Britney Spears

As Brit always says, we gotta love ourselves for who we are n that includes loving how we look like. Getting obsessed with our bodys n always wanting less here, more there is no good, but taking care of our body n our health is loving us. So take care of your health n your body - yourself - EXERCISING!

"I think that you should be proud of the body that God has given you. Take care of it by eating right and exercising, but be proud of it and of who you are, " Britney.

Did you know that being in your healthy weight helps you avoid cardiovascular illnesses? [It does.] N a recent study says exercising n keeping a healthy lifestyle even help your memory! N did you know that even simply trying to lose weight may mean a longer life? A recent study revealed that overweight people who attempted to lose weight tended to live longer compared to overweight people who did not attempt weight loss. What's more, the effect was observed even if the dieters were not successful in dropping any pounds. But even if you don't need to loose weight, excersing will always help you look n feel better.

Maybe your thing is running or playing some sport, but if you wanna do some excersing like Brit - don't forget to dance for hours!! - n do like she does in the MTV Diary. A warm up, abdominals, strenght circuits, n then do abdominals n cardio again. Remeber that a proper warm-up might help you burn more calories by ensuring that you don't conk out too soon. In a study, exercise that was preceded by a warm-up period produced less lactic acid buildup in muscle and blood. Lactic acid is what causes that burning sensation in your muscles that makes you want to call it quits. So also when you finish, make sure you strech legs and arms for at around 10 minutes so it doesn't hurt the next day!

According to Marie-Anne Foubister Britney's routine is the following, n seeing how it works it's a great thing to copy. But make sure you don't do the same routine day after day. If your body gets used to a certain need [calories, etc] then it won't help your weight or even strengh your body. Still, it does work as maintenance. So weather you use this routine or not make sure you alternate exercises and add or change things form time to time. The best is to start with less [crunches, leg raises, etc] n go adding more every week or so. Same with the weights. The key is to make sure you don't drop the routine. Set one that you know you can follow, and make it 'deeper' when you feel comfortable. A half hour 3 times a week is great. In fact, even when you're in your best exercising moment don't exercise 7 days a weeks. It's important that your muscles can rest.

Onto rest, sleep 8 hours a day. At least not less than 6 - n not more than 10 -. ;) Excersing helps imporove the quality of your rest. However, since it gets your adrenaline levels n temeture up, it will give u a hard time to fall asleep (what you need is exactly the opposite). The best is to exersice before 5pm, but if you can only do it at night make sure you finish 3 hours before getting to bed. To Britney the best time is the morning cos she says it gives her energy to go thru the entire day. N with all the traveling n dancing she does it must be a looot of energy!

"I do yoga, every day when I have a downtime, a lot of stretches and sit-ups. I feel better about myself physically and have more energy," she said to In Style.

So when you get inspired, be sure to get your fair share of vitamins E and C. Research suggests that these two antioxidant vitamins may help speed your muscles' recovery from strenuous exercise. Choose a daily supplement that contains 1,200 milligrams of vitamin C and 400 IU of vitamin E; or at least drink orange juice and add kiwis, strawberries, bell peppers and tomatoes to your diet for vitamin C. We can't get the E from the food, tho. So try getting the vitamins there, it will always be great for u cos it's very important for loads of stuff.

Just one more thing, remember our previous Do Like Brit: drink 2 lts of water a day. When you exersice take some water with you, you'll need it! Just make sure it's not super cold cos that would hurt your body.


BRITNEY'S WORK OUT ROUTINE

90 minutes, four times a week:

°Warm up: 10 minutes on a cardiovascular machine, such as a treadmill or a stationary bike. But only at a medium pace, so as to not tire out too early in the workout.

°Abdominals:50 crunches, 50 bicycle twists & 50 leg raises. Repeat this rountine 3 more time in between weights, making it 600 crunches in all.

°Strength Circuit: Using weights work on the arms, chest, back & lower body. Bicep curls, tricep kickbacks, fly exercises and presses.

°Back to Cardio and Abs: 30 minutes jogging on the treadmill or exercise on an elliptical cross-training machine. Then repeat the same abdominal workout up to three more times in sets of 150 of each exercise.

