do and experience things you otherwise would have missed. You only live once, right?Uncover natural muscle shape: Let’s be honest, toned legs are attractive. I’m not saying that you’re legs will bulge with muscles (unless you train for that), but I am saying that consistently training your legs will uncover your natural toned shape. Many of my clients discover a whole new level of confidence after getting their legs into shape. Women especially enjoy the freedom to wear shorts or a skirt without feeling embarrassed to show their legs. Wouldn’t you love that freedom? As you strengthen your legs, you’ll also reduce the risk of injury to your lower back because you’ll actually learn to pick things up off the ground the correct way.The best leg exercisesNow that I’ve convinced you to pay more attention to your legs, here are three of the top exercises you should do. Each of these exercises has dozens of different variations, so have fun and always keep your workouts fresh and challenging.The lunge: Start with your feet together. Take a large step forward, and bend your knees down into a lunge position. Exhale as you press yourself back up to a standing position, or continue through with your step into another lunge.The squat: Start with your feet shoulder width apart. Inhale as you bend your knees, keeping your back straight. Be sure to keep your knees from going past your toes. Exhale as you push back up to a standing position.The dead lift: Grip the barbell with a mixed grip (one palm faces you and one doesn’t). Allow the barbell to hang down in front of you as you stand on the platform with your feet shoulder width apart. Lean forward at your waist, keeping your back flat, and bend your knees, bringing the bar down past them. Exhale as you straighten your legs, and lift the bar up. When you are standing upright, lean back slightly, and squeeze the muscles of your lower back. Hold this contraction for a moment. Inhale and slowly return back down to the starting position.By no stretch of the imagination are these three the only leg exercises available. And that’s the other great thing about training your legs – you have several options and variations.www.perfectfitwc.comRECIPE OF THE MONTHEasy Lentil SoupUse this recipe for a light dinner or quick lunch. It’s easy to make, tastes delicious and is low in fat. What’s more, it’s full of natural protein. And guess what? Lentils are packed with cholesterol-lowering fiber. Yield: 8 servingsHere’s what you need …1 tablespoon olive oil1 cup finely chopped onion1/2 cup finely chopped carrot1/2 cup finely chopped celery2 teaspoons salt1 pound lentils, picked and rinsed1 cup peeled and chopped tomatoes2 quarts chicken broth, fat free, reduced sodium1/2 teaspoon ground coriander1/2 teaspoon ground toasted cuminOptional, spoonful of fat free cottage cheeseOptional, dried parsleyPut the olive oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven, and place over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery and salt. SautÈ for 6 to 7 minutes. Add the lentils, tomatoes, broth, coriander and cumin; stir to combine. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture just to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook at a low simmer until the lentils are tender, about 40 minutes. Using a stick blender, puree the soup to your desired consistency. Serve with cottage cheese and sprinkle with dried parsley if desired.Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 240 calories, 2g fat, 35g carbohydrate, 18g fiber and 16g protein.
