1. Power Up Your WalksOld thinking:New approach: Stretch first Get moving A review of 23 studies found that stretching before an activity damages muscle tissue, which reduces muscle strength and hinders performance. Start each workout by moving your limbs through a full range of motion, says certified personal trainer and walking coach Judy Heller of Portland, OR. “You want to get the fluid in your joints flowing, so your ankles, hips, knees, and shoulders are well lubricated and move with ease,” she says. Improve results: Do each of the following moves 6 to 10 times before you start walking. And stretch only after your workout. Studies show this can help keep you limber and prevent chronic injuries such as tendinitis. (Find out what your joint pain is trying to tell you.) Heel raise Lift heels off ground, rising up on toes, then rock back slightly onto heels so toes come off ground. Four-way leg lifts Shift weight to left leg and gently swing right leg out to side as far as it will go and then back across your body. Repeat with left leg. With weight on left leg again, raise right knee toward chest, then swing and extend it to back. Repeat with opposite leg. Hula-hoop swivel Rotate hips like you’re hula-hooping. Reverse direction. Shoulder swing Keeping shoulders relaxed, bend elbows and gently swing arms forward and back, stretching through chest and fronts of shoulders. MORE: 10 Mistakes You’re Making After Your Workouts
  2. Burn More FatOld thinking:New approach: Walk long and steady Do speed bursts Short pops of energy help your body burn fat both while you work out and long afterward—and in less workout time. In a recent study, exercisers who performed just 2 to 3 minutes of high-intensity, 30-second sprints on exercise bikes (with 4 minutes of easy pedaling in between) three times a week boosted their ability to use oxygen—a key factor in fat burning—by about 30%, says study author Martin Gibala, PhD, an associate professor of kinesiology at McMaster University in Ontario. What’s more, your metabolism stays revved longer after a vigorous workout than after an easy one: Researchers from Canada’s Laval University found that although participants who did short bursts burned only half as many calories during their workouts as peers who exercised longer, they had burned nine times as much fat after 15 weeks. Improve results: If you normally walk for 45 minutes, cut it down to 30. After a short warm-up, speedwalk at your fastest pace for 1 minute. Recover for 1 minute, walking at a moderate pace. Repeat about 15 times. Cool down. (Check out these 3 quick calorie-burning interval workouts.)
  3. Erase Arm, Hip, and Thigh FatOld thinking:New approach: Lift for 12 to 15 reps Pump out only 3 to 5 Performing just a few reps with heavy weights activates hard-to-tone “fast-twitch” muscle fibers that atrophy (hence the jiggly flesh) as you age. Problem is, many women use 3- to 5-pound dumbbells when they really should be using 10-pound or even heavier weights, says researcher William Kraemer, PhD, a physiology professor at the University of Connecticut. If you amp up your weight-training, you can fire those fibers and regain your strength and shape. Improve results: Once a week (but no more—your muscles need recovery time), trade in your 3- and 5-pound dumbbells for 10-, 15-, even 20-pounders or heavier. Think it’s too hard? Remember, you routinely pick up 10-pound grocery bags and maybe even 50-pound kids. Shoot for three sets, 3 to 5 reps per set. If you can’t maintain good form, the weight is too heavy; pick a slightly lighter one. MORE: Your Super-Effective Alternative To Push-Ups
  4. Tighten Your AbsOld thinking: Hit the matNew approach: Stand up Your abs are made of endurance-based muscle fibers, which is a fancy way of saying that it takes dozens of crunches to fatigue (and tone) them. However, many women who do crunches on the floor find that their necks start to ache before their abs begin to burn, so they stop—and never get the firm midsections they want. The secret to firmer, flatter abs: Add rotation—twisting your abs and obliques (side muscles)—to other strength moves such as squats or lunges. These muscles are designed to hold you upright and stabilize your torso, and anytime you twist or turn, they jump into action, says Andrew Fry, PhD, a professor of exercise and sport sciences at the University of Memphis. Activate them throughout your workout and they’ll be quicker to fatigue once you hit the floor. Improve results: When you do lunges, add a twist, rotating from your middle toward the knee that’s out in front. Also, when you stand up from a squat, raise one knee toward the opposite shoulder as high as you can and rotate your torso toward that knee. Then, come crunch time, you can cut your repetitions in half. MORE: 8 Worst Exercise Injuries You Need To Watch Out For 
  5. Do Anything BetterOld thinking: Dive right inNew approach: Think first Scientists from the Cleveland Clinic Foundation found that when men and women simply imagined exercising their little fingers and biceps for 15 minutes a day, five times a week for 12 weeks, their strength increased by up to 35%—without actually moving a muscle. This is a testament to the power of the mind-muscle connection, says Sean McCann, PhD, sports psychologist with the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. “When you visualize an action, your brain develops a model of it that allows you to recruit the muscles you need and perform more effectively and efficiently when you actually do it,” he says. Improve results: Take a few seconds to picture yourself performing a perfect set of squats, executing a smashing tennis serve, or even just briskly walking down your favorite path. Then get out there and do it. MORE: 25 Easy Ways To Fit In 10 Minutes Of Exercise
  6. Avoid Drop-Out-itisOld thinking: Take time offNew approach: Skip the rest days Exercise—even a light workout—actually reduces next-day soreness and speeds your body’s recovery. The reason? It increases blood flow, which delivers healing nutrients to your muscles and flushes out metabolic waste. Plus, “when you move your body every day, whether it’s taking a walk, lifting weights, or simply stretching, exercise becomes part of your daily landscape, which means you’re working out more consistently,” says Steve Glass, PhD, a professor of exercise physiology at Grand Valley State University. “And that almost guarantees faster results.” (Read: You’ll burn more calories.) Improve results: Do some activity every single day, even if it’s only for 10 or 15 minutes. This doesn’t have to mean more exercise. Simply borrow time from your other workouts and spread it out over the week.