FALL WARM UP.

Trade your booty shorts for running tights, hot stuff. It's time to get prepped for chilly-weather workouts.
Summer's almost over, but don't say buh-bye to your smokin' beach bod. 

After months of sweating it out in the heat and deciding that dips in the pool do, in fact, qualify as "workouts," it's getting to be the time when a bitch's booty gets reacquainted with gym mirrors.

Don't worry—they didn't miss you either, cupcake.

But not so fast, fitness experts say: Before trading fresh outdoor breezes for logging miles on the treadmill, it's highly important to be sure the body is prepared to make that transition.

"A smart athlete wouldn’t jump into the game without warming up, right?" said Jorge Cruise, author of "8 Mins in the Morning" and "The Belly Fat Cure." "The body is an amazingly adaptable machine, but it only adapts to the specific circumstances you trained it for."

So as we head into fall, here are three moves—no matter your environment—that will provide a total body tune-up fit for firing up your cool-weather mojo.

Warm-up (from Kacy Duke, co-founder of Equinox and creator of new workout DVD, "I Can, I Am, I Do Body Breakthrough"):

The move: Show some love. Targets abs, back, chest, hips and glutes.


Stand in the power position, with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and slightly turned out. Hold your arms out to the sides, palms facing forward.

Contract your pelvis and abdominals, pushing through your hips and bending your knees slightly, bringing your pelvis towards your ribs. At the same time, pull your arms together in front of your body with your palms facing up, and drop your head forward. Really squeeze your abs, glutes and chest at the end of the move, and hold for one second.

Open back up past the starting position, pushing your butt back, opening your arms wide and slightly arching your back. Repeat the entire motion for the full set.

"[This move] warms up your entire core, loosens up your spine and relieves tightness in your hips and pelvis," Duke said. "You’ll feel an awakening in your creative center and the rising power in your glutes and thighs."

Anywhere Move (from Michelle Van Otten, Executive Weight Loss Coach and Healthy Lifestyle Expert)

The move: Single leg lunges with the back leg elevated on a rock, hillside slope, step or bench. Targets glutes and quads while actively stretching hip flexors.


Stand with your body facing away from elevated surface or object. Take one step forward with right leg. Extend and reach left foot and leg back and position toes down on top of elevated surface. Legs are scissored open into lunge stance, body upright and straight. Sink left knee down toward the ground. Keep right bent knee positioned over the ankle and sink up and down leading with back knee. Perform 15-25 on each leg before switching.

At the Gym (from Angela Corcoran, MS, Founder of Corcoranfitness)

The move: Trunk rotation. Targets internal and external obliques, while working on pelvic stabilization.


Standing at the cable machine, bend your knees and tuck your pelvis, so that your pelvis and hips remain square and stationary. Set the cable to shoulder height. Grab the cable with both arms, and keeping your arms straight and not moving, use your stomach muscles to move your upper body from one side to the next. Hold enough weight so that after 30-40 repetitions you can no longer move the cable. Complete 3-4 sets.

One notion all experts share? Preparation and patience are key to making the weather switch a smooth one.

"Expect that initially you might be a little more sore than normal," Van Otten said. "This is a good indicator that your body is using and engaging different muscles. That means a stronger, more fit body is in the making."

Now that's what we like to hear, right?

Does your fitness routine change with the weather? We want to hear! Leave a note in the comments section below.


Caroline Shannon-Karasik, Contributing Writer
Caroline Shannon-Karasik is the founder of The G-Spot Revolution , a gluten-free, healthy living blog built upon the premise that there is not a one-size-fits-all prescription for total wellness. Whether you call it your personal health "spot", or ooo-la-la recipe, that serendipitous life balance is yours to define –– and The G-Spot was created to help you do just that. Standing behind her mission to share health information through her writing, Caroline is a freelance writer for several publications, including REDBOOK and Breathe magazines. Follow her on Twitter @TheGSpotRev or read more at www.carolineshannon.com.