There are two ways to do that. The first, and by far the easiest, is to eat more protein than you currently do. Protein, all by itself, is anabolic. It wants to be stored in your muscles. The second is to work out in a way that disrupts your muscles and forces them to respond by getting bigger and stronger.

The combination of a diet rich in high-quality protein and a great strength-training program is the oldest, best, and only non-pharmaceutical way to reach that goal. This article will show you how much protein you need to eat, and when.

Part 1: How Much
A 2007 study in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that muscle size increases 0.2 percent per day during the first 20 days of a strength-training program. That growth is over and above the high rate of muscle-protein breakdown that’s occurring simultaneously.

This explains why the guy who’s just starting out, or returning from a layoff, needs more protein than the weight-room warrior who’s been training for years without a break, and who is at or near his genetic ceiling for strength and size. But it’s the beginner who’s least likely to worry about his diet, and most at risk of not getting as much protein as he needs.

How much is that? A good target is .73 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day. For a guy who weighs 180 pounds, a day’s worth would be about 130 grams.

Part 2: How Often
Protein synthesis is the process that takes the protein from food and turns it into muscle tissue. As Men’s Health nutrition advisor Mike Roussell, Ph.D., explains, protein synthesis is like a lamp. It’s either on or off. With 20 to 25 grams of high-quality protein, it’s on. More protein won’t improve the response, just as applying more force to a light switch can’t make the room brighter.

Here’s why it matters:

Most of us tend to backload our daily protein intake. We’ll have a low-protein, high-carb breakfast (a bowl of cereal with milk), a moderate-protein lunch (a turkey sandwich), and a high-protein dinner, featuring a large piece of meat or fish. But a 2014 study in the Journal of Nutrition showed that you turn more of the protein from your meals into muscle tissue when you distribute protein evenly at each meal.

In the study, protein synthesis was 25 percent higher in subjects who ate 30 grams of protein in each of three daily meals, compared to those who ate the same total amount but had most of it at dinner.

A recent study in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that subjects who got at least 20 grams of protein six times a day lost body fat and increased lean mass, with or without training. They were given a protein supplement within an hour of waking up, no more than two hours before going to bed, and every three hours in between.

Six meals may be excessive. But you probably want at least three protein-rich meals a day, especially in the early stages of a new training program. Protein synthesis will peak about 16 hours post-workout, and will remain elevated for up to 48 hours. Protein breakdown will also be higher for 24 hours.

What this means for you is that every meal counts. If you’re working out three or four times a week, your body will in effect be in the process of building new muscle every hour of every day, and also breaking down muscle at a higher rate at least half the time.

and Post-Workout

For consistent, long-term lifters, protein synthesis will peak much earlier—about four hours post-workout—and return to baseline levels faster. So the protein you eat immediately before and after your workout becomes more important.

In a 2012 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the researchers compiled data from multiple studies looking at protein and strength training. They found that those who used protein supplements gained 2 extra pounds of muscle over 12 weeks, compared to those who didn’t. For experienced lifters, they concluded that pre- and/or post-workout protein supplements are required to achieve maximum results.

The “window of opportunity,” when your muscles are most receptive to protein, appears to be about four to six hours, according to a 2013 study in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. Ideally, you want a protein-rich meal two to three hours before training, and another within an hour or two after you finish. 

Those who work out in the morning before breakfast have a narrower window. Protein synthesis slows down by about 15 to 30 percent while you’re sleeping, according to Dietary Protein and Resistance Exercise, a textbook published in 2012. So if you work out before eating, you want a post-workout meal as soon as possible.

Part 4: Best Protein Sources
Different types of food contain different combinations of amino acids—the building blocks of protein. Leucine is by far the most important of the 20 amino acids for creating muscle. It takes an estimated 2 to 3 grams of leucine to get the maximum anabolic effect from a meal.

Just about any normal-size serving of meat or poultry will contain at least 2 grams of leucine. (A serving size is roughly the size of your palm.) Three eggs, two glasses of milk, a piece of fish, or a cup of yogurt will give you about 1.5 grams. A cup of cottage cheese or scoop of whey protein (25 grams) will give you close to 3 grams. 

