Fitness can be intimidating, but only when you let it overwhelm you. Once you get around the idea that working out is tedious, it will soon become more of a fulfilling habit and less of a chore.

No one ever said that you can turn your life around to achieve a fabulously fit lifestyle in a day. Given the adage that you need 21 days to form any lifelong habit, fitness is no exception. Yes, 21 days may sound overwhelming, but you can breathe easy if they are broken down into a simple progression. Doable?

Here’s a three-week breakdown of a 21-day butt-kicking workout routine that will get you in shape by the New Year. In this carefully designed progression, you will be doing six half-hour workouts every week that will not only blast out the extra fat your body is storing, but will tone your legs, arms, hips, buttocks, and belly. Each session is broken down into segments – warm up, cardio for fat burning, strength training, and finally recovery or cool down.

Let’s start with Week 1 of the 3-week workout routine.

Day 1

• Warm up x 16 counts

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Start the routine with a few warm up stretches. You could use a foam mat and simply do stretching exercises while lying flat on your back, or you could start with an aerobics routine.

• Half-squats x 12 reps: Focus on hips, legs, and buttocks

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Feet wider apart than your shoulders, toes pointing forward, arms raised at chest height, palms facing. This is your starting position. At first count, bend your knees and hips to your lower body while keeping your body upright. Your knees and toes should be aligned. Hold, come back to starting position, hold again; then repeat.

• Snap-kick lunges x 3 sets: Focus on quadriceps, calves, hips, and abs

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Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your fists under your chin. Lunge forward with your right foot, bending your right knee 90 degrees, keeping your knee aligned over your ankle. Kick your left leg forward to chest height. Return to starting position, then lunge backward with left leg. Do 12 reps before switching sides.

• Bench dips x 8 sets: Strength training

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Sit up straight on the long edge of an exercise bench. Your legs should be slightly extended, with your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands on both sides of the bench just outside your hips, palms down, fingers pointing downwards. Bring your buttocks off the bench without moving your legs, hold, and come back to starting position.

• Cool down: With simple aerobic stretches.

Day 2

• Warm up x 16 counts

Start the routine with your preferred warm up exercises.

• Box jumps x 10 reps on each side: Focus on legs, hips, and belly

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Face the step standing on your right foot, with your left knee slightly bent. Squat down slightly as you naturally do when jumping for height and leap onto the box, landing on your right foot. Immediately jump backward down to the floor, again landing on your right foot. Now do the same with your left side.

• Touch down squats x 3 sets of 10 reps: Focus on arms, abs, buttocks, hips, and legs

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Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell vertically in each hand. Squat down, bending knees to 90 degrees and bringing your body weight back onto your heels. Hold for 4 counts, lowering the dumbbells in front of you toward the floor. As you stand back up, curl weights toward your shoulders. Lower weights to starting position and repeat.

• Cool down: With simple aerobic stretches.

Day 3: High-intensity Interval Training Cardio

• Warm up x 16 counts

Start the routine with your preferred warm up exercises.

• Run/walk: On a treadmill or outdoors

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Walk at 3.5-4.5 mph for 8 minutes, then jog at 5.0–6.0 mph for another 8-10 minutes. Then increase the speed to 7.0–8.0 mph for another 10 minutes. Interval, and do 2-3 reps, depending on the intensity. The reps can be increased in the following weeks. Come down to walk at 3.5–4.5 mph and cool down.

Day 4

• Warm up x 16 counts

Start the exercise with an aerobic routine.

• Walk-out pushups x 10 reps: Strength training

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Start in pushup position with your hands two inches wider than your shoulders. Walk hands out as far as possible, then walk back.

• Calf presses x 10 reps: Focus on legs

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Sit on the seat with your back on padded support. Place your feet on the platform. Grasp handles to your sides and extend your hips and knees. Place your toes and the balls of your feet on the lower portion of the platform with your heels and arches extending off. Push the sled by extending your ankles as far as possible. Return by bending ankles until calves are stretched.

• Cool down: With simple aerobic stretches.

Day 5

• Warm up x 16 counts

Start the exercise with an aerobic routine.

• Jump rope x 2-3 sets of 100 counts: Focus on abs, belly, hips, arms, legs, and buttocks

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Stand with your knees slightly bent, and hold the rope at about hip height with your palms facing your body. Jump and push off the balls of your feet, and keep your knees flexible and your torso upright.

• Side planks x 10 reps on each side: Focus on abs and belly

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Lie on your left side with your elbow directly beneath your shoulder and your legs stacked. Place your right hand on your left shoulder or on your right hip. Brace your abs and lift your hips off the floor until you’re balancing on your forearm and feet, so that your body forms a diagonal line. Hold, switch sides, and repeat.

• Cool down: With simple aerobic stretches.

Day 6

• Warm up x 16 counts

Start the routine with a few warm up stretches.

• Bicycle x 3 sets of 10 reps: Focus on belly, abs, and legs

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To simulate a pedaling motion, lie on your back with your hands behind your head. Raise your knees to your chest while lifting your head and shoulders off the ground. Bring the right elbow to your left knee and straighten the right leg. Switch legs. You can use a bicycle machine as an alternative.

• Alligator drags x 10 reps: Focus on legs, arms, and abs

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Find a section of the floor that gives you space to move. Take anything that will slide over the surface without resistance – you can use towels, or plastic plates. Start in pushup position with your feet on the towels, or plates. Take yourself forward with your hands to the end of your runway. Hold for 30 seconds, and go back to starting position.

• Cool down: With simple aerobic stretches.

Featured image source: Shutterstock