I pity the person who asks me about my workout because I absolutely adore gushing over strength training techniques and protein shakes. Way more than the “lunks” at Planet Fitness

But many of you did so brace yourself.

In a nutshell my workout consists of a playground ball between my legs, some hip swings and a ballet barre. No, but seriously, it really does. And it works better than anything I have ever tried before.

No, I am not given anything to endorse this program, I am just a firm believer in giving credit where it is due. And today I am stronger, leaner and much happier- thanks to Physique 57.

Physique 57 is a cardiovascular program that uses body weight resistance and interval training to sculpt the entire body, targeting the abdominal muscles, thighs, butt and arms specifically. There is some kind of magical mystery in this program (I am convinced) but the secret is on that has been around for ages: First, the muscles are worked to the point of overload, too fatigued to do any more reps but then stretched out for muscle relief. And as the teachers would say, “that is how we build the muscle.”

If you are hesitant to trust me then simply look at Kelly Ripa. We were all wondering where her amazing biceps and she finally proclaimed to the world that it was this very program.

When I first began doing Physique I was wondering how exactly I was getting better results from this program than anything I had ever tried before. I was floored by the impact that Physique 57 was having on my body—giving me tons of energy, making me leaner and slimmer by the day and giving me a full body tone that was all lean definition and no bulk.

But this is exactly why the program works…. Physique 57 is a revamped version of the Lotte Berk technique. The late Lotte Berk was a dancer all her life and came up with a form of

exercise for women that was actually quite controversial back in the 60s. An intense mixture of pilates, yoga and body weight training, the Lotte Berk method improves flexibility and strength and targets the growth of muscle tissue—more effective at burning calories than fatty tissue.

And therein lies the secret. We are fed this idea all the time that losing fat is all about cardiovascular workouts. But think about this for a moment: Muscle tissue burns more than fat tissue. The more muscle tissue we have, the more calories burned. Well, Physique builds muscle tissue and as a result more calories are burned. Hence the fat loss and muscle tone that this program offers (Yes, I am excited that I just got to give you a little bit of my soon to be personal trainer knowledge).

And you might head over to the site and question it because at first glance it looks like a “dainty dancer’s cop out excuse for a workout.” But when I say workout, I mean WORK OUT. I kid you not, this program will leave you panting, sweating and practically gripping the chair in agony. But you will feel phenomenal and accomplished after you are done, you will feel the burn all day long. This is the first program that I have tried that I can actually feel working while I am doing it. It is as if I could feel someone chiseling away at my abs or sculpting my arms with an ice pick. That is how intense this program is.

Right now Physique 57 is offering a FREE 30 day trial (I happened to notice it as I went onto the site to get pictures). And you will get these three DVDs with the trial:

1 57-minute Full Body Workout– Works the entire body (especially the arms). Gets you out of the mode of doing girly push-ups and really targets your butt and thighs.

1 30-minute Full Body Express– Not so much focus on the biceps this time but it is a great workout for your butt and thighs especially. By the end of the 30-minutes you will know the true meaning to the word “thigh dancing.”

1 30-minute Abs and Arms Booster– My favorite. Every time I go for this one I am left nearly crying because I can feel it in my abs so much. Be ready to feel your body shake like never before.

You also need a sturdy chair, a set of 3-5 pound arm weights (trust me, it might not seem like a lot of weight but it will feel like it during this workout), and a playground ball (Walmart- $3).

I do this program about four times a week and the amazing thing about it is that you never plateau. I have been doing Physique for six months now and my body continues to get into better shape, my muscles have stayed defined and my energy levels are unlike ever before.

I knew I could not resist telling you about this (I am practically over here jumping up and down like a little child seeing the ice cream truck)… plus several of you asked where I got my arms from and it is thanks to these ladies! And what is the harm in doing the trial?! I don’t think you will be disappointed by it.

Any lovers of this program out there? Now that I have shared one of my workout secrets, share with me one of yours… And definitely let me know if you try out Physique.