If you are looking for a new workout that delivers results trade out the 45-minute treadmill routine for some high intensity training that takes half the time.

High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, can be defined as a 10- to 20-minute workout that alternates short, intense bursts of activity with moderate-exertion recovery periods. It is one of the best ways to stimulate your hormones for a fat burning benefit that lasts for hours after the workout is completed. High-intensity training also strengthens your heart and helps you to build and sculpt muscles, while improving your overall women’s fitness.

Here’s what you can expect when beginning any high-intensity interval training class. A HIIT workout consists of a warm-up period of exercise, followed by six to ten repetitions of high intensity exercise, separated by medium intensity exercise, and ending with a period of cool down exercise. The high intensity exercise should be done at near maximum intensity. The medium exercise should be about 50% intensity. The number of repetitions and length of each depends on the exercise. The goal is to perform at least six exercises, and the entire HIIT workout should last about fifteen minutes but not more than twenty.

Workouts aren’t meant to be comfortable. Research shows that brief and intense workouts trump slow and steady. An exercise that is actually producing results should challenge your body to be better, stronger, leaner, and longer. If you are wondering if your workout is intense enough, you need only to look to your body for clues. Good indicators are sweating, increased heart rate, and lactic acid production during exercise. Lactic acid produces that burning feeling in your muscles. You really do need to feel the burn. Moderate muscle soreness for up to a few days post-workout is also a good sign, but not the kind of pain that results from an overstressed muscle.

For overall muscle health, stretch your muscles to strengthen them and improve flexibility. This will help to minimize injuries. Many times when women start a new exercise program they become overzealous and exercise so intensely that they end up hurting themselves. Injuries can then disrupt your otherwise healthy women’s fitness program, not to mention causing intense pain.

Now is the time to take your workout to the next level. Whether you choose to increase weights, prolong the amount of time you workout, or go for the gold and actually get it done this year, consider high intensity interval training as a way to take your body from great to fabulous. You just might lose some weight and will certainly boost your confidence.

Want a rear view that gets rave reviews? Tone up your tush with these exercises guaranteed to give you glamorous glutes in just 30 minutes a day.

Each of these exercises is designed to firm your fanny by working the quadriceps, gluteals and hamstring muscles throughout the butt and leg area of your backside. Strengthening these muscles will alleviate stress and strengthen your back and abdominal muscles, too.

The Squat
Muscle Groups Worked: Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings
Beginning with your feet shoulder width apart, place your hands on your hips, lift your chest and draw your shoulders down the back, pull your navel inward to engage your core muscles. Inhale as you lower hips down, exhale as you stand back up. Push your heels into the floor as you straighten. You can take this exercise to the next level by holding dumbbells for increased resistance.

The Lunge
Muscle Groups Worked: Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings
Standing with your feet together, place your hands on your hips, lift your chest and draw your shoulders down the back, pull your navel inward to engage core muscles. Inhale, step with your right foot forward and lower your left knee towards the ground, as you exhale step back with your right foot to a standing position. Hold your shoulders squarely on top of your pelvic area. Repeat on the left side with the right knee lowering to the ground and then stepping back with the left foot.

Donkey Kicks
Muscle Groups Worked: Gluteals
Get down on your hands and knees–your knees directly below your hips and your hands directly below your shoulders, navel drawn inward towards your spine and your shoulders reaching down your back. Inhale, and lift your right heel towards the ceiling with your knee remaining bent. Exhale and lower your knee back to the mat. Repeat on the left side.

Shoulder Bridge
Muscle Groups Worked: Gluteals
Lying supine on a mat, bend your knees and place your feet hips width apart, arms extended by your sides, palms facing downward, elbows extended with your shoulder blades reaching down the back. Draw your navel inward towards your spine and press your lower back down towards the mat keeping your chin level. Inhale, lift your hips away from the mat by rolling up one vertebrae at a time, exhale return your hips to the mat again rolling one vertebrae at a time.

Side Lying Leg Lifts
Muscle Groups Worked: Hip Adductors and Hip Abductors
Lying on your right side with your forearm on the mat, shoulders drawn away from your ears with your elbow directly below your shoulder, inhale and lift your right leg up with ankle flexed. Exhale and lower your leg back to the mat with your ankle extended. Repeat eight times then switch to the left side.

Dancing your way to a svelte and thinner you might be just the women’s fitness program you need. Dancing burns calories, promotes flexibility and improves coordination. It is a social activity so it also promotes positive feelings both mentally and spiritually.

