Tone Your Body With This "Beginner-Friendly" Esther da Costa Routine
Esther da Costa is showing off her flat abs – and revealing details about the workout responsible for them. In a new social media post the fitness influencer and founder of Esther Marie Yoga flaunts her amazing body while unveiling her "beginner friendly total tone" workout. "This routine targets and tones the entire body especially the shoulders , glutes and core!" she write. "And it's LESS than 20 minutes." What exercises does she do and what other health habits are responsible for her fantastic figure? Here is everything you need to know.
The Workout Is Low Impact and Involves "Small But Powerful Movements"
"Low impact small but powerful movements are suitable and effective in my opinion for all levels / abilities," Esther explains in the post, adding that "movements like this that are gentle, strengthening and toning are GREAT for restarting your fitness journey after time out." She adds that the workout is great "If you're kick starting your fitness journey , getting over a cold or restarting your fitness."
Beginner Friendly Rotal Tone Workout
Here is the workout:
- Wide yogi squat: Push "weight into heels and use your core," she says.
- Side lying elevated feet clam shell: "Tone the inner and outer hip and improve mobility drill," she explains.
- Single leg bridge lift, with twist tuck: The"core glutes and pelvis stability targeted with this one exercise," she says.
- Kneeling shoulder push ups: "Honestly these transformed my shoulder strength stability and upper back muscles," she explains.
- Lying toe dips: "Showing two different versions here one with more support taken hand back on to move onto too much," she says. "You feel stable strong with the hand out to the side." Then, adding on, "this time [do the exercise] with both hands supporting the head."
Related: I Lost 25 Pounds by Doing These 3 Things
Tips for the Workout
She also offers the following tips for the workout:
- Do each one of these exercises for 30 seconds
- Take a rest whenever needed
- Move slowly and with control
- Breathe with the movement ,make the exhale heard
- Move with love for your body.
Eating Disorder Issues
Esther battled an eating disorder, which is how she started her fitness journey. "I was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa just before I turned 18 after an attempted suicide. Was I worried about my weight? No!!! I was feeling so low, incredibly lost and wanted to give up on life," she said in a post, explaining that "eating disorders are not about food, wanting to look a certain way, wanting to be a certain size, to have a six pack, to be thin."
Yoga Helps Her Relieve Stress
On her website Ester explains that she discovered yoga in 2016 "during a time in my life of work related stress and intense anxiety," she says. "I had been practicing mindfulness before 2016 and knew it helped me, but yoga I always thought wasn't for me. At the time I liked HIIT exercise and was an avid gym bunny, but after tearing my knee and achilles heel in 6 months I took advice from physic and started yoga from home. I started practicing from home and have always predominately had a home yoga practice rather than class attended. Self practice eases my monkey mind, silences my inner critic and settles and soothes me from within," she adds. Is has also strengthened her body.
Related: I Lost 100 Pounds at Home Before Even Getting Into a Gym. Here's How to Start.
She Meditates
Esther also meditates. "I'm not trying to create a whole new style of meditation. I'm trying to make meditation more accessible to as many people as I can," she explains in a post. "In my experience with meditation, I found the posture away from the wall, straight back, always seated really hard due to my chronic pain." She recommends the following posture options.
- Seated with your back against the wall with support
- Seated on a block to elevate the hips
- Seated back against the wall to support your back and a cushion under under the legs
- Reclined resting legs up the wall
💪🔥Body Booster: Low impact workouts can be just as effective at burning fat and building muscle as higher intensity workouts.