Among plant foods, soy has the most leucine. A cup of soybeans has 2.3 grams. Beans and lentils are the next-best sources, with 1.2 to 1.4 grams per cup. A quarter-cup serving of nuts or flaxseeds will have about 0.5 grams.

and Fat

If you were reading this article 10 years ago, it would tell you to eat carbs but avoid fat in your pre- and post-workout meals. The idea is that carbs before training will provide an easily accessible source of energy, while carbs afterwards will not only help replenish that energy, but also help generate insulin, a hormone that pushes nutrients into storage—in this case, escorting protein to your muscle cells. Fat, on the other hand, would be slower to digest, and blunt the responses of key hormones.

This was all based on the assumption that your body is a remedial student who needs you to keep things as simple as possible. Your body thinks it’s cute that you’re so concerned. Here’s what we now know:

When you’re eating and training with the goal of looking better than you do now, total calories matter more than the specific composition of those calories, or the specific way you eat them. You can be lean and muscular with a low-carb or low-fat diet, and with different combinations of meals and snacks.

Putting It All Together

1. Guys who train for strength and size will get the best results with .73 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day. That’s about 130 grams for a 180-pound lifter, and about 146 grams for a 200-pounder. This daily total will probably be the most significant factor in your quest to add muscle.

2. Protein synthesis is higher when you spread that protein among three or more meals, rather than having most of it in a single meal. Shoot for at least 20 grams of high-quality protein in each meal to active protein synthesis.

3.Strength workouts elevate protein synthesis for up to 48 hours in new lifters, or those returning after a layoff, and about 24 hours in those with more experience.

4. Since protein synthesis slows down during sleep, it’s a good idea to eat something soon after waking up.

5. The “window of opportunity” surrounding a workout is about four to six hours. If you have a protein-rich meal a couple of hours before a workout and another soon after, you’ll take full advantage.

6.Including carbs in your post-workout meal could improve your results.

Ever had someone tell you sex doesn’t solve anything? While it might not exactly be a cure-all, anyone who's ever said that has clearly never experienced the effects of a mind-blowing orgasm on a stress headache that’s the size of a filing cabinet. Here are 13 other times when getting it on really is the way to turn your worries off.

1. When You Can’t Fall Asleep
Who needs herbal tea when you have this holistic remedy for insomnia?

2. When You're Trying to Move Past a Fight
He said he was sorry. You forgave him, and you meant it, but a part of you still kind of wants to smack him. Spank him instead, and within minutes, you’ll both be back to your disgustingly cuddly selves.

3. When Work Is Stressing You Out Like Crazy
You wish you could leave work at the office, but you have that big presentation tomorrow and you still need your boss to go over that report. Sounds like you need to schedule a meeting with your man so he can leave you breathless and thinking about anything but Melvin in accounting.

4. When You Didn’t Get a Chance to Exercise That Day
There’s no denying that exercise brings with it a myriad of mood-boosting benefits, but on some days, gym time just isn’t in the cards. Not only does sex require both light cardio and flexibility, it leaves you with a glow that’s at least as noticeable as the one you leave yoga with.

5. When You’re Procrastinating
You said you were going to finally organize that wall in your closet today, and you will...as soon as you take care of this one pressing errand.

6. When One of You Is Leaving Town for a While
You’re going to miss him, he’s going to miss you, and you’re both going to be lonely and in different cities for a stretch. Forget talking about it, and let your bodies give each other the send-off you both deserve.

7. When You’re Bored
Boredom is a gateway emotion that can lead to all kinds of ill-advised decisions, from going on an online shopping spree to cutting your own bangs. Make a little nookie instead, and avoid these unsafe, non-sexual activities.

8. When You Need a Mid-Afternoon Pick-Me-Up
You hit book club brunch in the morning, and you’ve got that bridal shower later, and you’re feeling so sleepy and sluggish that you have no idea how you’ll power through. Instead of chugging one of those drinks that’s full of caffeine and rocket fuel, recharge with some good old-fashioned oxytocin.

9. When You Get a Bad Haircut
You’ve cried. You’ve processed it. You’ve texted your sister. There’s no undoing that abomination that is currently on your head, but sex can help you remember that your hair isn’t the thing he finds hottest about you anyway.

10. When You Can’t Decide on a Movie
You’re feeling romance, he’s in the mood for action. Combine the two genres by skipping the movie altogether and hitting the main attraction in your bedroom.

11. When Dinner Reservations Are Late and You’re Both Hungry
You’ve been waiting to try this new place forever, and you don’t want to ruin your appetite. Still, a 10:30 pm reservation has you both so irritable that you’ll be lucky to make it to valet parking before one of you bites the other's head off. Stave off the hanger by satisfying an appetite that has nothing to do with your stomach.  

