Burn 300 Calories in 15 Minutes

Shorter, smarter workouts are always a winner in my book—who doesn’t want tomelt more fat and calories in less time? One trendy fitness tool that can make that happen: kettlebells. Sure, they might look a little intimidating—kind of like little cannonballs with handles—but they’re actually super easy to use. Plus, strength training with a kettlebell works nearly every muscle in your body, toning you up from head to toe and blasting 300 calories in just 15 minutes (you’d have to bike for more than 30 minutes to get the same results). Intrigued? Give one a try with these simple, sculpting moves created exclusively for SELF by Sarah Lurie, founder of Iron Core Kettlebell Strength and Conditioning in San Diego.

You’ll need a 10- to 15-pound kettlebell ($35 and up; GoFit.net). Switch to a heavier one as you get stronger. Do three sets of the indicated reps of each move three times a week on nonconsecutive days.

OVERHEAD PRESS

works: shoulders, arms, abs, butt, legs
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, a kettlebell in your right hand, elbow bent, with the ball of kettlebell resting on the back of your right forearm at your right shoulder. Press your right arm straight overhead (as shown). Bend your elbow, returning the kettlebell to your right shoulder, for 1 rep. Do 5 reps. Switch sides; repeat.

DECK SQUAT

Works: abs, butt, legs
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding the kettlebell horns (the sides of handle), arms down. Lower your butt to sit on floor; bend your elbows so the kettlebell is in front of your chest, arms inside your legs. Roll onto your back, keeping your knees bent (as shown), then roll forward, placing your feet on the floor to rise to a low squat, extending your arms at chest level. Snap your hips as you straighten your legs and lower your arms for 1 rep. Do 10 reps.

SWING-CATCH-SQUAT

Works: shoulders, back, abs, butt, legs
Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, the kettlebell on the floor between your feet. Squat and grab the handle with both hands, palms down; swing the kettlebell back between your legs, then forward as you snap your hips and rise to stand. When the kettlebell reaches shoulder level, release the handle, catching the horns, elbows bent, then squat (as shown). Stand, changing your grip so your hands are on top of the handle, arms down, for 1 rep. Do 10 reps.

TACTICAL LUNGE

Works: abs, butt, legs
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, a kettlebell in both hands in front of you, arms down. Step your left leg back into a lunge, releasing your right hand; pass the kettlebell under your right leg from your left hand to your right (as shown), then return to start. Repeat on opposite side for 1 rep. Do 5 reps.

See SELF's kettlebell center for more moves and tips from Lurie on maximizing the benefits of your workout.

Need a new food and diet plan? Check out our Jump Start Diet. With four cardio plans and over 70 recipes, there's something for everyone.

Burn Major Calories without the Gym

Whether you’re on a budget or need a more convenient workout routine, these 10 no-frills strategies will help you slim down anywhere

Lose More Weight at Home

Tempted to drop that pricey gym membership, but still trying to drop a few pesky pounds? Don’t stress—bringing the workout to you may yield even more success on the scale. In fact, one study found home exercisers lost 66% more weight than gym-goers, perhaps because of the added convenience. Read on for 10 ways to say farewell to flab—anywhere, anytime, with no fancy equipment needed.

Take the Stairs

Opting for the stairs instead of the elevator burns about 10 calories per minute, and doing it a few times a day can boost your fitness considerably in as little as 7 weeks, found a British researchers. When study authors had women trek up 199 stairs (a climb of just over 2 minutes) working up to 6 times over the course of their days, they boosted their healthy HDL cholesterol by 19% and lowered their heart rate by an average 7 beats per minute. Best of all, this is one workout that actually saves you time: When University of South Carolina at Aiken clocked workers taking either the stairs or the elevator as they went floor to floor, they found that the stairs were an average of 20 seconds faster per flight.

Grab a Partner (or an iPod) and Dance

Ballroom dancing can burn nearly 400 calories an hour—and you can do it in heels if you like. If you’re new to dance, look for classes at a local college or community center, or search for local groups and events at meetup.com [http://www.meetup.com/]. Prefer to shake your booty in private? “Thanks to iPods, you can move and groove anywhere,” says Jennifer Galardi, star of Dance off the Inches: Cardio Hip Hop. “Just crank up the tunes and let loose.”

Rake the Leaves

There are few better ways to embrace the fall foliage than jumping in a big pile of it. Grab a rake and burn nearly 300 calories an hour.

Walk the Dog

A whole slew of studies confirms what dog owners have known for years: It’s a lot harder to skip your workout when you have to answer to a set of sad puppy-dog eyes. A four-legged companion can ensure that you walk more consistently, melting pounds for good. You don’t need a leash to burn 200 calories an hour (or more if you pick up the pace), but that furry friend can be an awfully effective motivator.

