Lifting weights can help you lose inches in record time – no matter what your age! Research shows that it’s not what you do that makes a difference in strength training, but how you do it, especially after age 40. This can move the needle from mediocre results to a metabolism that stays fired up, burning fat, and showing off lean muscle. The secret is engaging muscles called fast-twitch fibers. During a strength training session, you’re typically working your fast-twitch muscles. Because the fibers in fast-twitch muscles are denser, working them gives you a quicker visual payoff and they burn fat longer…up to several hours after a workout! Combine these 2 MUST-TRY strength training moves with your weekly interval workouts and a nutritious diet to see impressive results in record time! Plus, destroy fat in 30 days with the Lift Weights To Lose Weight program!

Move #1: Kickback Lunge

What it does:

• This version of the lunge is an excellent sculptor for the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, triceps and core. This is a true functional move because it combines so many muscle groups in one movement.

How to do it:

• Holding a dumbbell in each hand, step your left foot directly behind you, taking a wide stance, and bend your legs, lowering your torso down into a lunge. Be sure and maintain that core stability to prevent injury.
• While in lunge position, keep your shoulders over your hips, back knee slightly bent, front knee in alignment with your front toes, shoulders back and down.
• Feel your weight in your right (front) heel as you push yourself to standing.
• As you return to standing, do a tricep kickback: Reach your arms back behind you and extend, feeling a squeeze in the tricep.

Move #2: Twist & Squat

How to do it:

• Take a wide stance with your toes turned slightly out, holding dumbbells pressed together at chest level.
• Lower down into a sumo squat, making sure those abs are engaged, weights hanging straight down in front of you.
• As you push back up to standing, feel the inner thighs, glutes and core muscles working together to control the movement.
• At the same time, bring the weights toward your chest with a bicep curl.
• Rotate to your right: Keeping your wide stance and core engaged, feel your weight planted in the right foot and let the left foot pivot as your torso rotates to the right. You should feel as if this entire movement is driven by obliques.
• Bring the weights down toward the ground in a controlled chopping motion, just behind your right hip. Squeeze your left glute as you chop.
• Curl the weights back toward the chest as you rotate the torso back to your starting position.

How to get the most out of this move: To tighten your backside, squats are key! Switch up your routine by changing the width of of your squat to a wider stance. This simple change is an all-around lower body tightener, working the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, as well as the inner and outer thighs.