12. When You Just Impulse Bought Some Lingerie
You had one too many espresso shots in that latte and suddenly found yourself in Vicky’s deciding that you needed a maribou teddy. Slip into it as soon as you get home, and it will become clear that you made the responsible decision.

13. When You’re Staying at a Horrible Hotel
The sheets are stiff, the air is stuffy, and you don’t even want to know what’s going on under the bed. There’s only one way to get your mind off of this horrifying room—and it’s not by calling room service. (Just remember to use that "Do Not Disturb" sign.) 

In a list like this, you can’t leave out the classic curl. So we didn’t. (Don’t worry: The exercises will get more interesting.) But would ask that you use a weight that makes sense: If you’re swaying back wildly and contorting your body—especially excessively arching your lower back—to lift the load, you should probably get a lighter pair of dumbbells.

Do it: Grab a pair of dumbbells and let them hang at arm’s length next to your sides. Turn your arms so your palms face forward. Without moving your upper arms, bend your elbows and curl the dumbbells as close to your shoulders as you can. Pause, then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position. Each time you return to the starting position, completely straighten your arms.

It’s nearly identical to the standard-grip biceps curl, with one important twist: Your palm is not centered on the bar of the dumbbell.

Holding the dumbbell close to one of the heads shifts the weight distribution. It challenges your biceps brachii to work harder to keep your palms facing forward at all points of the exercise.

Do it: Grab a pair of dumbbells and let them hang at arm’s length next to your sides—either your thumbs or pinkies should rest right next to one of the heads of your dumbbells. Without moving your upper arms, bend your elbows and curl the dumbbells as close to your shoulders as you can. Pause, then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position. Each time you return to the starting position, completely straighten your arms.

Take your standard-grip curl and flip it on its side. This small difference in the way you hold the dumbbell helps transfer more of the work from your biceps brachii to your brachialis—a muscle that can make your arms look thicker.

Do it: Grab a pair of dumbbells and let them hang at arm’s length next to your sides with your palms facing your thighs. Without moving your upper arms, bend your elbows and curl the dumbbells as close to your shoulders as you can. Pause, then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position. Each time you return to the starting position, completely straighten your arms.

This exercise takes advantage of isometric training, a technique in which you hold the weight in one position for a period of time. It will stimulate your muscles in a way that is different from performing full reps, explains BJ Gaddour, C.S.C.S. creator of the Lose Your Spare Tire Exercise Program. And that simple change can spur new growth.

Do it: Grab a dumbbell with your right hand and stand behind a bench raised to a 45-degree angle. Lower the dumbbell until it’s just beyond half way. Hold for 20 seconds and then repeat on your left arm.

Lying chest-down on a bench really isolates the biceps since you don’t have to maintain as much tension in your legs and core muscles as you do when you stand. Use various grips in this position to zero in on different parts of your biceps.

Do it: Grab a pair of dumbbells and lie with your chest against a bench that’s set to a 45-degree incline. Without moving your upper arms, bend your elbows and curl the dumbbells as close to your shoulders as you can. Pause, then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position. Each time you return to the starting position, completely straighten your arms.

The opposite of the decline variation, you’ll lie on your back, allowing your arms to drop down behind your body. This puts an extra challenge on the long head of your biceps brachii because you’re working from a deficit—meaning, you’re starting the movement at a point where you have less leverage than normal.

Do it: Grab a pair of dumbbells and lie with your back against a bench that’s set to a 45-degree incline. Without moving your upper arms, bend your elbows and curl the dumbbells as close to your shoulders as you can. Pause, then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position. Each time you return to the starting position, completely straighten your arms.

Curling a weight with one arm helps you zero in on weak spots—especially if you have one side that’s stronger than the other, says Gaddour. And performing the move in a kneeling position will diminish the chance that you use body English to heave the weight up to the top position.

Do it: Grab a pair of dumbbells. Hold one dumbbell by your side in your left hand, palm facing your thigh. In your right hand, hold the dumbbell with your palm facing outward. Without moving your upper arm, bend your elbow and curl the dumbbell as close to your shoulder as you can. Pause, then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position. Each time you return to the starting position, completely straighten your arm. Perform all reps on your right arm before switching to your left.

This exercise targets the three major muscles that make up the biceps—the biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis—by rotating from an underhand to an overhand grip halfway through the move.

