Firm Your Hips, Thighs, and Butt

Our 3 Favorite Pilates Videos

Winsor Pilates Ball Workout

Mari Winsor, pioneer of Pilates for the masses, uses a stability ball as an added challenge for total-body toning (you'll work hard to keep the ball under control). There are also plenty of soothing stretches between strength moves. ($19.95)

Denise Austin's Hit the Spot Pilates

Zone in on key trouble areas with video vet Austin's progressive Pilates workouts. Three ab-intensive segments build toward increasingly more challenging routines; the remaining four sequences hit the hips, thighs, and glutes. ($14.95)

The Quick & Dirty Guide to Pilates

Mix and match dozens of moves to create a Pilates workout that's customized to your fitness level and target areas. Bonus: Click on the Angle Change button to get a different visual perspective on each featured exercise. ($26.98)

Q&A: "How can I get rid of cellulite on my legs and butt?"

In a word? Exercise. "Cellulite is basically the buildup of fat tissue stored unevenly, which produces its dimply appearance," says exercise physiologist Michele S. Olson, PhD. To speed fat loss and minimize cellulite, follow a healthy diet and do at least four 45- to 60-minute aerobic workouts each week. In addition, says Olson, do strength moves like the ones here three times a week. "Resistance activities are key to maintaining a toned lower body -- you're sculpting lean muscle mass while burning excess fat."

Originally published in FITNESS magazine, December 2005.

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