Ladies, it’s that time of year again! Halloween is about a week away and I’m sure you and your friends have been preparing your perfect costumes. We have all heard the Mean Girls quote, “Halloween is the one night a year when girls can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it.” In college, this holiday is merely a fashion show, where most girls in Durham will be showing off more than just a costume. It’s a holiday where you have an excuse to dress a little skimpy and show a little more leg, a little more stomach and even a little more cleavage.
Don’t let the stress from midterms and papers keep you from your workouts. This is not only important for maintaining your sanity, but also for looking good for Halloween. Whether it’s those late night snacks, calories from all those drinks at the bar, or you’ve been slacking on getting to the Whit, with a little over a week, there is still some time to get in shape before squeezing into those small costumes.
Legs –Hit the treadmill or elliptical for 30-45 minutes. Both machines help target the muscles in your legs, and they are a great a way to get a cardio workout. Try increasing the resistance to a level that is somewhat challenging.
If you can’t get to the gym, squats and lunges are other good ways to tone your legs. These are simple and can even be done in your room. These exercises engage your hamstrings, quads and glutes. Try doing three sets of 15-20 reps.
Arms –Push-ups are a perfect total body exercise that helps build upper body strength and tighten your core. Whether you do traditional push-ups, modified push-ups, or some of both, try to do 3 sets of 10-20 reps. Try to challenge yourself to do more each time.
In addition to cardio, strength training is an easy way to see the most changes in a short amount of time. Grab a pair of dumbbell weights. Try to do some bicep curls, lateral raises or even try the lat pull-down at the gym.
Stomach –To tighten your core, try some of these effective abdominal exercises:
the bicycle –start by laying flat on your back, raise your knees to a 45 degree angle. Begin moving your legs in a bicycle pedaling motion, while touching your right elbow to your left knee, then left elbow to your right knee, continue alternating for a total of 3 sets of 20.
Plank –Begin in a plank position with your forearms and toes on the floor. Keep your torso straight and be sure you are engaging your core, relax your head and you should be looking at the floor. Try to hold this position for 10 seconds to 1 minute.
Even just simple crunches, if done correctly can also be very effective.
I hope all our readers have a safe and fun Halloween and I hope these exercise tips have helped so you can all look HOT for Halloween.