Do it: Grab a pair of dumbbells and let them hang at arm’s length next to your sides. Turn your arms so your palms face forward. Without moving your upper arms, bend your elbows and curl the dumbbells as close to your shoulders as you can. Pause, then rotate the dumbbells so your palms face forward again. Slowly lower the weights down in that position. Rotate the dumbbells back to the starting position and repeat. 

Just like the dumbbell hammer curl, this exercise will hit your brachialis to build thickness in your arms. But unlike the dumbbell version, the cable machine keeps a more steady and constant load on the biceps for longer, which may elicit more growth, according to Brad Schoenfeld, Ph.D.

Do it: Hold both ends of a rope attached to the low pulley of a cable machine. Press your elbows into your sides with your palms facing each other. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart, your torso upright, and your knees slightly bent. Keeping your arms stable throughout the move, curl, the rope toward your shoulders, Pause, and reverse the movement to return to the starting position.

Instead of holding your arms by your sides for this variation of the curl, you’ll keep them extended outwards, parallel to the floor. Just holding your arms in this position will put them to work. Adding a curl helps zero in directly on your biceps.

Do it: Stand between the weight stacks of a cable crossover station and grab a high-pulley handle in each hand. Hold your arms out to the sides so they’re parallel to the floor. Without moving your right arm, curl your left hand toward your head. Slowly allow your left arm to straight and then repeat the move with your right arm.

Resting your arms on a sloping pad of a preacher bench helps isolate your biceps by taking your other upper-body muscles out of the equation—meaning, they won’t come into play to assist where your biceps are weakest. If you don’t have the appropriate workstation, you can use a Swiss ball or a bench angled to 45 degrees.

Do it: Grab an EZ-bar with your hands six inches apart. Rest your upper arms on the sloping pad of a preacher bench and hold the bar in front of you with your elbows slightly bent. Without moving your upper arms, bend your elbows and curl the bar toward your shoulders. Pause, then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position.

While the chinup doesn’t isolate your biceps, it certainly trains them hard. Along with other muscles in your arms, shoulders, and back, you’ll use your biceps to pull your entire bodyweight from a dead hang, building serious upper-body strength, according to Tony Gentilcore, C.S.C.S., co-owner of Cressey Performance in Hudson, Massachusetts.

Do it: Grab a chinup bar using a shoulder-width underhand grip and hang at arm’s length. Squeeze your shoulder blades down and back, bend your elbows, and pull the top of your chest to the bar. Pause, and slowly lower your body back to the starting position.

This is especially useful if you—like many men—can’t crank out rep after rep of the full chinup. Since your muscles can handle more weight lowering an object than they can lifting it, you can perform more muscle-building reps of the lowering—or negative—portion of the movement. The bonus: Lowering actually causes more muscle damage than lifting, which leads to larger guns.

Do it: Stand under a chinup bar on a box or bench. Jump up and grab the bar so your chest is even with your hands. Slowly lower your body over the course of 3 to 5 seconds by extending your elbows until your feet reach the box or bench. Pause and repeat. 

If you can crank out rep after rep of the chinup and want a bigger challenge, add an isometric hold to the middle of each rep. Doing so will diminish your momentum, according to Gaddour. And since it’s harder to start from a dead stop than it is to keep going, each rep will be harder even though you didn’t add any weight, he says.

Do it: Perform a chinup and then slowly lower halfway down so your arms are at a 90-degree angle. Pause for a second or two before pulling your chest to the bar again. Pause, now lower all the way down so your arms are straight.

When you sit and row instead of stand and row, your biceps are in the direct line of the pull so they work extra hard during each rep, according to Gentilcore. The seated cable row will also help you build a massive back to compliment your guns.

Do it: Sit at a seated cable row station with your feet on the platform and your knees slightly bent. Grasp a V-bar with your palms facing each other. Keep your back flat and pull your shoulders back as you pull the bar toward your torso.

The muscles in your upper body have two functions: push and pull. Your biceps are most active when you pull, according to Alwyn Cosgrove, a Men’s Health Fitness Advisor. Since you’re using other muscles to perform the row, you’ll likely use a weight that’s much heavier than one you would curl.

Do it: Grab a barbell with your hands just beyond shoulder-width apart and hold it at arm’s length. Bend at your hips and knees, bracing your abs as if you’re about to be punched in the gut. Pull the bar to your ribcage, pause, and then lower back to the starting position.

While the hammer curl hits your biceps, the instability of lifting a limb off of the floor while holding a plank will make this an ab burner, too, says Gaddour.

