cover star “I feel better than ever!” Parenthood’s Lauren Graham needed to bust a fitness rut. With self’s help, she got flatter abs and endless energy and confidence. Here’s how!

Challenge on! It’s 87 degrees, and I am on my 14th lap around a high school track. Whose idea was this? Oh, mine. I’d wanted a fitness chal- lenge. I’ve always been athletic, but I was in a slump. I’d been Spinning, running and hiking, but that didn’t seem to be having a big impact on my body or fitness level. I felt as if my efforts were all for nothing and maybe shoe shopping with my sister Shade would be a better use of time. What could I do if I pushed past my limits? Could I get leaner? More toned? When self invited me to be on the cover, I told the editors I wanted to try training like an athlete. Good news: They loved the idea and said they had the perfect trainer I changed my body for me. Bad news: I had only five weeks and how I work out in until the cover shoot, during which I’d be five weeks. But the traveling a lot. I panicked. feeling of achievement Help arrives. I’ve learned a lot is what matters most. from trainers over the years, but mainly that you need discipline to stay in the gym and out of the many fine cupcake

Find your Her weight loss weapon sizzle zone If you don’t have a It’s all about the heart-rate monitor! Graham wanted big results heart-rate monitor in a short time, so she worked out 90 minutes a day, five to seven yet, no problem. days a week. But the key to her success was that she was tracking Figure out her heart rate—and that’s a trick anyone can use. This 30-minute your maximum heart rate by interval workout, subtracting your designed by Michelle ACTIVITY MINUTES THR age from 220. Lovitt, will help you Multiply that Warm-up 4 50% number by 0.6 plow through a plateau and by 0.85 to and drop pounds. Sprint* 1 60% find your low and Fat, like fire, needs to Recover 1 50% high fat-burning have oxygen to burn. thresholds. “When you work out Do the sprint-recover sequence six times, increasing your heart at 60 to 85 percent of rate by 5 percent each sprint. (Last your maximum heart one should be at 85%.) Repeat rate, you can keep your the 12 minutes, starting again Michelle taught at 60% and working up to 85%. oxygen levels steady, so me that heart-rate *Choose any heart-pumping activity you enjoy! monitors on gym your body will burn only equipment are set for fat as fuel,” Lovitt says. Cooldown 2 50% standard weights and Try this target heart 3 get-sexy ages, so you need your moves own,” says Graham, above rate (THR) workout, and TOTAL: 30 minutes

with Lovitt at self’s shoot. watch the fat fall off. COUNTERCLOCKWISE FROMMANICURE, TOP: BRIAN JENNA BOWEN HIPP SMITH FOR TRACEYMATTINGLY.COM; (2); CREATIVE DIRECTOR, HAIR AND CYNTHIA MAKEUP SEARIGHT;FOR LOVITT: FASHION AMY FREEMAN DIRECTOR, FOR EVYAN REDKEN. METZNER; LARSEN HAIR, & TALBERT; GIO CAMPORAHAIR AND FOR MAKEUP, THE WALLSUNNIE GROUP; BROOK MAKEUP, FOR MONIKAREDKEN. BLUNDER STILL LIFE: FOR THE COURTESY WALL GROUP; OF GARMIN. SEE GET-IT GUIDE.

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emporiums on every corner. think she means to tell So I wasn’t expecting any- yourself you’re worth it. thing revolutionary. I was in Try it. You’ll feel dumb, for a surprise. Michelle but you won’t be sorry. Lovitt is inspiringly fit and WEEKS 3 AND 4 I travel to educated in how the body Graham talks Minnesota, then D.C., to almost as fast responds to exercise. A few as her Gilmore see family. It’s so humid Girls alter sessions with her and I ego, Lorelai. that running is a water started using words like gly- sport. I now go longer cogen. (Don’t get me started and burn more calories. on fast-twitch muscles. I’m But I feel puffy. I call saving that for Letterman!) Michelle. “You’re in Michelle taught me to insane heat. Drink more use a heart-rate monitor to water,” she says. “I only be sure I’m exercising in my like water when it tastes fat-burning range. My goal is With boyfriend like a margarita,” I whine. to burn 3,500 calories a (in real life) and Apparently, dehydration Parenthood brother week, which equals 1 pound Peter Krause can sometimes lead to of body fat. She claims I’ll bloating, so drinking notice a difference in five weeks. helps. I try flavored waters. WEEK 1 Sessions with Michelle aren’t neces- WEEK 5 Back in L.A. with Michelle, who sarily harder than my old workouts, but at says, “You’re melting like an ice cube” when 90 minutes, they’re twice as long. With one she sees me. So gratifying! I was stronger eye on the monitor so I stay between 125 and had seen, during my vacation, that I and 155 beats per minute, I’m running could stick to my new regimen on my own. intervals or walking on an incline on the SUCCESS! Would you believe that my sense treadmill (from 4 to 7 miles), or hiking of accomplishment was as nice as the com- (6 miles). My muscles are sore. My feet hurt. pliments I got at my self shoot? It’s true. And my stomach seems to be flattening! I was leaner, which made posing in only a WEEK 2 I’m in New York City to visit my men’s shirt seem like a grand idea. Hope- sister. Unfortunately, my dear friends fully, there are loved ones whose opinions Bagel and Cream Cheese live here, too. So you treasure, but in the end, there is no I train with a friend of Michelle’s, Kacy substitute for something you did for your- Duke, who tells me to get in touch with my self that makes you proud. I think that’s Inner Diva Warrior. What? Isn’t a diva a what getting in touch with your Inner Diva singer who throws things at assistants? I Warrior really means. —Lauren Graham

Combine these toners with your cardio Lovitt created the exercises she demos below. Grab a bow tie band and try them!

1 Tree sit 3 Butterfly works legs works arms, back Stand with back flat Stand with feet slightly wider against a wall (or tree) and than shoulder-width apart; lower until knees are bent hold band behind lower back at a right angle. Extend arms with both hands, elbows bent straight overhead and left and by ribs. Keeping palms leg forward so it’s parallel to facing forward and hands at ground (as shown). Hold waist height, extend arms for 15 seconds; switch legs. (as shown). Return to start. Do 3 sets. Do 3 sets of 12 reps. FROM TOP: © WARNER BROTHERS/THE EVERETT COLLECTION. JIM SMEAL/BEIMAGES. LARSEN & TALBERT (3).

2 Roll-up works abs Sit with legs extended, feet flexed, back straight; wrap band around soles of feet, holding each end next to knees. Keeping arms and legs straight, slowly lower torso, one vertebra at a time (as shown), to ground. When top of shoulder blades touch ground, slowly roll up. Do 3 sets of 12 reps.

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