Bottoms Up

You never hear anyone say, “I wish my butt could be less toned.” But you can’t shape your bottom unless you’re willing to get up off it—and sometimes, just finding the motivation to leave the couch and start moving can be the hardest part. We’ve made it as easy as possible to work out; using the videos at the bottom of this article, you don’t even have to leave your house. And if that’s not enough to get you to strap on your sneakers, consider the following tips and tricks:

Get Dressed “It's hard to get motivated to work out in slippers, so set the tone for a great workout by changing into your best gear,” says Stephanie Vitorino, an ExerciseTV trainer. Even if you’re beat, change into your gear. Then, make a deal with your tired self: Exercise for just 10 minutes. If you’re still tired after that, you can quit. Chances are, once you get started you won’t want to stop.

Tune In. Put on your iPod or crank up your radio while you work out. “It may just give you that extra little “push” to get you moving,” says Jennifer Galardi, an ExerciseTV trainer. She’s right—a study from Farleigh Dickinson University found that listening to music while you work out boosts your motivation and helps you complete workouts.

Set a Schedule: “Planning your workouts in advance will keep you on track during a busy week,” Vitorino says. By keeping the same workout schedule, you’re more likely to stick to it. There’s no right time to work out—find a time that works for you and try to build exercise into your day. “The benefits of exercise are cumulative. Three 10-minute sessions have the same effect of one half-hour session, so you can break your workout up,” says Jennifer Mieres, spokesperson for the American Heart Association.

Log on Set a bookmark to www.exercisetv.tv. There, you’ll find a community made up of people just like you, as along with expert advice, lots of workout videos, and support and encouragement on the message boards. A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that Web-based programs worked just as well as traditional programs to help motivate people to work out and lose weight.

Keep your eyes on the prize. “Try envisioning your result,” Galardi says. “To me, there is nothing that compares to that light, happy, feeling after a good sweat, stretch or strength session.  Assess your goal, and keep it in your head.” Keep a list of other reasons why it’s important to work out: Focusing on the benefits of exercise other than weight loss is one of the best ways to stay focused and committed to a workout routine, according to a University of Michigan study.

Ready to get started? These three videos from ExerciseTV provide a comprehensive, easy-to-do glutes workout designed to tone, tighten, and strengthen your lower body:

• Quick Butt Lift
• Ballet Butt Blaster
• Booty Workout