Do it: Grab a pair of dumbbells and assume a pushup position with your palms facing each other. Without moving your upper arm, curl the weight in your right hand toward your right shoulder. Lower it and repeat with your left arm. Alternate arms with each rep for 30 to 60 seconds.

Performing a split jack will assist your biceps in lifting the weights. But because your feet are split instead of parallel to each other, you're not as stable. You’ll need your arms to work overtime to keep the dumbbells tight to your body in order to keep them from pulling you to the side. The bonus: You’ll jack up your heart rate, as well.

Do it: Grab a pair of heavy dumbbells and hold them by your sides with your palms facing your thighs. Jump into a split stance and curl the weights to your shoulders at the same time. Pause, and then reverse the movement to return to the starting position. Alternate legs with each rep for 20 seconds.

A continuous-loop resistance band might not look as intimidating as iron, but it will pack a punch to your biceps. Jumping your feet out will help to shorten the band, increasing the resistance when you pull up for the curl, explains Gaddour. Additionally, the fast-paced nature of this move will help hammer your muscles in a way you don’t get with slow and steady curls.

Do it: Stand with your feet together and centered on a continuous-loop resistance band. Hold the top of the band with your palms facing each other. Jump your feet out and curl the band toward your shoulders, simultaneously. Without pausing, reverse the movement to return to the starting position. Perform continuous reps for 20 seconds.

This move will hammer your biceps while you work the larger, energy-hungry muscles of your lower body. It will help you burn calories to reveal your chiseled arms.

Do it: Grab a pair of light dumbbells and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Push your hips back and squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Keeping your weight on your heels, your elbows pressed against your inner thighs, and your palms facing each other, curl and lower the weights for 30 to 60 seconds.

The farmer’s carry is a great way to work your body from head to toe as you walk, but holding the weights in a racked position can help you zero in on your biceps. It’s like an isometric hold for your guns, jostling the weight with every step. And since you typically use extra-heavy weight for farmer’s carries, you’ll overload your biceps in a completely contracted position.

Do it: Grab a pair of dumbbells and hold them in the racked position so one head of each dumbbell rests by your shoulders. Walk forward for 10 yards, turn around and walk back.

Muscles grow through a combination of load and time under tension. By starting each rep with the weights at your sides and then lifting them to your shoulders, you effectively double the amount of time your biceps spend working.

Do it: Hold a pair of dumbbells at arm’s length, your palms facing each other. Bend your hips and knees so that the dumbbells hang at knee level. In one move, explosively pull the dumbbells upward as you thrust your hips forward; then “catch” the dumbbells at shoulder height. Stand tall, and then return to the starting position. Make sure to use a manageable weight: 35- to 50-pound dumbbells are about right for most guys. 

The inverted row is primarily an upper-back exercise. However, using an underhand grip instead of a standard grip forces your biceps to work harder.

Do it: Grab a bar with an underhand, shoulder-width grip. You palms should be facing you. Hang with your arms completely straight. Your body should form a straight line from your ankles to your head. Initiate the movement by pulling your shoulder blades back, then continue the pull with your arms to lift your chest to the bar. Pause, then slowly lower your body back to the starting position. 

Recent research shows that, while men can technically make their penises bigger through a process called the “traction method,” it’s not exactly realistic—they’d have to wear a penile extender for four to six hours a day for a total of four months. The much easier option? Following one of these tips from sex therapist Ian Kerner, Ph.D., author of She Comes First, for making his penis feel bigger (without actually having to go through all that legwork):

Turn Up the Heat
“One of the things that contributes to a guy’s size is the amount of blood that flows into the penis and how hard he is,” says Kerner. Translation: The more turned on he is, the bigger he’ll feel inside of you. So take your time with the foreplay and try one of these super-hot oral sex positions (we hear men have a thing for it).

Do Some Down-There Exercises
By flexing your kegel muscles during sex, you’ll create more friction—which means you’ll feel your man more intensely during the action. And for even more moves that will amp up your pleasure, try these exercises for hotter sex.

Encourage Him to Lay Off the Solo Sex
When a guy hasn’t masturbated for a couple of days, there’ll be more blood flow to his penis when he is stimulated again—which means he’ll feel bigger than ever. Of course, this gets a little tricky because you probably can’t just ask him to not masturbate without explaining why and hurting his feelings. If you two are pretty open with each other sexually, Kerner suggests making a playful comment like, “You feel so full right now—you must not have been looking at your computer for a few days.” Or, if that seems like a bit much, you could always turn on the Seinfeld episode where they see who can go the longest without masturbating and then suggest that you two try something similar.