There is something magical about dancing and it has transformed many lives. Much like an exercise program, it can change your body, mind and soul. An awakening of the spirit, dancing is a great way to express the inner you. Dancing can help you lose weight and get in shape, too.

As a personal trainer who specializes in women’s fitness, I encourage ladies to dance as a form of aerobic exercise. Just 30 minutes of exercise each day will help any woman lose weight and stay in shape. Dancing your way to health is just another way to ensure you get the most from your workout routine.

There are many dances that help you get in shape but no matter which dances you choose to learn, remember to engage your core with every move that you make. This means to keep your spine straight, your navel drawn in towards your spine, and your shoulders held down your back. Much like holding your stomach in, but you must stay mentally aware of your posture at all times. Keeping your core engaged helps to protect your back from injury. A Pilates’ principle developed with dancers in mind that helps to tone and strengthen your torso and give it that lovely, long lean look reminiscent of a dancer’s body.

There are many dances that will work as part of your aerobic program. You can choose Zumba, Salsa, Line Dancing, Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Pole Dancing, Belly Dancing, or Creative Dancing. Keep in mind that whichever one you choose, it should elevate your heartbeat and keep it accelerated for at least 30 minutes. Cardio exercises need to elevate your heart rate for at least 20 minutes in order to have any beneficial effect.

Fitness4Her is a diet, exercise program and online journal developed exclusively for women. My easy-to-follow exercise program includes cardio exercises like dancing, walking, jogging, cycling and playing sports. Combined with strength training exercises designed for a woman’s body, adding dancing to your workout is a great way to fuel your fitness fever.

A nicely shaped butt looks great in jeans and tight skirts, and it is the lasting impression you leave behind as you walk away. Women’s butts come in a variety of sizes and shapes, some are meatier than others, some look perky, while others appear tired and flat. The good news is that exercise can help you sculpt a beautiful butt.

Exercises that work your gluteus muscles like squats are excellent for working helping to tone and shape your butt. Squats also strengthen your legs and hips for an excellent lower body workout. Add weights for an enhanced effect, but master the basic exercise first. Remember that form is as equally important when exercising as the amount of weight you lift or the speed at which you complete the exercise.

Lunges are also great for sculpting the butt. Lunges work the muscles in the back of the legs, reducing fat and toning the muscles to give a nice smooth silhouette to your legs and butt. These exercises are easy to do in the comfort of your own home. You only need a small area to work out, but be sure to use a mat for the most comfort and safety when doing resistance exercises such as these.

No matter which part of your body that you are working on, be sure to keep your core engaged throughout the workout. Engaging the core muscles will help to strengthen you back and flatten your tummy for that long, lean look of a dancer’s body. The core muscles are those that are along the front and back side of your body from your pelvic area to just under your breast area. To engage the core, pull your navel in towards your spine as if a magnet is sucking it inward. Hold those muscles and practice engaging your core while you exercise and then during all other activities, as well.

For more exercises to enhance your butt, see my lower body workout exercises, designed to help you build a beautiful butt and keep you in shape for the rest of your life.

Fitness4Her combines resistance training and cardio workouts for a total women’s fitness program that is designed to enhance the female figure. Resistance training will help your body to work for you instead of against you. Sometimes referred to as strength training, these exercises target individual muscle groups with specific exercises.

Resistance exercises can be done in a gym but they can just as easily be done in your own home. Always use a mat to give yourself some cushion from the floor or carpet. You must exercise at least 30 minutes every other day in order to see any results. Remember, in order to build and tone muscles to achieve muscular definition, you need to work your muscle to the point of muscle fatigue.

Many women fear resistance training especially with weights. They are afraid they will develop manly looking muscles. This is not true. The exercises that I will introduce to you are designed to accentuate your curves and tighten your core for the long lean look of a dancer’s body.

Fitness4Her’s 30 Minutes To A New You exercises are designed to build, strengthen and stretch your muscles through a series of repetitions (reps) over a specific number of times, called ‘sets’. The number of reps and sets you should do depends on how healthy your muscles are.

Weight lifting can help to achieve muscle definition quickly but you need to go slow, especially if you haven’t lifted weights in a while, or never done any weight lifting at all. After a faithful and dedicated program of resistance training, your muscles will become stronger and more flexible. Soon, you’ll begin to notice the beautiful curves created by your well-toned muscles!

Get this … building muscle has some hidden benefits. Each pound of muscle can burn 50 calories a day! The more muscular your body becomes the easier it is to burn calories. You’ll even burn calories when you sleep. It’s a proven fact that muscle burns fat even at rest.