Do Sidewalk Sprints

You don’t have to be a track star—or even win your age group at the local Turkey Trot—to benefit from speed workouts. Short, speedy bursts of running are hands down the best way to get a body that looks lean and defined, says Nabie Fofanah, a personal trainer at the Sports Club at Chelsea Piers in New York City as well as USA Track and Field certified track coach. That’s because speed work taps into your body’s fast-twitch muscles, burning maximum calories in minimum time. Simply mark a distance of about 50 paces on a sidewalk, quiet street, or stretch of relatively flat grass, and you’re set. After warming up thoroughly, run the distance at a pace just a notch below an all-out sprint. (You’ll be going fast, but feel like you have one more gear to go.) Rest for 30 seconds, then go again, aiming for 10 total sprints.

Get Your Game On

Take your pick of backyard games—touch football, soccer, even throwing a Frisbee—for the ultimate interval workout that’s so fun you’ll forget you’re burning more than 500 calories an hour. In one study, researchers found that previously sedentary novice soccer players burned twice the fat as study participants put on a jogging program, and they had so much fun they were more likely to stick with it too.

Play with Your Kids (or Borrow Some)

A trip to the playground can torch up to 340 calories—if you can keep up with the kids, that is.

Do a Commercial-Break Workout

Make the most of your TV time by squeezing in calorie burning during the ads with this living room-friendly routine from Amy Blackburn, a Nashville-based trainer certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Do each of the following moves for the length of one commercial (about 30 seconds): squats with hands in the air, triceps dips on couch, situps, pushups, jumping jacks.

Stand Up

It’s probably the easiest way to double your calorie burn, yet we still spend an average of 7.7 hours with our butts on a chair every day. To make matters worse, Missouri University researchers have found that too much sitting puts an enzyme that triggers fat burning into hibernation. Fire up fat burning by standing whenever you can—waiting at the doctor’s office, at your kids’ soccer game, even while on a conference call.

Better Ways to Amazing Abs

Better Ways to Amazing Abs

There are a number of reasons that crunches are unproductive, but we’re going to focus on six: the number of muscles you hope will emerge on your abdomen as a result of time spent grunting on the ground. Crunches primarily target your rectus abdominis, leaving the rest of your core—your transverse abdominis, back extensors, hip flexors, and obliques—largely unchallenged and ignored. The following moves fromThe Men’s Health Big Book of Exercises focus on spinal stabilization to work your entire middle region. This is essential for lower-back health and peak performance in any sport, in addition to maximizing the abdominal muscles that are most visible on—you guessed it—your six-pack.

Mountain Climber with Hands on Swiss Ball

Difficulty: Hard

Incorporating a stability ball increases the difficulty in this variation of mountain climber. To perform, place your hands on a Swiss ball, then alternate raising each knee, without allowing your back to round. Learn how to perform this move with perfect form.

Cable Core Press

Difficulty: Easy to Hard

Control the difficulty of the cable core press by adjusting the weights. You don’t want to rotate your body when performing this move, so lighten the load if you find yourself hiking your hip or rotating your shoulders. See how to perform this move with perfect form.

Side Plank with Reach Under

Difficulty: Moderate to Hard

Once you’ve mastered side plank, make it harder by adding a rotation. Start in side plank, and then raise your right arm straight above you. Keeping your abs braced, reach under and behind your torso. Now lift your arm back up. Learn how to perform this move with perfect form.

Lateral Roll

Difficulty: Very Hard

Push your limits with this intense balance challenge: Lie with your upper back placed firmly on a Swiss ball, and hold a pole or broomstick, with your arms straight out from your sides. Roll across the ball as far as you can, taking tiny steps. Reverse directions and roll as far as you can to the other side. Learn how to perform this move with perfect form.

Swiss-Ball Rollout

Difficulty: Hard

Sit on your knees in front of a Swiss ball and place your forearms and fists on the ball, with your elbows bent about 90 degrees. Slowly roll the ball forward, straightening your arms and extending your body as far as you can without allowing your lower back to “collapse.” Then use your abdominal muscles to pull the ball back to your knees. Learn how to perform this move with perfect form.

Swiss-Ball Jackknife

Difficulty: Hard

Assume a pushup position, shins resting on a Swiss ball. Roll the ball toward your chest by pulling it forward with your feet. Pause, and then return the ball to the starting position.Learn how to perform this move with perfect form.

T-Stabilization

Difficulty: Moderate

Assume a pushup position. Shift your weight onto your left arm and rotate your torso up and to the right until you’re facing sideways. Hold it for 3 seconds, and then return to the starting position. Rotate to the other side. Learn how to perform this move with perfect form.

Core Stabilization

Difficulty: Easy

Sit on the floor with your knees bent. Hold a weight plate straight out in front of your chest and then lean back at a 45-degree angle. Without moving your torso, rotate your arms to the left as far as you can. Pause for 3 seconds. Rotate your arms to the right as far as you can. Pause again, and then continue to alternate back and forth for 30 seconds. Learn how to perform this move with perfect form.

Extended Plank

Difficulty: Hard

Assume a pushup position, with your hands about 6 to 8 inches in front of your shoulders. The farther your hands are in front of you, the more challenging the move. Learn how to perform this exercise with perfect form.

Chisel Washboard Abs

Discover more ways to sculpt a midsection you'll want to show off:

• The Abs Diet for Men Fat-Shredding Workout
• 6 Happiest Ways to Beat Belly Fat
• Seize Your Six-Pack