Bring a Toy Into the Bedroom
Kerner suggests trying something like the We-Vibe to solve your size issue on the sly. “The vibrator will also be filling the vagina, so that’s going to make it easier to feel him more fully,” he says. Any of these fun sex toys for couples should do the trick.

Looking back on my weight-loss journey, there's one really crucial lesson I learned that I wish I had known from the get-go. It has nothing to do with how much to eat or which workouts burn the most calories or how to eat less sugar.

The most important—and most unexpected—lesson I learned was to maximize the amount of pleasure I was getting in my life. This may sound pointless or unrelated to weight loss, so I'll break down why this is actually one of the most important things you can do if you want to lose weight.

When you pick up your very first diet book or go to your first support meeting, the focus of your life immediately changes. Rather than focusing on that cute guy at work or your desire to improve your photography skills, you spend your time and energy counting calories, measuring food, and scheduling your workouts.
 

There are two fundamental problems here: (1) When your brain is consumed with food-related thoughts, you can't focus on all of the other, way-more-important aspects of your life. So your life inevitably begins to become dull, and you end up feeling like you aren’t really “living.” (2) Dieting puts you in a deprivation mindset. You constantly tell yourself you can’t have what you really want, and that can trickle into the rest of your life. You start living in a way that leaves you feeling unsatisfied and devoid of pleasure. It all boils down to this: When food becomes your primary source of happiness, you're going to eat more of it.

That's how so many people find themselves on the weight-loss roller coaster for years—or even decades.

In order to break this cycle of frustration, deprivation, boredom, and eating, you need to incorporate way more non-food pleasures into your life. The more bliss you feel on a moment-to-moment basis, the less you'll need to turn to food to get pick-me-ups. Prioritizing your pleasure will also affect the way you eat; all of a sudden, shoving a package of Oreos into your mouth in two minutes flat won't seem nearly as appealing.

When I started down this path, I had to discover what pleasure meant for me.
 

It takes time to start living each moment from a pleasure-filled perspective. But as you slowly move toward this way of living, food becomes just one more fun aspect of your life, not the be-all, end-all.

Here are some tips to add more pleasure to your day-to-day life:

1. Think back to what you enjoyed when you were a kid: Did you like being outside? Were you into arts and crafts? Did you love playing with your mom’s makeup? When you think back to this time, it gives you insight into who you really are underneath all the food and diet thoughts. Start here, see what you remember, and brainstorm how you can incorporate more of these activities into your life now.

2. Ask yourself as often as possible, “What can I do right now to make this moment more pleasurable?” This can apply to even the most mundane tasks; if you’re doing laundry, how can you make it more enjoyable? Maybe you put on your favorite slippers or play jazz music as you wash and fold. During your morning commute, maybe you can start listening to a new podcast that interests you. And when you sit down to eat, how can you beautify the experience and maximize the pleasure you get out of it? Candles, pretty dishes, and music can help do the trick.

3. Add “fun” to your calendar every day: When I was first on this journey of living life in a pleasurable way, I created a “fun” category in my Google calendar. It was bright green, and I made sure that I scheduled in a green activity every single day. Whether it was meeting a friend for a walk in the park before work or window shopping in the evening or planning a relaxing lunch break in the middle of my day, there was always something. And you know what? The more fun I had, the more weight I lost. 

I love the Swiss ball because no matter what exercise you do with it, you're always working on your core stability. This particular total-body workout is so challenging and thorough, you won’t need to do an abs workoutafterward—it’s built right in!

Another thing Swiss balls are amazing for: balance. And the cool thing about balance is that it’s totally trainable! On the days when I’m a complete spaz, I do the moves in this workout to get mine flowing. Interesting insight: Just like your muscles, including your heart, your balance needs to get warmed up to perform optimally. So be patient with yourself during the first few minutes of each move below. You'll feel a little off, and that's totally natural. But watch: Once you get warmed up, your skills will improve. It’s pretty cool, actually!

The Workout: Complete three sets of each move below for the reps noted, with 30 seconds of rest in between each set. Take your time, and use short, shallow breaths during each move.

Preview the workout in our pin-able and fun infographic, then look below it for a breakdown of each exercise.

 MOVE 1