°Stretch: Lots of stretches after each workout and at least one yoga class a week.

WHAA?? No worries! Here's how to do them:

CRUNCHES
Don't come all the way up like old-fashioned sit-ups, aim to lift your upper body at least 8ins off the ground.

Lie on the floor, making sure your back and the bottom of your feet are flat on the ground so your legs are in an upside down V shape. Put your hands by your head with your elbows out. Now lift your shoulders about 10 inches off the floor using your stomach muscles. Squeeze the abdominal muscles when you do this, pausing at the top for a second. Don't just flop back down though, use your stomach muscles to slowly lower your body. Breathing is important too - breath out as you lift your body, and breath in as you lower.

SIDE CRUNCHES
Stay in the same position as for the crunch, but this time put your knees together then lower them to the left and rest them on the floor. Your body will be slightly twisted. Now draw your tummy up as you did before, and then gently lower. This will work just one side of you stomach, so repeat with your legs on the right side after completing your set.

BICYCLE TWISTS
Still in the crunch position, put your hands behind your head & pull your left leg in to meet your right elbow. Crunch up & down with a twist in your body, swapping from left-knee meeting right-elbow to right-knee meeting left-elbow.

Lie on your back with your legs straight, hands under your head and elbows out by your side. Now lift your legs about 10 inches off the floor. Bring your right knee towards your chest and push your left foot straight out, as you do this draw your tummy up and bring your left elbow over your tummy to touch your right knee. Now reverse the movement to do the other side, moving your legs as if you were riding an imaginary bicycle on your back.

LEG RAISES
Lie on your back with your legs straight up in the air so your feet are pointed to the ceiling. Cross your feet over each other & thrust them towards the ceiling so that your hips come up off the ground by about 4in. Keeping your body at a 90-degree angle to your legs will work the lower abs really hard.

Lie on your back, stick your legs in the air with the soles of your feet pointing up at the ceiling. Now put your arms by your side and your palms flat on the floor, raising your heels towards the ceiling you should do this by pulling with your stomach muscles, not with your back or legs. As you lift breathe out.

ARMS

BICEP CURL
Using 10lb weights, hold one weight in each hand at hip-height with palms facing forward. Keep your elbows tight to your body so the only thing that moves is your forearms. Curl the weight up to your chest (both arms together) then lower in a controlled movement. Repeat 20 times.

TRICEP KICKBACKS
Stand new to a weight bench put closest leg onto the bench in a kneeling position with other leg straight, standing on the floor, holding the weight in the outside hand use your other hand to support you on the bench by bending at the waist. Hold the weight out in front of you and parallel to the floor arm straight. By flexing the lower arm kick the weight back out & behind you son your hand is almost pointing to the roof and back down again, remember to bend at the elbow. Repeat 20 times on each side. After you have done 20 go back to the bicep curls.

CHEST & BACK

FLY EXERCISE
Lie on a bench holding the weight above you with your arms slightly bent, then drop your arms down to the side of you so the weights fall down to chest level. Push them back up to the starting position and repeat.

CHEST PRESS
Lie on a bench holding the weights just above your chest, your arms bent. Stretch your arms out in-front of you to their full extension, slower lower to starting position and repeat.

SEATED ROW & LAT PULL-DOWN'S USING GYM MACHINES

SHOULDERS

FREE WEIGHT SHOULDER PRESS
Hold barbells straight above your head with arms stretched out fully, bend your arms until the weights sit just above your shoulders and push up again.

LOWER BODY: Britney doesn't do leg weights work, the 30 minute cardio workout in the middle of her session keeps her legs, hips and bottom perfectly toned. Only balance board work.

BACK TO CARDIO & ABS

The second cardio workout is longer, a 30 minute stint. Either on the treadmill jogging or using an elliptical cross-training machine which works legs and bottom almost like running on the spot crossed with stepping. Then repeat the same abdominal workout up to three more times in sets of 150.
Brit: "She's fond of her mom's food but it tends to be carb heavy and calorific. I've told her to cut out barbeque sauces and gravies, and eat more protein - especially on tour. She also needs complex carbs such as brown rice, veggies and wholegrain breads."