If your goal for 2017 is to strengthen and sculpt your muscles, lean down body fat, and just look overall toned and amazing, then follow these tips that will change how your body looks and feels.

 

Strength Train 3 Times a Week

Strength training, whether it's with weights or with bodyweight exercises, is what will tone your muscles, but in order to see results, you need to commit to 20- to 30-minute sessions at least three times a week.

 

Cardio 5 Times a Week

Do 60-minute heart-pumping cardio workouts five times a week if your goal is to lose weight.

 

Fast, Slow, and Everything in Between

Play with speed to keep your muscles guessing.  Lift slowly and lower quickly, or pause in the middle of the rep.  This works for bodyweight moves, too, like squats and push-ups.

 

Mix Up Your Interval Training

Aside from reducing belly fat, doing intervals will also build endurance and increase your speed.  But intervals aren't just for running!  Do sprinting bursts during all types of cardio, whether you're cycling, jumping rope, dancing, or swimming — it also works for all types of cardio machines.

 

Multitask

Don't just stand there doing biceps curls when you could be doing squats to tone your lower body at the same time.  Make your workout time more efficient by doing exercises that work more than one part of the body.

 

Incorporate Hills

The incline works your legs and butt more and makes you work harder so you burn more calories.  As a bonus, doing hills will also increase your endurance and speed when running or biking on flat surfaces, which will encourage longer workouts.

 

Mix Up Your Routine

Doing the same old workouts not only gets boring, but your muscles will adapt and you'll hit a plateau.  Try mixing up your routine by using different pieces of equipment, checking out new fitness classes or activities, working out in different places like in the woods or at a rock climbing gym, or even just mixing up the exercises you do or the order in which you do them.  A little change will fire up your mind and also challenge your muscles in different ways, making them stronger.

 

Grab a Kettlebell

Short on time?  The average person burns 400 calories in 20 minutes when doing kettlebell exercises.  Try these seven kettlebell moves.

 

Go 5 Extra Minutes

Push yourself to go five extra minutes — you'll burn close to 50 calories more.

 

Don't Just Lift Dumbbells

Don't just lift dumbbells.  Explore all types of equipment including resistance bands, kettlebells, stability balls, medicine balls, and barbells, as well as moves that require no equipment.

 

Do Supersets

Save time and burn more calories by doing supersets, working opposing muscle groups back-to-back, and moving quickly from one exercise to the next without resting.

 

Combine Strength Training and Cardio

Get more out of your workout time by combining strength training and cardio into one workout for serious metabolic conditioning.  Try this 30-minute workout that mixes jumping rope with bodyweight exercises.

 

Mix Up Your Cardio

Running is easy and popular, but if you only run, you're working the same muscles.  Do different types of cardio throughout the week, or you can even mix up cardio machines within a workout to target different muscles and keep your workout exciting.  This workout combines the rowing machine, elliptical, and treadmill.

 

No Equipment Is No Problem!

Bodyweight exercises are shown to burn more calories than moves that use dumbbells — think full-body exercises like push-ups vs. bench presses.

 

Go For Instability

Work harder by creating instability.  Stand on one leg, or balance on a BOSU ball or stability ball while doing strength-training moves.

 

Lift Heavy

Don't just stick to five-pound dumbbells.  Lifting heavier weights, whether it's dumbbells, medicine balls, or barbells, will tone your muscles faster without adding bulk.

 

Do Yoga

If your goal is to have long and lean, toned, and flexible muscles, commit to doing yoga at least twice a week.  Practicing in a heated room will allow your muscles to open even deeper, but if you can't get to a studio, do this yoga sequence at home.  Staying supple will also prevent injury, so you'll be able to keep up with your weekly workouts.